National Close Pass Day (14/4/21)

simonhill
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National Close Pass Day (14/4/21)

Post by simonhill »

According to a Cycling UK release:

"Today (14 April) police officers from 39 of the 43 forces in England and Wales and Police Service Northern Ireland, are out cycling on busy roads as part of a national day of action to identify people who drive too closely to cyclists and increase awareness around safe overtaking."

Was anyone aware, did anyone see anything? I am tempted to write to my police (Essex) and ask if they did anything. Excuse my scepticism, but I doubt it.
Pebble
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Re: National Close Pass Day (14/4/21)

Post by Pebble »

A white van nearly clonked me with his wing mirror on thursday - his idea of Nation Close Pass day may have varied from yours.
thirdcrank
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Re: National Close Pass Day (14/4/21)

Post by thirdcrank »

I checked the Essex Police 'News' page by searching 'Close Pass.' Nothing remotely relevant in the 34 results

https://www.essex.police.uk/news/news-s ... close+pass

Zilch in West Yorkshire

https://www.westyorkshire.police.uk/campaigns

https://www.westyorkshire.police.uk/new ... s/releases

It occurred to me to check West Midlands: no mention of this day on the News page. I searched the whole site for 'close pass' and came up with their "Close Pass Cycling" page, but even on there, nothing about this day.

https://www.west-midlands.police.uk/you ... ss-cycling

===========================================================================

"Older readers" may remember the Close Pass mats, which I associate with Matt Mallinder. I see he's now Director of Influence and Engagement.

https://www.cyclinguk.org/about/nationa ... -mallinder
backnotes
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Re: National Close Pass Day (14/4/21)

Post by backnotes »

Similar in Beds, Cambs and Herts "tri-force area". BCH Road Policing put a link to the Cycling UK documents on their website on Wednesday morning, but no evidence of any other activity on Twitter on in local media.

Screenshot 2021-04-16 at 20.40.32.png

So if nothing much happened in Essex, W. Yorks or BCH, every other force but one must have been a hive of activity!
markjohnobrien
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Re: National Close Pass Day (14/4/21)

Post by markjohnobrien »

Just checked Herts police Twitter feed: nothing.

So much for a National close pass day...
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Cyril Haearn
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Re: National Close Pass Day (14/4/21)

Post by Cyril Haearn »

Was it actually on 01 April? :?
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Psamathe
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Re: National Close Pass Day (14/4/21)

Post by Psamathe »

I think the number of drivers actually "pulled-up" through these schemes is always going to be very low compared to the number of "offenders". Thus I consider the potential value comes from publicity, drivers aware on the "campaign" and don't want to get caught so remember to give cyclists space. Making sure large numbers of drivers know what's happening must be the main impact e.g. BBC 18:30 regional magazine programs. Lots of messages to drivers from "campaign being run" incl. we're checking, remember to give cyclists space, it's an offence, etc.

So if there was such a campaign and word didn't get "out there" I suspect minimal effect.

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Pete Owens
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Re: National Close Pass Day (14/4/21)

Post by Pete Owens »

And from experience on the roads and conversation with non-cycling drivers I do think that the publicity is having a significant effect.

While close passes are still a thing it is much less common than it used to be. Approaching a pinch point or double yellow lines it was not unusual for drivers to attempt to race for the gap or to rev impatiently if they had to follow me for more than a few seconds and when it became clear that I had no intention of moving across to let them squeeze past. Nowadays, it is very much less common.

I have also noticed when driving when approaching a cyclist that the vehicles in front will to slow down and each wait for a gap in oncoming traffic to overtake properly, rather than just overtake regardless just giving the cyclist what space was available.

On a number of occasions I have had unprompted conversations with people who habitually drive about the supposed "new" law that was being enforced about having to give cyclists sufficient space. I always point out that the law isn't new - just the enforcement - and that the highway code has always required drivers to give cyclists space and even has a picture to illustrate it. However, the main point is the West Midlands police have done us a huge service by making it widely understood that this is expected of them.
thirdcrank
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Re: National Close Pass Day (14/4/21)

Post by thirdcrank »

Over the last several years, the extension of the fixed penalty system to cover careless and inconsiderate driving has been launched and relaunched. IIRC, the two examples quoted in the spin have been hogging the second and third lanes of the motorway (inconsiderate driving) and close overtaking of cyclists (careless driving.)

There must be a local element in this: eg West Mids have hammered away with this so it's good to hear some of it may be working.
ChrisButch
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Re: National Close Pass Day (14/4/21)

Post by ChrisButch »

Pete Owens wrote: 16 Apr 2021, 11:47pm And from experience on the roads and conversation with non-cycling drivers I do think that the publicity is having a significant effect.

While close passes are still a thing it is much less common than it used to be. Approaching a pinch point or double yellow lines it was not unusual for drivers to attempt to race for the gap or to rev impatiently if they had to follow me for more than a few seconds and when it became clear that I had no intention of moving across to let them squeeze past. Nowadays, it is very much less common.

I have also noticed when driving when approaching a cyclist that the vehicles in front will to slow down and each wait for a gap in oncoming traffic to overtake properly, rather than just overtake regardless just giving the cyclist what space was available.

On a number of occasions I have had unprompted conversations with people who habitually drive about the supposed "new" law that was being enforced about having to give cyclists sufficient space. I always point out that the law isn't new - just the enforcement - and that the highway code has always required drivers to give cyclists space and even has a picture to illustrate it. However, the main point is the West Midlands police have done us a huge service by making it widely understood that this is expected of them.
Exactly my observation also.
MikeF
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Re: National Close Pass Day (14/4/21)

Post by MikeF »

Many drivers do give plenty of room when overtaking, but this is usually when there is plenty of space to do so, not so frequently when there isn't so much room eg because of oncoming vehicles.
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mjr
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Re: National Close Pass Day (14/4/21)

Post by mjr »

So which four constabularies aren't part of Operation Close Pass, even in name only? I think Lincolnshire is one, but Norfolk, Suffolk and Northamptonshire all take part.
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thirdcrank
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Re: National Close Pass Day (14/4/21)

Post by thirdcrank »

mjr wrote: 19 Apr 2021, 9:31am So which four constabularies aren't part of Operation Close Pass, even in name only? I think Lincolnshire is one, but Norfolk, Suffolk and Northamptonshire all take part.
Do you know what taking part involves? ie What do the forces you have named - or any others - do on NCPD?

==============================================================================

PS This is from Lancashire Constabulary who refer to "Cycle Safe Pass" rather than "Close Pass" which is arguably a better message. It seems to be a longer campaign than a single day.

https://www.lancashire.police.uk/campaigns/safepass/
Stevek76
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Re: National Close Pass Day (14/4/21)

Post by Stevek76 »

The combination of allowing fpns for careless along with the acceptance of dash/cycle cam footage by some forces has really helped with this I think.

Driving behaviour did take a dive in quality in the earlier days of the pandemic from what I found but seems to be getting better again now, anecdotally that drop in standards prompted a fair few people, myself included, to start using cameras.
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thirdcrank
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Re: National Close Pass Day (14/4/21)

Post by thirdcrank »

I've remembered a fairly recent thread started by Mike Sales about a report by the police inspectorate, Roads Policing: Not optional - An inspection of roads policing in England and Wales

viewtopic.php?p=1508569#p1508569

IIRC the only mention of cycling - in a report claiming to be about improving the safety of vulnerable road users - was a makeweight reference to Operation Close Pass. Bearing in mind that cUK organised the crowdfunding of £15,000 worth of mats, they have an interest here as stakeholders, in the lingo. If you want to influence the police service, the inspectorate is a good place to start because that's who controls many of the purse strings. A taste of that may be felt here, where the responses of the "police chiefs" of the forces inspected are linked (scroll right down.)

https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk ... and-wales/

FWIW, I've read the response by the outgoing PCC for West Yorks and there's no mention of Close Pass.
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