Cycling Campaigner Says 'New Highway Code Rules' Are Needed After Range Rover Almost Hits Young Girl On Bike
Shocking footage has been shared online showing the moment a Range Rover almost hit a young cyclist. Watch below:
Cycling campaigners have blasted the driver for veering towards the opposite lane and into oncoming traffic before weaving back out towards a little girl on her bike.
The short video was posted on Twitter, with critics claiming 'this is why' the new Highway Code rules are needed.
In the clip, the young cyclist can be seen riding without a helmet as the large black Range Rover passes her and heads off into the distance.
Sharing the video to social media, Danny, who campaigns for better cycling accessibility, wrote: "To all those people moaning about the new Highway Code rules and they don't think they should give cyclists (or horse riders) space when overtaking, this is why."
Since the post was shared, it has been liked over 2,500 times, with hundreds piling into the comments.
Backing Danny, one user said: "If you are cycling, you have certainly experienced this. It scares me to bits - I can't imagine how frightful it must have been for this child and their adult!"
Echoing the concern, another wrote: "RR driver overtakes into oncoming traffic forcing the van to virtually stop. Absolutely awful driving deserving of a formal police warning."
However, others claimed that the young girl should have been wearing a helmet while out on the roads and that the changes to the rules probably wouldn't have prevented this scenario from playing out.
"To be perfectly fair, the behaviour of the Range Rover driver is not going to be changed by the updates to the Highway Code. Anyone who overtakes cyclists into oncoming traffic is deranged and will simply ignore the new rules anyway," put one.
While another added: "I was more horrified to see such a young girl riding along a busy road like that without even a crash helmet! What are you thinking would happen should she get clipped by one of those vehicles?"
Under the revised rules, cyclists are encouraged to take up a central position on the road, when they can.
It also says drives must keep a 1.5-metre distance when overtaking cyclists.
Rule 72 in The Highway Code states: "Ride in the centre of your lane, to make yourself as clearly visible as possible, in the following situations:
"On quiet roads or streets – if a faster vehicle comes up behind you, move to the left to enable them to overtake, if you can do so safely.
"In slower-moving traffic - when the traffic around you starts to flow more freely move over to the left if you can do so safely so that faster vehicles behind you can overtake.
"At the approach to junctions or road narrowings where it would be unsafe for drivers to overtake you."
Dominic Smithers