New online tool for recording close passes:
http://road.cc/content/news/235921-record-close-pass-you-suffered-new-online-logging-tool
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Cycling News
Operation Close Pass in Edinburgh
(630 posts)-
Posted 6 years ago #
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Tool only records location and date/time - so simple to use except that it seems to need a large screen (F11) to fill in the forms. Rachel Aldred and I think Cycling UK have doe similar in the past, collecting more info.
Had a close one from white van driver, fed up of following over the cobbles at a fair lick it was just too much for him to stay behind on Annandale. He then had to swerve to a stop almost immediately for the left turn traffic lights - we exchanged filthy looks.Posted 6 years ago # -
Hi DomD - any chance you could run an Operation Close Pass on the A1, specifically between Jock's Lodge and Duddingston Road?
I've changed jobs a few weeks ago and since then I use this part of the A1 for my daily commute. And I do have a close pass nearly every single day. There are 2 hotspots: The one closest to Jock's Lodge as it is a single quite narrow lane leading out of town, and then the part further down which has a couple of traffic islands.
Today's close pass was the worst. It happend around 7:45am in the area with the traffic islands. As the road gets quite narrow at these points I am adopting a more central lane location with my bike, in order to deter cars from overtaking. Today, the car approaching me was first honking at me and then - without apparent speed reduction - pressing through the gap between myself and the traffic island. There was probably less than 10cm between my elbow and the wing mirrow. And the driver didn't even have his lights on.
I would describe myself as a confident cyclist, but I am seriously getting concerned about my longevity if I continue cycling in Edinburgh.Posted 6 years ago # -
Posted 6 years ago #
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I regularly use the stretch from jocks lodge to the Northfield Road turn off on my evening commute. Its not for the faint hearted.
The initial part, to baronscourt road primary is a must otherwise you could be crushed against railings.
The next stretch to Northfield Road is tricky. There are ALWAYS cars parked part on/off the pavement so secondary is impossible, but the traffic behind tries to play chicken with oncoming traffic in a desperate attempt to overtake you.
After Northfield Road, traffic accelerates greatly going uphill towards the take away shops. I think this is the stretch you mean @mkoerner ? - I'm glad I always turn off down Northfield Road!
That Road needs a close pass unit, a speed trap and an illegal parking towtruck.
Posted 6 years ago # -
Posted 6 years ago #
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"
Undercover policing has been getting a bad name this week, but in one aspect of road safety there may be a case for encouraging it.
"
Posted 6 years ago # -
I was at a meeting at CEC HQ yesterday evening, so I was cycling home along the A703 at about 21.30. It was a thoroughly horrible experience.
After white van man rocketed past I bellowed "TOO CLOSE!" and associated powerful swear words. After I counted about six close passes I started sticking my arm out sideways, motioning as though to push away the air. I was SICK FED UP of people blasting past three or four feet away. It's a 60mph limit on the open stretch which is far too fast for a main commuting route.
I was on my little purple recumbent and not the torpedo, in which I would have felt, and most likely been treated, more like a vehicle.
Close passes aside, on a dark unlit moor road it's equally horrible to have a car driver approaching from behind and running full beam. All I get is two mirrors-full of light, which blinds me in every direction.
Posted 6 years ago # -
@Arellcat
I'd be scared to do that in daylight. You are very brave.
Posted 6 years ago # -
I tend to think it safer at night than in the day but much nicer in the day when can see the view cycled that way a few times. At night less traffic and head light gives warning to car coming. As long as not a car coming towards then probably fine. It when a car coming towards have to check not one coming behind particular if approaching bend. I don’t have mirror but I sore someone at the station had a mirror on bike will need get one.
Posted 6 years ago # -
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/new-ways-to-report-road-accidents-to-the-police
Haven't read it, but this might be relevant to some earlier discussion in this thread about reporting incidents online, rather than via 101. Seems to deal only with actual collision reporting, though.
Posted 6 years ago # -
This proposals in this consultation would allow police forces to offer drivers[u] the option of submitting accident reports by other methods.
Cyclists forget it!
Posted 6 years ago # -
There were questions somewhere about whether this is still running. Answer seems to be "Yes, but not often":
"So far this year, #JDivRP carried out 5 #OpClosePass checks in the Lothians and Scottish Borders, with 49 cars stopped for a #ChatOnTheMat."
Posted 6 years ago # -
I have suggested the B7006 as a location for Police Scotland to monitor.
Posted 6 years ago # -
"5 #OpClosePass checks" in 2018
So that's one week where they took the mat out the cupboard and dusted off the procedure then. Hardly enough to be an effective deterrent. It would be better for them not to publish the figures if they are so low and simply publicise that it is still an ongoing operation.
Posted 6 years ago # -
As far as I see it #OpClosePass in Scotland is quietly fading into memory. It's destined to become "tried-that-didn't-work" unless someone wakes up and cares about it again.
What mattered in the West Midlands was/is not just the individual operations, but that they talked about it - and talked about it a lot. Logically, even in the West Midlands, the chance that you personally pass too close to a police officer on a bike is minuscule - but the idea that it might happen is in people's minds, and the fact that people are being encouraged to submit video footage makes it clear that the police there are on the side of those more likely to be killed... And more than that, the work makes it clear to general police officers (outside the unit) that they are expected to treat people on bikes and walking seriously. So in effect this is internal training by external pronouncements.
Here in Edinburgh what has happened is a few operations, and a few tweets - nothing more. Now as a pilot that's fine - but unless this grows into something significant it's going to be completely pointless. BUT by significant I'm not meaning hours and hours of police time - I'm meaning that the activity has to register with the world at large.
And on the video footage thing my sense is that we're still facing challenges in submitting video - so the police will probably accept it, but may not welcome it, and MIGHT still treat anyone submitting it as a trouble maker - whereas in the West Midlands they've positively encouraged people to submit, and made it their job to prosecute as a matter of course (provided the evidence is there of course).
Now technically I might be wrong about this - it may be that the police here have got good at accepting video - but if so, the fact that I'm wrong suggests that the hugely important job of communicating this to the world at large hasn't happened - which was my first point.
Posted 6 years ago # -
Police haven’t got resources for OCP.
Posted 5 years ago # -
I don't want to say I predicted all this, but...
http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17633&page=9#post-252538
Posted 5 years ago # -
I received the below update from Police Scotland in July. The PC Doyle who kicked the pilot off has moved on to other responsibilities but another officer in Edinburgh is looking after the Edinburgh area whilst I understand that an office at Dalkeith is looking after Edinburgh and Lothians area. The latter is very keen and hopes to get something in place for private citizens to upload videos as is done elsewhere. The law re corroborating evidence is different in Scotland from that in England and Wales. The officers are in the Road Policing Scotland Unit https://twitter.com/polscotrpu Might also be worth checking with Cycling Scotland as they supplied the mats and and I think are working with a company re VR Goggles, though that might be through Transport Scotland or "Road Safety".
I don't have contact details to hand.July update from PC Doyle:
Op Close Pass continues to run in Edinburgh and nationally. We were recognised for our work at the Scottish Transport Awards last month. We're still using the Spokes leaflets and see them as an integral part of the education message. Dr Davis, the Chair of the Road Danger Reduction Forum, has been collating OP Close Pass efforts UK wide and Police Scotland is comparing well in terms of levels of activity.
I've been moving the leaflets around Scotland to meet with demand. We've been using them at road safety/community events as well to promote the safety message as well.Posted 5 years ago # -
Out on Milton Road the day: https://twitter.com/polscotrpu/status/1084733953758642176
Posted 5 years ago # -
\o/
Posted 5 years ago # -
“
Replying to
@polscotrpu
Drivers are boasting about close passes on car forums. It's often deliberate. Declaring that you're not going to charge any of the criminals you catch isn't helping anyone.Why on earth do you endlessly promote plastic hats then refuse to effectively sanction dangerous drivers?
“
Posted 5 years ago # -
Any links to back that statement up? Given that it's quite common for car enthusiasts to also be into cycling and that most of the bigger car forums e.g. Pistonheads have a number of traffic police in their memberships any anti-cycling posts either don't last long or are quickly refuted.
EDIT: asked the question myself via the medium of TwitterPosted 5 years ago # -
I've never bothered reporting anything before, but this driver on Picardy Place this morning left me shaking with a combination of fear and anger.
(bigger)The views on this thread about reporting (with video) to the police are mixed, but slanted to the negative end. What does the hive mind think - worth it or waste of time?
Posted 5 years ago # -
I've pretty much given up on reporting close passes due to inaction. It varies depending on the individual officer you get, sometimes you'll get one who cycles and agrees that it's far too close but most of the time I've had officers who have given me the distinct impression that they think I'm wasting their time - including one who tried to talk me out of reporting a private hire driver who gave me 10-20cm space because "He might lose his license". Obviously missing the point there.
By all means report it, at least it'll get logged as a statistic, but the best result I'd expect to come from it is that the officer might go and have "words of advice" with the driver.
Posted 5 years ago # -
I've only reported once, similarly based on feelings. I had no footage (before I ran cameras), and my memory of the number plate was wrong, but they came to my flat and took a statement, and said they would do a few partial searches of the registration and try to match to my description of the car.
The police took it seriously, and while I never expected a prosecution or anything, I did believe that they would go and chap the door at the drivers house if they could get a partial reg/description match, to have a stern word with them. Would have been more than happy with that outcome.
It didn't take up much of my time really - a call, and then being in at home for a couple of hours the next day when they came round. If you're expecting a prosecution or anything like that, I think the process is a lot more frustrating.
Posted 5 years ago # -
I've reported an incident which happened a year and a half ago and is still rolling through the system. The close-pass element of it was the bit I was mainly concerned with but it had an element of road-rage with the guy getting half-out of his car and shouting at me.
The police were more interested in the latter and initially were not interested in the close-pass. They have since confirmed that the person has been charged with both offences. I was just expecting for them to have a word with him but think that things will only improve if there are consequences to poor driver behaviour.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Yeah, I've reported three times with video.
once was told "I can't see what's illegal with that", the shouting out of the window was apparently fine, and being ushered towards a curb at a junction was their perogative I guess.
Twice they seemed interested, but then I never heard anything back, so I feel like they probably never actually did anything.
Given that reporting it is all you can do, and they evidently actually do do something occasionally, you should probably go for it. My cheap fisheye lens helmet mounted camera gave an awful perspective as well, which may have played a part.
Posted 5 years ago # -
I think that one's worth reporting, @urchaidh. Especially if they pass the cyclist in front too closely as well.
As others said, don't expect the result to be any more than "We'll have a word", and be prepared to have to chase them up.
Posted 5 years ago # -
https://www.askthe.police.uk/content/Q967.htm
The highway code may advise to give as much room as a car but as far as I can gather it’s not a you must, the highway code also says you should wear a cycle helmet and light coloured or fluorescent clothing buts it not an offense not to. The highway code could be supporting guidance for careless driving but if a car passes in less space than a car not sure that is a specific offense in its self. If it was an offense like in Australia then may be the police would act differently may be it would be better if was a set distance but there is not one.
Posted 5 years ago #
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