Today we will take a look at a close pass incident on the B6120 Whitechapel Road in Scholes which occurred Thursday, 31st October 2024, and involved a black Ford Focus.
The map shows the location of the incident and the direction the cyclist was travelling in. Let’s take another look at that close pass incident 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 with a unique reference number confirming the submission. West Yorkshire Police responded by email on Monday, 4th November 2024, to inform us that enquiries were ongoing to trace the driver involved so they can be dealt with for the offences identified.
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 is 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 released by 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 states that you should only overtake when it is safe and legal to do so. As a guide, it specifies leaving at least 1.5 metres when overtaking cyclists at speeds up to 30 mph, giving them more space at higher speeds. The rule is simple: if it is unsafe to meet these clearances, you must wait. This applies even if you are overtaking a cyclist who is in a cycle lane.
So what was the penalty? Operation Snap data shows the driver was offered an educational course. These courses are aimed at educating drivers to change attitudes and prevent reoffending. The driver had 28 days to book and pay for the course, and 120 days from the date of the offence to complete it. In this instance, the driver opted to take the course at their own expense, though they still retained the option of accepting a fixed penalty or having the matter heard in court.
If you found this video informative then press the like button on the webpage and use the buttons to share this content to your friends and followers on social media.
That’s all from this episode of West Yorkshire Cycling, so until next time stay safe while out on the roads.
