A routine Sunday ride on Hangingstone Road in Ilkley nearly turned dangerous on August 18th, 2024. A white Vauxhall Vivaro van overtook a cyclist too closely, ignoring critical road safety rules.
On screen, you’ll see a map showing the location of the incident and the cyclist’s route.
Now, let’s slow things down and take a closer look at the moment that mattered.
Watch carefully—this is a clear example of why passing distance is so important.
The video footage was uploaded to the West Yorkshire Safer Roads Media Submission Portal the same day, generating an official reference number.
By the next day, Monday, August 19th, West Yorkshire Police had confirmed that enquiries were underway to trace the driver and address the offences identified in the footage.
This process starts with the issuing of a Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP) to the registered keeper. A NIP informs a potential defendant that they may be prosecuted for an offence while the incident is still fresh in their memory.
Once issued, there’s a legal requirement: the recipient has 28 days to confirm who was driving the vehicle at the time of the offence. Providing false details is a serious offence—one that could lead to charges of perverting the course of justice, carrying heavy fines or even a prison sentence.
Ignoring the NIP altogether is also an offence. Failure to respond could result in six penalty points and a fine of up to £1,000 upon conviction.
Information released by Operation Snap for the period of July to September 2024 confirms that the driver was dealt with for offence RT88576—driving a mechanically propelled vehicle on a road or public place without reasonable consideration, an offence under Section 3 of the Road Traffic Act 1988.
What makes this case even more concerning is that the incident violated two key rules in the Highway Code.
First, Rule 129 addresses double white lines. It states that when the line nearest you is solid, you must not cross or straddle it unless entering a side road or premises. The only exceptions for overtaking apply when passing a stationary vehicle or overtaking a pedal cycle, horse, or road maintenance vehicle—only if they are travelling at 10 miles per hour or less.
Simply put: overtaking a cyclist where a solid white line is present is illegal unless the cyclist is moving at 10mph or slower.
Then there’s Rule 163, which deals with safe overtaking. It advises drivers to overtake only when it is safe and legal to do so, leaving at least 1.5 metres of space when overtaking cyclists at speeds of up to 30 miles per hour. Higher speeds or poor conditions demand even more space. If that clearance isn’t possible, drivers must wait.
In this case, the van passed the cyclist too closely while crossing a solid white line—a dangerous maneuver that could have easily resulted in an accident.
So, what penalty did the driver receive? Operation Snap data confirms that they were offered an educational course designed to change attitudes and prevent future offences.
Drivers offered a course must book and pay within 28 days of receiving the notice, and complete it within 120 days of the offence. The police also retain the right to withdraw the offer at any time before the course is completed.
Alternatively, the driver had the option to accept a Conditional Offer of Fixed Penalty or have the case heard in court.
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That’s all for this edition of West Yorkshire Cycling. Every metre of space matters—let’s work together for safer roads. Ride safe, and we’ll see you next time.
