In today’s episode we take a look at a close pass incident which happened on Sunday, 10th November 2024, and involved a black Hyundai Tucson on the B6432 Firth Street in Huddersfield.
The map shows the location of the incident along with the direction the cyclist was travelling in. Let’s take another look at that close pass in slow motion.
The footage was uploaded to West Yorkshire Police on the same day, via the Safer Roads Media Submission portal. An email was received confirming the submission along with a unique reference number. West Yorkshire Police replied by email on Tuesday, 12th November 2024, to inform us that enquiries were ongoing to trace the driver for the identified offences.
This process starts with a Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP) being issued to the vehicle’s registered keeper within 14 days of the offence. Receiving a NIP doesn’t automatically mean a prosecution will occur; it’s a formal warning that one may follow. The recipient then has 28 days to identify the driver. Providing false information may constitute the serious offence of perverting the course of justice, and failing to comply is an offence in itself under Section 172 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, which carries six penalty points and a maximum fine of £1,000 on conviction.
Information from Operation Snap for the period October to December 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’. This falls under Section 3 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 and applies when a driver’s actions inconvenience another road user.
This is a clear violation of Highway Code Rule 163, which governs safe overtaking. It states that you should only pass when it is safe and legal to do so, giving cyclists at least as much room as you would a car. As a guide, the rule specifies leaving at least 1.5 metres when overtaking at speeds up to 30 mph, and even more space at higher speeds. If this is not possible, the driver must wait.
So, what was the penalty? Operation Snap data shows the driver was 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 offence date to complete it, while still retaining the option of a fixed penalty or having the matter heard in court.
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We will be back with another edition of West Yorkshire Cycling soon. Until then please take care when out cycling.
