In this edition of West Yorkshire Cycling, we review an extreme close pass on the B6379 Westfield Lane in Wyke. The incident took place on Saturday, 7th September 2024 and involved a white Mazda CX-5.
The map shows the location of the incident along with the direction the cyclist was travelling.
Let’s take another look at this incident, but in slow motion.
The cyclist is in the primary position after the traffic island. Instead of waiting, the driver attempts to overtake, squeezing through without sufficient space as oncoming traffic restricts their safety zone.
The footage was uploaded to West Yorkshire Police via the Safer Roads Media Submission Portal on the same day.
West Yorkshire Police replied by email on Monday, 28th October 2024, informing us that enquiries were underway to trace the driver involved so that they could be processed for the offence or offences identified in the footage. This may be by way of an educational course, a Conditional Offer of Fixed Penalty, or a court hearing.
This process begins with issuing a Notice of Intended Prosecution, or NIP, to the vehicle’s registered keeper within 14 days of the offence. Receiving a NIP isn’t an automatic prosecution; it is a formal warning that one may follow. The recipient then has 28 days to provide the name and address of the person who was driving.
It’s critical to be truthful. Providing false details may constitute the offence of perverting the course of justice, which can lead to a prison sentence or a substantial fine. Failing to comply with the NIP is also an offence and can result in six penalty points and a maximum £1,000 fine on conviction.
According to Operation Snap records for July to September 2024, the driver was dealt with for offence RT88576: Drive a mechanically propelled vehicle on a road or public place without reasonable consideration. This is an offence under Section 3 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, which applies when another road user is inconvenienced by the driver’s actions.
This is covered by Rule 163 of the Highway Code, which states that overtaking should only be carried out when it is safe and legal to do so. Drivers should give cyclists at least as much room as they would when overtaking a car.
As a guide, at least 1.5 metres should be left when overtaking cyclists at speeds up to 30 mph, with greater clearance required at higher speeds. The rule also makes clear that extra care and additional space are needed in bad weather. If these clearances cannot be met safely, drivers should wait behind the cyclist and not overtake.
So, how was the driver dealt with? Operation Snap records show the driver was offered an educational course. A course can only be taken once in any three years, and these courses are designed to change behaviour and reduce the likelihood of re‑offending.
The driver had 28 days to book and pay for the course, and 120 days from the date of the offence to complete it. The police may withdraw the offer at any point until the course is finished. Although the driver could have chosen a Conditional Offer of Fixed Penalty or a court hearing, they elected to complete the course at their own expense.
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That’s all from West Yorkshire Cycling for this edition. We’ll be back with another episode soon. Until then, take care on the roads.
