This episode’s focus is a close pass which occurred on Sunday, 15th September 2024, on the A629 Halifax Road in Elland, involving a white Ford C-Max.
The map shows the location of the incident and the cyclist’s direction of travel. Let’s review that dangerous pass again.
The footage was uploaded to the West Yorkshire Police Safer Roads Media Submission Portal on the same day, with an email and unique reference number confirming the submission.
Police replied by email on Tuesday, 17th September 2024, to inform us that enquiries were underway to trace the driver.
This process begins with a Notice of Intended Prosecution or nip being issued to the vehicle’s registered keeper. It’s important to note that receiving a nip doesn’t automatically mean you will face prosecution; it is a formal warning that you may face prosecution. The recipient has 28 days to provide the name and address of the person who was driving, or to provide any other information in their power which may lead to the driver’s identification. Failing to comply with this request is an offence in itself.
Information from Operation Snap for July to September 2024 shows the driver was dealt with for the offence RT88576: ‘Drive a mechanically propelled vehicle on a road or public place without reasonable consideration’, under Section 3 of the Road Traffic Act 1988. This applies when a driver’s actions inconvenience another road user.
This action is a clear violation of Highway Code Rule 163, which states you should only overtake when it is safe and legal to do so. The rule requires drivers to give cyclists at least as much room as they would a car, and provides a guide of leaving at least 1.5 metres when overtaking at speeds up to 30 mph, giving even more space at higher speeds. If these clearances cannot be met, the driver must wait.
So, how was the driver dealt with? Operation Snap data shows they were offered an Educational Course. These courses are aimed at changing driver attitudes to prevent reoffending, and a driver can only attend one in a three-year period. The driver had 28 days to book the course and 120 days from the date of the offence to complete it, while still retaining the option of a fixed penalty or court hearing.
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That’s all for this edition of West Yorkshire Cycling. We will be back with another episode soon; until then, please take care on the roads.
