In this episode, we take a look at a close pass incident on Northedge Lane near Hipperholme that occurred on Tuesday, 29th October 2024, and involved a white Land Rover Range Rover Sport.
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 returned with a unique reference number confirming the submission.
West Yorkshire Police contacted us by email on Friday, 1st November 2024, to inform us that enquiries were underway to trace the driver of the vehicle so they could be processed for the offence or offences identified from the footage.
This involves issuing a Notice Of Intended Prosecution or nip, to the registered keeper or owner of the vehicle. When you receive a nip, it doesn’t automatically mean that you are going to face prosecution; it is a warning that you may face prosecution. You have 28 days from receiving the nip to provide the name and address of who was driving the vehicle at the time of the alleged offence or to provide any information in your power that may lead to the driver’s identification. It is an offence not to comply with a nip.
Data from Operation Snap for the period October 2024 to December 2024 shows that the driver was dealt with for the offence R T 8 8 5 7 6: ‘Driving a mechanically propelled vehicle on a road or public place without reasonable consideration’. This falls under Section 3 of the Road Traffic Act 1988. Crucially, this offence is considered committed if another road user is inconvenienced by the manner of driving.
This directly relates to Highway Code Rule 163, which clearly states: “Overtake only when it is safe and legal to do so.” The rule requires you to give cyclists at least as much room as you would when overtaking a car. For cyclists, the guidance is even more specific: “As a guide, leave at least 1.5 metres when overtaking cyclists at speeds of up to 30mph, and give them more space when overtaking at higher speeds.” If you can’t meet these clearances, the rule is simple: “You should wait behind… and not overtake.”
So, what was the outcome? The driver was offered an Educational Course. These courses aim to educate drivers, change attitudes, and prevent re-offending. It’s worth noting you can only attend one such course within a three-year period.
The driver had 28 days to book and pay for the course and needed to complete it within 120 days of the offence. While they could have opted for a Conditional Offer of a Fixed Penalty or a court hearing, the driver accepted the offer of the educational course, which they attended at their own expense.
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Join us next time for more from West Yorkshire Cycling.
