Today on West Yorkshire Cycling, we’re looking at an extreme close pass on the A6025 Elland Road in Brighouse, known locally as the Red Rooster. The incident happened on Sunday, 15th September 2024 and involved a white Dodge Ram.
The map shows the location of the incident along with the direction the cyclist was travelling.
Let’s take another look at the incident in slow motion.
On the climb into Brighouse, the Dodge Ram passes the cyclist extremely closely, at speed and in wet conditions.
The footage was uploaded to West Yorkshire Police via the Safer Roads Media Submission Portal on the same day, and the complainant received an email acknowledgement with a unique reference number confirming the submission.
On Tuesday, 17th September 2024, West Yorkshire Police emailed again to confirm that enquiries were underway to identify the driver so they could be dealt with for the offence or offences shown in the footage. Possible outcomes include 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 driver.
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.
Under Rule 163 of the Highway Code, overtaking is permitted only when it is both 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 conditions. Where these clearances cannot be achieved safely, the correct action is to remain behind the cyclist.
Operation Snap confirms that the driver was offered an educational course. Such courses are available only once in a three‑year period and are designed to address driving behaviour and reduce re‑offending.
The driver was given 28 days to book and pay for the course, with 120 days from the date of the offence to complete it. The police reserve the right to withdraw the offer at any stage before completion. While the driver could have opted for a Fixed Penalty or a court hearing, they chose to undertake the course at their own expense.
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This brings us to the end of this edition of West Yorkshire Cycling. We’ll be back with another episode soon. In the meantime, please take care while out on the roads.
