In today’s episode, we’re breaking down an extreme close pass from Sunday, 18th August 2024, on Moor Road in Ilkley. The incident involved a blue BMW 3 Series and is a textbook example of a driver breaking two fundamental rules in one dangerous manoeuvre.
The map shows the incident’s location and the cyclist’s direction of travel. Let’s review that moment again in slow motion.
The footage was submitted to the West Yorkshire Police Safer Roads Media Submission Portal on the same day, and an email was received confirming receipt with a unique reference number. Police responded by email on August 19th, confirming that enquiries were underway to trace the driver so they could be dealt with for the offences identified.
This process starts with a Notice of Intended Prosecution, or NIP, being issued to the vehicle’s registered keeper within 14 days. Receiving a NIP isn’t an automatic prosecution; it’s a formal warning that one may follow. The recipient then has 28 days to identify who was driving. It is crucial to be truthful—providing false details may constitute perverting the course of justice, which carries severe penalties. Failing to comply with a NIP is also an offence under Section 172 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, carrying six penalty points and a fine of up to £1,000 on conviction.
Information from Operation Snap shows the driver was dealt with for the offence RT88576, which is ‘driving without reasonable consideration’ under Section 3 of the Road Traffic Act 1988. This applies when someone is inconvenienced by the manner of driving.
Now, let’s look at the two Highway Code rules that were clearly broken.
First, Rule 129, concerning double white lines. When the line nearer to you is solid, you MUST NOT cross it to overtake unless the cyclist is travelling at 10 mph or less. By crossing the solid line to pass a cyclist moving faster than this, the driver performed an illegal overtake.
Second, Rule 163, which deals with the close pass itself. It requires drivers to give cyclists at least as much room as a car, with a minimum guide of 1.5 metres at speeds up to 30 mph. This driver failed to provide anywhere near that safe clearance.
So, what was the penalty for this illegal and unsafe pass? Operation Snap data shows the driver was offered an educational course, which is designed to change driver attitudes and prevent reoffending. The driver still had the option of a fixed penalty or court, but in this instance, they accepted the course.
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That’s all from this edition of West Yorkshire Cycling. Until next time, stay safe.
