Forum topic: Police advice to drivers on how to overtake bicycles

From time-to-time I've raised the issue of vehicles passing cyclists too closely under the subject heading of "The view from the saddle" because that is the behaviour which causes me to feel most at risk. I've also mentioned it a couple of times in letters to the local press; coincidentally again this week because for the third time in the past couple of years a car came almost close enough to touch my clothing. The reason: because there was oncoming traffic and there was a line of parked cars on both sides of the road leaving only a very narrow space for cyclist and car. The driver should have held back.

But the big question is why the driver attempted a move which was so dangerous for me? Of course it could have been outright selfishness, but I think that the most likely answer is because he/she had never cycled in the way that most men and lots of women did when I was young - most drivers these days don't have the experience enabling them to put themselves in the place of cyclists. He/she wouldn't have have thought: "He might wobble".

What the solution is is the question? More attention during the driving test? Possibly over time that might help, but what about existing qualified drivers? A government-led advertising campaign? That might cause bewilderment in most parts of the country where the issue of returning to cycling is not high on the agenda.

Any thoughts or ideas?

as a car driver this was useful for me.