ENACT A ONE METRE SAFE PASSING RULE
Regular cyclists know that vehicles pass too close, too often, causing alarm and increasing the chance of collision. Most events are caused by a moment’s distraction or carelessness, aggravated by inexperience. They can have serious and lasting consequences for the rider or walker, at scant risk to the driver.
At present, Highway Code rule 163 advises drivers to "give cyclists at least as much room as you would when overtaking a car". We say this is confusing.
Bikes are not cars. They're less predictable, they travel more slowly, and they don't have rear view mirrors. Without the protection of steel, it's reasonable that cyclists should at least enjoy the protection of the law.
For the rules of the road to be respected, they need to be clear. That's why we think there should be a mandatory minimum one metre safe passing distance between bicycles and motor vehicles. More and more countries are adopting similar measures, including France, Australia, South Africa and over half of US states.
A fair and measurable distance would reduce the scope for error and dispute in assessing liability. Fewer close calls and collisions would improve perceptions of safety, thus attracting new riders and making existing ones more confident. It might even persuade more drivers to choose two wheels over four.