*THIS* NEEDS TO STOP!
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- Опубліковано 29 вер 2022
- Another close pass.
The worst of all close passes.
Let me know if you have tried the Varia and what you think!
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As a bus driver in Manchester myself I'm sorry to see you have such a close call with that bus. I can assure you, you did absolutely nothing wrong in this situation. Visibility through the Busses windscreen is perfect and there is no reason they shouldn't of seen you. This part of Rochdale Road is just after the merge from 2 lanes to 1 so the driver should of been doing extra checks to make sure there surroundings was safe. Unfortunately I don't work for this bus company which was Stagecoach but I'm sure they'd like to see the footage you have. There is no need to second guess your actions, keep doing what you do as I enjoy your content :)
well done for writing this and I think katie you should send the footage to the bus company.
This is good advice, since (at least in the Netherlands) police 9/10 times don’t follow up unless you have been injured.
It should be sent to the police first and foremost.
Recently we had a outcry in Hamburg when a busdriver almost runover a cyclist that barely avoid to get pushed over by pulling into the curb.
As a Stagecoach driver myself, different area, i'm appalled by this. the fact i'm also a very keen cyclist doesn't and shouldn't matter. 100% report this to a manager of the local Stagecoach depot. They will definitely deal with this. Very sorry you've had to go through this. I'm personally livid.
This needs to be reported! That driver was putting your life in danger and God knows how many other people have been in similar situations. Glad you are OK.
I’m a regular cyclist and this sort of thing happens far too often. The only solution is to create a separate bike lane with a barrier. If governments want to encourage people away from cars then they need to make cycling safer.
Sadly, getting home safely now represents the success of a road ride. A perfectly good ride can get ruined might quickly. Glad you were all right, Katie.
Send the footage along with the route number and number plate to the bus operator. That driver is a danger.
I agree it will be stagecoach
I fully agree, the incident needs to reported to the operator !
And the police
This driver will certainly kill a rider/pedestrian at some point. Do all you can to identify and report.
Guys, I suppose we are all drivers as well and sometimes you just don’t spot some things or he might not have a choice as a bus or a lorry was coming the other way as well and the road isn’t endless. Had same thing some years ago, ended in a ditch because of the scare but I did see the lory overtaking a car on a two way and the bus driver just didn’t have the choice it was me or the frontal collision with a lorry so he swerved. Did it bruise me and my ego - hell Yes, but do I blame the bus driver - NO. The main point is like Katy said, what can we ALL do better. In my case , Lorry driver could have been a better driver.
As a driving instructor for said company that you had the issue with. If you report to the company with the bus number and a time they will be able to track the driver and with your video they can help retrain the driver and help make him more aware of his actions
Wow even here the scammers are out
Genuinely...one shouldn't need to be trained for this. Should be basic common sense. If you don't have it one shouldn't be driving for a living
they better out him out if his jobs. Sweping is only thing he should do on the streets.
if he still needs training, he shouldnt be out there on his own.
I'd say that driver needs a major change of attitude before training will work. I'm surprised that a passenger never made a complaint.
I'm glad you're ok. I've had my Varia light/radar for a little over a year now,and I absolutely love it.
The extra few seconds of warning are priceless when riding on a busy road. I highly recommend it,well worth the money.
That was nuts! Good on you for maintaining your composure in that situation. I'm not sure how I would have reacted to being startled like that.
I got hit by a car 2 weeks ago, despite all lights being on and having reflective shoes. I’ve now got myself a completely reflective gilet, but it just shows that with all the preparation and tech, an incompetent or distracted driver can still take you out. There’s a point where the infrastructure must change.
I had exactly the same experience end of May coming down a hill of a rural road and driver’s impatience decided to overtake at the bottom of this narrow road and his outside wing mirror clipped by arm and handlebars and took me out - bad road grazing on elbow and leg and very badly strained groin. It could have been a lot worse.
But over last 6 months I am experiencing more near misses where vehicles are getting so close to me when passing it’s unbelievable. I have everything on me and the bike to be highly visible too! It does need a complete change of culture how to share space on the roads like the Dutch.
Stay safe and happy cycling 🚴🏼♂️
I live in NY state, not the city. I'm 52 years old, and have been an avidly consistent bicycle rider since the age of 9. The first roadie style bicycle that i bought was at 12.
I've been almost hit quite a few times over my many years of bicycle riding. It Really is obvious that things have gotten profoundly worse for cyclists in recent times though. I can personally attest to this. The driver's are obviously more distracted than ever, and more aggressive than ever as well. And Really, there Needs to be Many More safe riding options for cyclists, especially in these very trying financial times. There can never be too many bicycle riding paths(Alternative routes for cyclists). Heritage trails are around, but there are still way too few of them. So Many roads are So Bike Unfriendly, and Downright Deadly for cyclists actually. It baffles and disgusts me when I see a bicycle sign on these horrible roads that have No Edge on the corners of the road. It's just like they may as well say, Yeah, come on cyclists, ride on this horrible road, if you get struck, whatever. I guess the only way to deal with these types of road situations is to ride a fat tire all terrain bicycle, and stay and remain completely off every portion of that road. That's what I've done while riding my fat-bike to work. They Are extra tiring bikes to ride though. So Much heavier than roadie bikes. So much heavier even than a standard mountain bike.
I get passed very closely. I don't think it's accidental some of the time.
Cyclists need to change their mindset, and I'm a cyclist. You did not get hit by a car, you got hit by a DRIVER. Probably on their cell phone. Traffic laws need to have much higher fines for cell phones, $1,000 first offense. $2,000 second offense. License suspended for six months third offense.
@@Mike-vd2qt when a car/driver combination passes me very closely, I have the opportunity to see what they are doing. 99% are not using their phones. There's something known as a "punishment pass". Some drivers resent having to share roads with cyclists, we get in their way. It's (some) of their way to get back at the cyclist. The de-personization ie "car driver" "motorists" "cyclists" is subconsciously powerful. Different if you think "mum" "dad" someones "son or daughter".
My adrenaline is often so high after being scared by a fast close pass, that if I were to catch up and confront the driver, I might be later classed as a murderer.
I lost a dear friend to a similar event. She was pushed into the curb and fell under the rear wheels. Do report that incident if you are able.
That's so sad. I'm sorry to hear that. I hour you're OK. 😞
that's horrible to hear, sorry for your loss. It happens way too often here in Ireland too, seems like some drivers make a sport of it of scaring cyclists.
Thanks for sharing this video and glad to hear it was just a close call yet a scary one. I agree 100% in what you say in the video. I have been twice in a similar situation by motorcycle in early 2000s while studying in Thailand at the university. The first time a van squeezed me between the 15cm high curb and the van itself. The driver paid absolutely no attention what-so-ever I was on his left-hand side. Luckily only the car door got damage from my steering bar. I survived. The second time few years later also in Bangkok a truck driver decided to turn left from the middle lane behind me at a high speed. All I could do was slam the brakes. I got some bruises but my motorcycle did not survive that well under the rear tires of the truck. After seeing your video, I will now hit the road and go buy the Garmin rear radar with the camera for bicycles.
Katie, this is a great video. I’ve noticed more lately than ever, that traffic is getting very very close to me. It’s to the point now that I’m not sure what to do about it to stay safe.
I’m finding that when on the road, and there’s no cycle lane, I try to stay as close in to the kerb or verge as possible without it being dangerous for me, but I’m finding that cars then try and overtake me on the same side of the road, rather than wait for a space and go into the centre of the road or even into the opposite lane to pass safely. So I’ve now started to come just off Centre to make sure that cars have to wait for a space , no oncoming traffic, and have to take it wider.
I feel almost certain, that it’s just a matter of time before I get knocked off, and injured or worse.
Thanks for raising the awareness
Fair play for sitting on it for a week to calm down, but 100% deserves reporting.
Well, it is a prepared Garmin advert. But I agree, it was best to wait.
Glad you're ok. Don't beat yourself up about what you were wearing - he saw you fine, he just didn't give a shit. Until we all report these bastards and get them off the roads they'll continue to do this. In the meantime, just keep safe.
This. Radars, hi viz, lights would have made no difference here. Guaranteed the bus driver saw Katie.
It was broad daylight after all. Bright clothes or a flashlight wouldn't have made any difference at all. It's obvious the driver saw you alright, he probably just didn't care - which makes him a real danger for other weaker traffic members.
And riding holding a camera is ok? What I'd the driver had been doing the same, you would have complained about that. Let's call out all unsafe practices!
@@stevemarks9360 Of course. It's illegal for drivers to hold cameras while driving. It's not for cyclists.
@@aegisdesign BUT SOME HOW IT'S MY FAULT IF SHE FALLS UNDER MY TIRES. Same as driving DO ONE THING AT A TIME. SELFISH WHAT IT IS / SEE YOUR KIND ALL THE TIME
I just got a bike and I’m vizzing up, big time. Can’t afford expensive products like that awesome sounding garmin camera/light, but I think people might think the sun is rising when I come into view on the road 🤭 That bus was hair-close. Thank goodness you’re ok. Stay safe ✨
I got hit by a bus a year ago I was using lights etc.its taken me months to get my confidence back on the bike and even now I still seach for quiet roads.Getting my varia next week.
Thanks for sharing this message and happy cycling
That was scary. Does anyone else find that this happens with depressing regularity when using painted bike lanes? It seems that drivers feel that their responsibility ends as long as they don't actually cross the line. I tend to ride outside of these lanes (unless they are wide enough to have a safe separation between me and the line) but this has the downside of seriously outraging motorists. I honestly can't decide which is the safer approach. We all need to be reporting as much of this as possible and all police forces need to take it as seriously as my local force (Devon and Cornwall) do. Driver education courses seem most appropriate for a first offence, then serious points or a ban for subsequent offences.
Spot on. Once the lines demark the lanes, a lot of drivers think they only have to stay in theirs, irrespective of how close they may pass a cyclist. Painted lines do not overrule the 1.5m distance, but I fear this will not be adhered to.
Umm the bike lane is 1.5m so if you stay to the left side of the lane then car do have 1.5m to over take and no wonder car driver get upset.
I don't want to get into a debate but the comment from Matt that bike line is 1.5m wide so ride to the left is, I guess, intended to annoy or just very poor mathematics. So you ride in the gutter touching the kerb and your bike is 0m wide Matt? (rhetorical question no answer required)
Some research shows drivers give cyclist s less space when there are bike lanes. As with KK, the driver figured it was fine if they didn’t cross the line, even though she had minimal space.
@@bleckb but she the one who has closed that gap plus she is the one filming one handed. She put herself in a dangerous situation.
Ive been riding in traffic for more than 20 years. I've had some really close calls. Never get used to it. I'm glad you filmed it. i've never gotten mine on film. thank you for this video.
What's been very helpful to my friends and myself is a 3 meter long red fiberglass pole. It attaches to the rear axle nut very securely and is red in colour with a red pendant on top.
So sorry you went through that. All the best, don’t let the SOB get you down.
Please don't let this go. I am still unable(too scared) to ride anywhere but off rode after a close call a year ago. I am happy that you are OK.All the best.
I met so many people who are scared to ride on the road and it is not right, and so unfair if you go on the pavement in the south UK you get told off, they should merge the cycling path and the pavement and separate it to footpath and cycling pavement, as we had in Hungary.
That is why they do it to scare the cyclist, punishment passes for being in their way.
same thing happened to me, but i was going 25-30mph
@@Blox117 wow that is fast. Scary.
@@nickwf70 very sad
had this happen to me with an 18 wheeler recently and one thing people either forget or underestimate is the change in wind as they pass you especially that close.. in my particular situation when the truck passed the change in wind pulled me even closer toward it.. really disheartening the lack of regard for someone's life nevermind that I'm a husband and father of 2 boys under the age of 5
I hear you Ryan - I ride sensibly and don’t wind up motorists unnecessarily. But sometimes find myself wanting to ask (or shouting) whether they want to explain to my wife and daughter why Daddy’s not coming home.
Hope and pray it never happens but wish people could understand.
Stay well and much love 👍
Especially at speed. I was riding in a small group of three recently, and a gravel truck with two trailers came by us at 70 mph, giving less than a foot of clearance. Needless to say, we all had to change our bibs and catch our breath after that near death experience.
@@BillyRappleye nevermind people with trailers seem to forget they are usually wider than the vehicle towing them
That is horrible. I can imagine how scary that was. Glad you’re safe!
You hit the nail on the head. I never ride on the roads without the Varia. The bus driver might have been distracted, day dreaming or whatever and the blinking back light would probably have got his or her attention. It's flawless tech
Glad you're OK. I started riding with lights front and rear a couple of years ago. Saved my life a few times. Ride safe!!!
Unbelievably close pass. I’m so glad you’re ok. Not ok for this to happen and a “professional” driver as well?! Ridiculous. Stay safe lovely lady ❤❤❤
"Professional" drivers are usually the worst, actually. Had countless similar experiences with bus drivers, taxis drivers and also truck drivers. I think driving as a job brings out the worst in people.
I had a similar thing happen to my mate and I riding on a busy road in rural NSW. I have a light/camera on the back of my bike which recorded the whole thing. I took it to the local police and they spoke to the trucking company and hauled in the driver to face questions. The light/cameras won't stop you getting hit, but they record events in case you need evidence.
On the Garmin Radar ... I also have one of these and they are brilliant especially coming up to roundabouts, intersections and when you need to change lanes to know what is coming up behind you.
Well done Katie for another great video. All the best from a Manchester born boy living in Australia.
Glad your ok after the close pass. I won't go out without my Garmin Radar back light, definitely piece of mind of cars coming up behind.
I'm a retired Police Officer however when I was still serving I had the same thing happen to me. I could feel the bus as it was so close
I remembered the bus number however
I never had any video evidence so knew that it would be difficult for the police to prosecute however I contacted the bus company and spoke with the transport manager.
The bus has dashcam and the incident was seen.
The driver was disciplined .
What he did was so dangerous and you should report him
Hi Chris, I too am a retired PC and had many a tight squeeze with vehicles, I seem to be the only one that can see the positioning of her bike pretty much straddling the line whilst using and concentrating more on that than anything else. I agree with your comment if she was innocent, but she wasnt!
@@peter3994 I guess you never saw the drain
@@peter3994 So...are you saying that there are circumstances in which it's acceptable for a driver of a 60ft, 12 ton vehicle to pass that close to a cyclist?
@@peter3994 I’m glad you’re retired!
@Peter, retired police officer or not you clearly don’t know the current Highway Code rules… A cyclist has just as much right to take a safe position on the road as any other vehicle… The current rules state that a vehicle overtaking a cyclist must leave a safe distance of not less than 3 feet between vehicle and cyclist. Her positioning in the cycle lane is totally irrelevant.
You should report it to the bus company / police. (Bus number 56. 23 seconds into vid). To be honest, having a varia (I've got one) doesn't stop idiots driving close to you even if you pull in a bit. Stay safe Kookaburra! : )
And you can also see the driver's face at 0:31 if you press play pause really quickly (or use slow speed). Bald with a beard and mustache.
I hope she reports it-I always think this could be one of numerous reports that can get a bad driver (especially a bus driver!) at least cautioned (or suspended/fired)
Bus number 10844, route number 56..
The bus number (fleet number) is 10844 (also visible at 23 seconds). The route number (56) is useless. The fleet number is the one to get.
Thanks for the Varia info.
Here in the USA, I use buke lanes, buke trails, and buke routes through residential and college areas as much as possible. I also use dual bike mirrors and daytime front and rear flashing lights for maximum awareness and visibility on my e-bike. My taillight is mounted to my rear rack and includes an automatic stop light, turn signals, horn, and theft alarm with 3D motion detection.
Thanks for sharing that close call. My partner and I have identical e bikes. I have had a few close ones with vehicles but when we’re biking together or not she has a lollipop sticking out. Well to a motorist you would think there was a grenade on the end of it.
Since getting knocked off my bike last year I have started to ride gravel and off road more as my confidence has gone and so far not returned, I just really glad you are OK.
I used to enjoy riding my road bike but scares the hellout of me now. Just ride MTB now. There's a small section of country lane I have to use and even that worries me a bit
Off road is good....no traffic no problems 👍🏻
So sad that alot of us feel so weary on the roads. Really feel like in the eyes of a lot of drivers we are just vermin. Even pedestrians seem pissed off with cyclists. Sad state of how the world is now. People seem so impatient and selfish.
O agree with all of you, I’ve had way too many close calls lately & decided to stop riding on public roads & only ride closed riding paths, gravel & mtn. For me it’s just not worth it to risk your life anymore on the treacherous roads all over the world with so many distracted drivers
That really was a scary pass! I've been riding with the varia radar rear light for a couple of years and agree, I love it. Would definitely like one with a camera, but not yet...
just discovered your Cycling Channel..
I have had many drivers, of large vehicles, do that very same behavior towards me . intimidation by Fear. And I was powerless to do anything. Some times they do that to give us the Message...I call it , " A Close Shave".I just subscribed to your channel...thank you glad you are safe...I'm a commuter of 11 years now..had many Close Shaves....
Wow that was close!! I'm glad you are ok. I've been riding for over 50 years and still sometimes get really unnerved by it. Actually I think it's worse now than at any other time.
Shocking, needs reporting to bus company and police. From time and location the bus company should be able to identify the bus. The bus will almost certainly have its own dashcam too.
I hope they are different than around here in Raleigh, N. Carolina. I've had a bus merge over into me and I reported it. My brother and a couple of others have had problems with busses as well. Nothing ever gets done. They pretend to take it seriously when it reported, but nothing ever comes of it. The suspicion around here is that they don't have enough bus drivers, so they don't want to piss off the drivers or fire them.
Yes they should, I use to drive for a bus company and they all have trackers and they know. On the Garmin thing, wouldn't it pick up every car on a busy road, I saw another review on it and that was a issue but I can't remember the full review, but anything that helps.
P.s was you in a cycle lane?
I hope your ok though.🙏
@@Bullitluna I have one and find it a bit useless/annoying on a busy road. Doesn't really tell you anything since there's a constant stream of cars. Works perfectly on less traveled quieter roads. I've had a few false positive indications but can't recall ever not getting notified of a car.
I'm a HGV driver and i know that our company and the local authorities take a dim view on getting too close to cyclists and other vulnerable road users. A few drivers have been reported and fined for near misses with the help of camera footage since the law change. And rightly so 👍
I would be interested in seeing the bus dash camera because I believe they were in their lane passing a cyclist who was riding one handed and also pretty close to drifting out of the cycle lane. If I was driving while filming myself almost getting into a crash, people would say don't drive one handed. If I was driving one hand using a GoPro and then drifting over to my right hand side of my lane and then said about other people driving. then I would get no sympathy at all.
Blimey Katie, I'm so glad you're ok. That was too close for comfort. Sadly that happens once too often but, as you say, the more of us who report these incidents, the safer the roads will be.
Electric cars are stealthily silent, so te Varia will be invaluable for alerting us to those as well as 'normal' cars. Thank you for talking about this 😊
I'm so glad you weren't hurt, Katie. I've had two similar close calls with car drivers here in the US. One of the incidents was intentional, I believe. The other was due to inattention/distraction. I could have reached out a few inches and touched either car as it passed me. It is a frightening experience! And having it happen with a bus would be even worse!
I remember seeing an ad for a rear bike camera and thought I would never get one. Incidents like this force my hand and I now always ride with with front and rear cameras. It's not something I like but feel I need to. Stay safe.
This happened to me too by a school bus. I was absolutely shocked that a school bus driver knowing all the safety rules would do such a thing.
School busses are the worst, at least here.
Happens to me all the time as a solo rider. So much room on the road too. They treat cyclists as stationary objects like parked cars etc that they can just sneak past because they’re a “good driver”. Forgetting if we go down suddenly for any reason our head is going straight under the wheels.
Get a camera and report to your local constabulary's version of Operation Snap.
@@englishorchard-haze4708 They take a chance with someone else's life. I don't like buses simply because I can't hear them because their engines are in the rear.
Maybe you should remeber yourself that if you go down for any reason then you're the one at risk. You need to take precautions and be careful... stop pllaying the victem.
If it's too much for you then find another place to get your exercise.. or drive a car.
@@ironandzinc The vast majority of drivers are considerate; it's only the minority that are the problem.
I'm glad you made it OK. I have a mirror on the bike I ride most, and when I ride a bike without one I realize how much I depend on it. It's smart of you to ride in the center of the bike lane, so you have room to move out of the way if you see someone close (no time in that instance though). I hope the Garmin works for you, I'm so happy to see tech like that available.
I bought this from my LBS here in Nashua, NH yesterday, and just completed my first ride with it. This thing really is a game changer. It gives you situational awareness and plenty of time to react and manage traffic approaching from your most vulnerable blind spot on the bike.
I had a close call last Wednesday descending a big hill from Mont Vernon, NH to Milford. It was raining, 35 degrees and windy. I was about 25 mph. Didn’t hear a car till it was on me and I had to make a fast sketchy decision on a road with almost no shoulder. Shook me a bit. So I thought about getting this thing. Bought it that day. Rode it today. Same route, same descent. No rain :)
It gives you maybe 10 seconds notice that a car is coming and the color/lights go bright flashing red if the car is over a certain speed. This gives you time, in a situation like I described above, to react and take action. It even notifies you how many cars are queued up behind you, so you have great awareness. You can keep your eyes focused ahead of you, while knowing what is behind you and when it’s upon you. Then a quick peripheral check to make sure the car is keeping its distance is the only time you have to take your eyes off the front.
The thing I really like, come to find out, is that it tells you the coast is clear behind you, so you can ride the lane, not stay in the shoulder, with confidence.
I felt way less stressed and way safer with this thing. It is absolutely brilliant.
Hooked it up with a Wahoo Element 2. Connected directly with device in seconds.
Lastly, bought a couple of hard mounts for the seat post. One on each bike. It’s sturdier than the rubber band mounted thing that comes with it. After market about 10$ US per mount.
So sorry you were shaken by this, after being taken out by an arctic 4 years ago I still cringe when overtaken by heavy vehicles but most traffic is courteous, report and hope you get a result from it x
As a person from The Netherlands (living in London though) this illustrates to me the benefit of our infrastructure, that so many Dutch people take for granted. And also, I have to say that I admire your courage and perseverance. I hope your country will improve its infrastructure, and with that, its attitude towards people on bikes.
Yeah, if everyone in the world lived in a ultra flat country with literally no hills, most people would be riding bikes
@@ironandzinc Hardly worth a response, but maybe you’ll learn from this: ua-cam.com/video/pWnreLG_cvc/v-deo.html
Agree with you. My wife and I lived in San Diego, CA the land of aggressive, uncontrolled Drivers. We bike toured across Netherlands into Amsterdam, what a different world for cyclists compared to the U.S.
Not just the infrastructure, it’s so common to ride bikes or at least have ridden one before getting a drivers license that drivers are way more accustomed to cyclists and able to see it from their perspective. Especially outside of the major cities there are still lots of unprotected bike lanes or even streets/roads where cyclists are between cars but in my 30 years of cycling I’ve rarely been in situations like this.
Hi Katie, sorry to see you’ve had such a dangerous experience and glad it didn’t result in you coming to any harm!
I ride a motorcycle and I haven’t heard of this camera tech and think it mustn’t be marketed towards motorcycles, however I think it would work well for that application as well. Especially if you ride multiple motorcycles as it looks easy to swap across. Thanks for the video hope you have safe travels in the future and keep up with the great content 👍
totally felt that with you. I was so scared by things like that happening all the time that I have recent years decided to use bike routes only. I'm in the lucky position that I have quite nice bike routes around my place which work quite nicely with a racebike. I'm very happy that this way I have found a way to escape from danger and stress that comes with traffic. What I am sacrificing for that is route variability which I am really willing to accept since I get a lot of joy and contemplation instead. But I know this does not work for everyone and in every place.
I get really annoyed with things like this. Happens all the time in London. Mostly done by bus drivers, van drivers and taxi drivers. The worse thing is as well is when they over to take you and then stops immediately cause they are picking up passengers or dropping something off. Its really annoying
I think you captured this on film for a reason and it was no coincidence. This story needs to be told. Thank you for capturing this and telling it to the world. By you sharing this it helps to spread the culture of cycling and making it a safer place for us
So sorry you had that horrible experience. Had many myself on the bike. I'm Just happy that you are alright 👍
Scary stuff! Glad to see you are OK. Regarding the Garmin RTL, I have had my for a year and always, always use it when I ride; transfering from bike to bike
I started using a Varia recently and now will never ride on the road without it, it's a total game changer.
I fully agree. I have a Varia. Shane Miller on a recent video reviews a new ConnectIQ data field for the Varia, which saves data you can upload to MyBikeTraffic for analysis.
Same here. I'm surprised more people don't use them. I feel naked without it on the bike.
Thanks, Katie This is an issue almost everywhere. I live in California and it's a problem. Cars just don't respect cyclists. Add into the mix the element of distracted driving; and, you have a situation where it really puts riders in jeopardy. Thanks again for bringing this issue to everyone's attention. Great video and great ideas. Thanks for the hard work you put into your channel.
In Italy motor vehicles do respect cyclists. The drivers there are crazy, but you're safe on a bike. So I refuse to accept this sort of behavior from drivers. The Italians have got it right and so the rest of us can follow their example.
Glad you're alright after this close call! So many times when riding on the shoulder or bike lane, I've seen a vehicle drift across the line into my path, just after passing me. I'm lucky they didn't do that while they were passing! Seems many drivers just refuse to respect those lines.
But my worst close calls have been a different situation - having an oncoming vehicle turn across my path, or a vehicle cross my path, while I was coming down a hill at speed. One of those was a bus that pulled out from a stop sign in front of me (I did not have a stop sign) when I was too close to stop. I avoided colliding by making a hard turn to draw up parallel with the bus, then gave the driver a few words after he stopped at the bus stop.
Glad you were ok. I reluctantly tried a bar end mirror and settled on this one :- CatEye BM-45 Bar End Bike Mirror.
I say reluctantly because I don't like adding anything to my light bikes but I must say this mirror is excellent and I feel much safer with the excellent view behind. For the sake of £12 give it a try.
Oh, that was shock8nh! 😱 Am I the only one who is astonished at how steady you kept yourself in the moment when you recognized what was happening? I would have probably swerved sharply in one direction or another (don't want to consider the outcome...). Glad you're unharmed - eell done! And yes, you should definitely report the driver (at least to the bus company). This will not stop by itself.
That was a shocker Katie and glad you're unharmed.
If anyone's going to report to the Police don't make the mistake I made by sending footage generically to the Police. They have 14 days to take action against drivers and by the time my footage had filtered through to the correct department the 14 days had elapsed. Instead, each Police force has a dedicated portal where video footage can be uploaded and action can be taken swiftly. Unfortunately this is the only way driver behaviour will hopefully change and the new changes to the highway code are adhered to.
I used to commute in London on a bike (stopped 5 years ago), the busses in my experience were the worst and had one very bad experience where I was in a bike lane and the bus passed close like yours and then pushed me up against the curb whilst doing about 25mph, lots of banging my hand on the side window but he carried on until I had to jump off on the pavement!!
Garmin Varia is the best bit of kit I purchased that I never knew I needed; having a early alert on single track roads can allow you to plan better when letting cars pass, alerts of electric cars where they are so quite and on windy (noisy) days knowing what is behind helps. One great thing is that when descending as I do a lot in the Pyrenees, when taking a line on the road, knowing if a fast local driver is catching you up gives you the confidence to either carry on or plan when to move to the side to allow them to pass.
Oh wow it’s been a minute since I caught up with yah! Glad to see you still at it. Sorry about yah incident…
The Operation Snap portal is always there for footage submission to the police for close passes in the UK. Locally I know we deal with it regularly. I routinely go out plain clothes on my road bike with cameras then we’ll send advice letters to drivers that need them or report particularly bad close passes for prosecution. Glad you’re safe though 💪🏼
Letters are a waste of time and a joke. All the drivers who do this need to be prosecuted and fined or jailed or preferably both. They also need to re-take an extended driving test to be allowed to drive again after being given a ban.
@@alexmorgan3435 calm. You have to start somewhere. There’s a sliding scale of severity
@@daveclee2325 Obviously your sliding scale of severity is different to most other people's idea of severity. It is a bit disingenuous to use the word severity when clearly penalties are clearly nothing of the sort. A letter is a joke and a badge of honour for these morons if indeed the driver who was responsible ever gets to read it.
@@alexmorgan3435 if it’s serious, then of course people are reported, this can be summons/FPN or driver awareness course, I don’t necessarily get to choose.
But that happens less regularly in my experience as for whatever reason I’ve been fortunate enough to not experience that many really close passes. The letters, granted, are ‘just letters’ but, if a close pass was say within a 30mph limit and within 1.5m but greater than 1m, I think education is appropriate. It’s a case by case basis though and the footage is reviewed generally by multiple people before any action is taken. The example in this video, of course would be prosecution.
OMFG that's shocking, hope you report it to the bus company. It's happening more and more on the UK roads 🤬 I use daytime running lights but sometimes they make no difference.
It's been happening alot since lockdown I've found. People squeezing through gaps on country lanes where they could pull in and wait 5 secs, is just one example.
The varia I've found really good for knowing when a vehicle is passing. Been using it on my daily commute for about a year now and I absolutely love it. Takes the moment of surprise out of most close passes. Pity it doesn't help drivers look before turning into live traffic. I had my first crash with a car last week when a driver just rolled into a round about without looking. Grateful I got away with only light injuries but dealing with other at fault parties without your own insurance cover is a bit of a challenge.
Join British Cycling. Get Silver or Gold membership.
I am sorry that this happened to you and it can be very scary. Glad you are ok. You have sold me on the garmin radar lol
Speaking as a person that has been run over badly, the difference between fine and dead is a very fine line. I was very lucky surviving my collision, as the driver didn't see me even having front and back lights, white t shirt, broad daylight in July and I went through the windscreen.
I highly recommend people staying away from the black kit that we all love (even though it does look better sometimes) I embrace bright colours now, and a great gilet to wear is ProViz gilet for night rides. It is impossible to be missed with the reflective coating as you glow white at night if any light is in your direction.
Glad that passing didn't catch your arm, and glad you are okay from it. My friends have the varia with camera and swear by it. I have a wahoo bolt, but considering switching to Garmin for this very reason
Your wahoo should still work with the varia. I have a buddy with a bolt and he uses it all the time. Wahoo added an update that allows the use of Bluetooth/ant+ devices. Not sure if you have a v1 or v2 model(color screen) but his is the v2 and it works for that. Even gives you a detailed little car image and how close it is relative to you.
As Kyle mentioned it does work with Wahoo perfectly. I have one paired with a Bolt and I cannot go out without it.
@@kylejette3751 ah that is music to my ears if it works with mine. Might borrow my friends and see if it works. I don’t have the colour screen, I bought mine in March 2020. Fingers crossed it works 🤞🏻
@@GermanDiManzo do you have V2 with the colour screen or previous model like mine?
@@thebikepackingadventurer I have upgraded to the color version recently but has been using it with both. Is nice to also see the Green / Red / Dark Red indication besides the beeps.
I just today had this experience with a passing SUV. It scared me so much that I was raging with adrenaline when I caught them at the stoplight. I started yelling and gesturing at them through their closed window. To my surprise, the woman actually rolled down her window to hear me, rather than the normal ignoring, and when I said "you must give me more room when you pass, that was very dangerous", she calmly nodded in agreement. It seemed she was legitimately unaware of how dangerous her pass was.
It's even worse they don't know, some people have no fu...ing idea!! They shouldn't have a licence!!
So glad you finally have a radar, they are absolutely a game changer!
Definitely a must have safely item, the tail light is so strong too
Whoa! That freaked me out watching that Katie. I actually jumped out of my seat at the start of the video. Thankfully you're OK! You're so lucky the wing mirror didn't hit you. I agree with everything you said, the bus shouldn't be that close and the more people on bikes and being vocal with mean more infrastructure and a better overall experience for anyone on two wheels. Great video and thanks for sharing!
I use a mirror to see if someone is coming in too close , and keep a thick black permanent marker in my pocket which i use to drag along the car as it passes and make them think twice before doing it again !
And how do you have the time to pull it out of your pocket, remove the cap one handed and then use it before the car passes you? Does the driver give you a call before scraping by?
@@radiocontrolled9181 As mentioned i use a mirror so i can tell how close they are going to pass, and you can remove the cap with your thumb whilst still in your jacket pocket....it's always worked for me !!!
@@lenm2643 Cool mate 👍 nice one ☮️
I’m a bus driver and that made me jump, too close and too fast, the fact you were riding one handed with a camera is neither here or there, he should have given you more room or least slowed down or both, from personal experience cyclists from the countryside are some of the most courteous and will pull over to let one pass.
Keep up the good work Katie and stay safe 🤗
Respect. From experience, most bus drivers are good when I'm riding and give plenty of room overtaking. I also pull over if a bus can't get past and I'll be holding it up. This was a horribly close pass though.
Do not ride one handed with phone in hand on a busy road....👌🏻
Glad you are ok and didn’t get hit. That was scary!
I love having the Varia. I've also noticed that it helps to glance over your shoulder at the driver when they get within 50 feet just to let them know you know that they are there.
Must of been a scary moment & glad you are ok. I cycle with rear light in flash mode regardless of the time of year just to make yourself just that little bit noticeable - similar to what motorcyclists do with their headlights being on permanently. Nothing much more you could do. Just remember Katie - you can’t teach stupidity!!!
Katie this was not your fault and don't make excuses for the driver. As a professional driver he should be aware of vulnerable road users and give the 1.5 metre space rule. The bus will be fitted with CCTV and this incident will be recorded so report it to the company. I am a bus driver and cyclist and we have ongoing periodic training, part of this is a module on safe driving and in this is giving road space to other road users so the driver had no excuse. I always ride with my GoPro and a rear light whatever time of day. Stay safe and don't blame yourself
Stagecoach buses usually have their own dash cam. I had a bad one with them in Chester and contacted the company - they could see the incident from the bus's own camera and (so they say) disciplined the driver. Really good video, totally share your sentiments - this is not about revenge or hate but about making the roads safer, driver by driver, bit by bit. I don't have the Garmin set up but achieve a similar effect with a bar end mirror and Chilli-Tech cameras mounted front and back.
I live in a country town in Aus, where we're lucky enough to have painted cycle lanes, however, they sit between angled parking bays and the road, so constantly there's people reversing out in front of you because they can't see you, or people treating the bike lane like a second driving lane.
I've also attended several fatalities and serious accidents involving motor vehicles and cyclists, so the varia was one of the first things I bought for my bike. The peace of mind of having that radar is fantastic.
Scary incident, Katie! Glad you're safe!
Yes agreed shocking pass. I come from the same camp as Chris Boardman though. Cyclists, Walkers, Horse riders etc continue to have more and more hiviz, lights etc decked out like Christmas trees but incidents like this continue to increase. It needs radical action on drivers with firmer applied penalties.
That was ridiculously close. Looks like he was actually in the bike lane.
Every ride i do i seem to get at least one close pass , just got back from a ride and had a really close pass, i had an orange coat and backlight on , some people just dont care about other road users . Glad you are ok and highlighting the crap we put up with. Luckily most drivers are really good
So horrible to see this. I won't ride without my Varia now, I still do shoulder checks when I need to but having that extra alert is so helpful. Especially as you say on windy days or on descents.
The camera version has had rather bad reviews for the quality of the camera though, especially in low light conditions.
I share your concerns Katie, coming home from work a few years ago a guy in a car overtook me so close that his nearside door mirror actually clipped my handlebar !! The cameras are all well and good but quite expensive for a lot of people, a low tech solution would be a small off side bar end mirror, not as good but will warn you and you can at least see the overtaker approaching and make certain your well over 🙄
I've had a pass like that before riding into Herzogenaurach before. Felt like the mirror was literally right above my head. So terrifying. Thanks for talking about this. So scary.
Hello Katie,
Thank you for sharing this incident, that had to be scary as there’s nowhere for you to go easily…
I’ve not owned a bike in years, but with the help of my younger brother who works in a bike shop in State College Pennsylvania (Freeze Thaw). I’m hoping to purchase one soon (Kona Dr Dew)…
My wife and I live in New Mexico, much different environment than yourself…
I’m slowly finding cycling channels that are informative for my level. BTW, your channel popped up on the suggestions this morning, I’ve watched a couple of episodes and decided to subscribe.
Safe travels
Katie, the latest update to the Highway Code specifically states that vehicles cyclists must leave at least 1.5m space when travelling at up to 30mph, more when travelling faster. Please report to the bus company, the next cyclist may not be so lucky. I purchased a Varia earlier this year, fantastic piece of kit.
Unbelievable! Absolutely no excuse by a professional driver. You were in a cycle lane and clearly visible. Hopefully that driver will be out on an awareness course asap as if that was a less experienced cyclist that could have had serious consequences.
The Garmin kit you mention is excellent, but pricey and outside many folks’ budget (mine included!) It would be great if Garmin could offer these products as a part subscription package. I’d definitely sign up if it was available. Glad your ok if not a bit shaken up by the crappy experience. All the best
…just to add are councils planning on adding an additional chevroned no-go zone between car lane and bike lane some time soon? A single couple of inch white line is just not enough separation and this will happen time and time again sadly.
@@andrewpooley2012 you have to rebuild the roads, the car lane is already too narrow for the bus.
Some really good feedback especially from the bus driver good of him, makes a change from drivers who would run a cyclist off road and think nothing of it. I have a Varia with light and radar since being bought one at Xmas and would recommend one to all. They are great for turning left in traffic because you know if traffic is near or the road is clear for safe movement. If i would have known about the unit with camera i would have got that one.
Best video on road safety keep up the good work.
Thank you for sharing this video. Once I was pushed down the road by an overtaking bus on a very tight road turn. It was daylight and I always have my bright high vis jacket on. I also was way before the bus, of course, could not wait 2 seconds. If I had not jumped down to the pavement, he would have definitely hit me. I was just as shocked as you were. Once, also while I was signaling to take over a parking car on the road, a car hit my signaling hand, just to take me over, while we had cars coming in the other lane. I do not get why they can not wait that 2-5 seconds.
Thank God your ok. As a cyclist here in the US my channel is dedicated to close calls like this.
Shocking pass by bus,nothing you could have done differently and not your fault at all. I use a handlebar mirror on my city bike. Absolute game changer in my opinion.
I totally agree!I I have bar end mirror on my road bike, less that £10 too
It may warn you, but I doubt it prevents drivers to pass too close ?
@@lomicwind of course it won't stop them but you can keep an eye on any traffic coming from a long way back so they don't come out of no where and startle you. The more you get used to it you can begin to judge if the cars are coming too close and then move accordingly
That was an extremely close pass and I am glad you are safe. My Varia is my fav bit of equipment on my bike as I live rural on a farm. I love the warning it gives me especially like you said in the wind or particularly going down a hill and you don’t hear the car coming. I also like how if a car is going particularly fast it will be a red warning on the device your using and normal speeds more of a an amber colour.
Ok, I bought the Garmin Varia and went for a test ride with it today. My main comment is…it is fantastic !! Have to admit I was sceptical about getting one but I love it. Even on a short 30mile ride I came up with about 10 different ways in which is was useful. As far as I can tell the only downside is the cost, it is expensive, but I would say well worth it. I’ve yet to be disappointed with stuff I’ve bought that you recommend so thank you
You have 2 brakes on a bike how can you use both when you have a camera in one hand??
Hi Katie I'm glad you're ok. As a cyclist who cycles over 3000 km per year on the roads of the most densely populated country in Europe, i.e. Malta, I'll be quite frank about it. Lights and bright coloured clothing are a must and they do help a lot as regards our safety, and I always use them.But no matter how much precautions we take, preaching and reporting etc. we do, there will always be those asshole low-life and selfish pea-brained reckless drivers on the roads. And another thing, if I had to use that vehicle detection device here on our roads, it won't stop beeping for more than 10 seconds max. with the amount of cars we have here, so it is virtually useless. My way of staying alive as a cyclist here is always ride defensively and forget about your right of way most of the times. And be a human 360 degree radar, be aware of your surroundings all of the time, using ears and eyes and predicting what other road users can possibly do before they actually do it. Many years of cycling on our super busy roads have taught me how to do this, but I am the first one to admit that the danger can never be cancelled out completely. And I did have some close calls too. Cheers and ride safe x x 🚴 🚦 ☮️
Agreed and well said.
Great video, a lot of truth. Thanks for your thoughts.
I have been undecided about getting both the varia and a head unit. Think I'm going to get both now. Stay safe.
Please, please report this Katie. This is NOT ACCEPTABLE. It was clear the driver was not giving you any care and attention. No matter what you are wearing, the driver was clearly going over the cycle lane line which you were exiting at the time.
Glad to know you are ok though.
If he/she is not reported he could kill the next person this should be investigated I would send this video to stagecoach but I won’t without permission.
@@ashab1 problem is alot of cycles lanes are put on very narrow roads and make little sense, though still no excuses for the close pass, it called a line of traffic for a reason he she needed to wait her turn, really is that simple
Another great feature of the varia lights is they start blinking more when it senses something coming up, so it makes you more visible. To save charging time I leave my lights on the bike and got long charge cables and just plug the lights in right on the bike, for the Garmin varia I twist it 90 degrees and the charge port is easy to get at.
I'm glad you are ok. I've been hit by trucks mirror, but luckily I took a soft landing and only ended up with a nasty bruise on my shoulder.
Hi Katie.
I couldn't agree with you more on this one, this is a big issue and needs attention,
I bought myself a Garmin radar this summer and will never ride without it, it gives so much attention and, to point security.
I would recommend installing My Bire Radar Trafic on your Edge device, it counts up how many that have passed you and you will be surprised by the number.
Thanks for great videos, and especially this one. keep up the good work.
I'm so impressed that you are reflecting on what you might do differently...as a cyclist and driver I'm met drivers with absolutely no regard for cyclists and on the other hand cyclists who believe they are entitled and that it is everyone else's job to avoid them. I would say that driver had no regard for you and should have been reported.
Also I don't think it is the wisest thing in the world to film in busy urban traffic... reality is if he'd be an inch further left I would not be viewing your video or sending you best wishes on your recovery!
We all share the road; we have a right to...and a responsibility?
That said this guy if he saw you is a menace and needs to be reprimanded...if he didn't see you he needs to be more careful and drive with diligence, care and respect for others.
Glad you're safe