Today, we examine an extreme close pass on the A641 Bradford Road in Brighouse. The incident took place on Sunday, 15th September 2024 and involved a silver Volkswagen Golf.
The map shows the location of the incident and the direction the cyclist was travelling.
Let’s take another look at the incident in slow motion.
The cyclist was in the cycle lane but was preparing to move out due to parked cars ahead when the driver overtook in wet conditions, leaving far less than the required 1.5 metres at speeds up to 30 mph.
The video was submitted to West Yorkshire Police through the Safer Roads Media Submission Portal the same day, and the complainant received an immediate email acknowledgement with a unique reference number.
On Tuesday, 28th September 2024, the police emailed again to confirm they were making enquiries to trace the driver. The driver could be offered an educational course, a Conditional Offer of Fixed Penalty, or potentially face a court hearing.
The process begins when a Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP) is sent to the registered keeper within 14 days of the incident. Receiving a NIP does not mean prosecution is automatic; it is simply a formal warning that one may follow. The keeper then has 28 days to confirm who was driving.
Honesty is essential. Providing false information can amount to perverting the course of justice, which can lead to a substantial fine or imprisonment. Failing to respond to the NIP is also an offence and carries six penalty points and a maximum £1,000 fine.
Operation Snap records for July to September 2024 show the driver was dealt with for offence RT88576: driving a mechanically propelled vehicle without reasonable consideration, an offence under Section 3 of the Road Traffic Act 1988. This applies when a driver’s actions inconvenience another road user.
Under Rule 163 of the Highway Code, overtaking is permitted only when it is safe and lawful, and drivers must give cyclists at least the same clearance they would give a car.
The guidance recommends leaving at least 1.5 metres at speeds up to 30 mph, increasing this distance at higher speeds and in adverse weather. If these clearances cannot be achieved safely, drivers must remain behind the cyclist.
Operation Snap shows the driver was offered an educational course. These courses, which can only be taken once in any three years, are intended to improve driver behaviour and reduce the likelihood of further offences.
The driver had 28 days to book and pay, and 120 days from the date of the offence to complete the course. The police can withdraw the offer at any point before completion. Rather than accepting a Fixed Penalty or going to court, the driver chose 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.
