A KIND-hearted cyclist has been caught on video consoling a woman driver who seconds before almost killed him.
Steven Gault, from Aberdeen, was cycling to work last week when he had a close shave with a red convertible.
But instead of starting a blazing row with the driver, Steven – after getting over his initial shock – can be heard trying to calm the shaken motorist down.
YouTube and other social media sites are full of videos of road users abusing each other after incidents but Steven, 33, says it doesn’t have to be that way.
The close shave happened on the city’s busy Trinity Quay, despite Steven having a £200 flashing front headlamp.
The video, which Steven gave to website Scotland’s Worst Drivers, shows the convertible pull out in front as the cyclist approaches at speed.
Only Steven’s quick reactions save him from a nasty collision and he can be heard yelling: “Jesus, woman!”
But he realises that the driver is just as shocked by what almost happened. She can be seen with her heads in her hands.
Showing remarkable restraint, Steven adopts a soft, reassuring tone as he tells the woman: “On you go.”
He adds: “You’re okay. You missed.”
The driver can be heard saying “I’m so sorry” before the clip ends.
Steven, who works the night shift at a sewage treatment works, says near-misses happen to him all the time.
“I cycle every day to work and this kind of thing is regular – though I’ve never come this close to being hit,” he said.
“I could see her approaching the junction and had my hands on my brakes just in case. Luckily I did because she didn’t look over her shoulder to check if anyone was coming.
“There was a strong headwind that day and I think without that, I would have ended up under the car.”
He added: “She looked like she was about to cry and was very apologetic. I ended up consoling her, instead of the other way around.
“Usually people say it’s the cyclist’s fault, but I’ve been told by everyone who has seen the video that she was in the wrong.
“These things happen all the time, but they don’t need to end in a big argument. She realised what she had done wrong and kept apologising.
“I just want people to learn from this and be more aware of potential accidents. A simple shoulder check can save a life.”
