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But Rule 163 of the Highway Code says drivers must: “Give vulnerable road users at least as much room as you would when overtaking a car,”. That would seem to be the best definition for practical purposes, but if a pass you felt was close was rejected it would suggest they're using something else.
There are two problems with that rule. One is the phrasing and the other is a general spatial problem.
Many drivers will take "as much room as you would when overtaking a car" to mean just 30-45cm because that's how close most drive to other cars is urban situations, i.e. (random photo):
(Barely wide enough to filter down the middle of.)
This is compounded by the fact that many drivers will mentally judge distance from the wheels of the bicycle, rather than the bit of body/bike/pannier that sticks out furthest.
Many Police forces are running a Operation ClosePass type thing, with mats to demonstrate a safe distance. That may be a starting point: http://www.cyclesprog.co.uk/blog/operation-close-pass/
(I'd much prefer a proper legal minimum distance although that'd be interesting to try and enforce that in inner cities.)
Greenbank-
The pass in question was closer than that gap in the pic and there's also the problem with the speed - I was already doing 20mph so they were probably speeding.
The problem with judging distance is likely down to viewing/install angles on a rear camera, combined with the fact that when a driver dive bombs you to pass, the gap is tighter at the front of the bike compared to the rear as they were still moving across my path, concentrating on not having a head-on with the oncoming car rather than where the fuck I was.
Also, since I'm used to this shit, I don't panic and wobble even when trying to punch a hole in their rear window, so again probably doesn't look so bad on camera.
hippy
Well that's the problem - the law isn't the law because there's no legal minimum distance like in Spain.
But Rule 163 of the Highway Code says drivers must: “Give vulnerable road users at least as much room as you would when overtaking a car,”. That would seem to be the best definition for practical purposes, but if a pass you felt was close was rejected it would suggest they're using something else.
Can you ask what their criteria is?