Paul Rudin wrote to uk.transport.london on Mon, 11 Oct 2004:

I suppose the argument turns on the "nearly" - one person's "nearly"
is another's "missed by miles"...

I dare say - when you step into the road and have to leap back on to the
pavement to avoid being run down, you consider it "nearly". At least, I
do..... Had I been another inch further into the road, we would have
collided.

Mind you, come to think of it, I'm so fat the cyclist would probably
have come off worst.
--
"Mrs Redboots"
http://www.amsmyth.demon.co.uk/
Website updated 26 September 2004