Close passing fines.

Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
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This isn't pedelec/epac related but push bike related, though the circumstances would apply as well.

I have seen two case reported this year or even the last 8 weeks where two separate incidents have ended with the drivers concerned both being fined and given licence points for close passing cyclists.

The first I saw was a single track lane, a guy in a LR passed two cyclists and after he had passed them one of the riders fell off in two a ditch. He was fined £1000 + five points on his licence.
Land Rover driver fined £1,000 after cyclist fell off her bike on country road as he passed by (msn.com)

The second driver crossed the broken line at speed and appears to be intimidating on coming cyclists.
He was fined £417 + five points on his licence also a section 59 notice was placed upon him/vehicle , which means he might have his car crushed if he commits another act within 12 months.
Motorist handed five points for driving too close to cyclists, sparking row with campaigners (telegraph.co.uk)


In both of these incidents camera evidence was viewed and used as part of the prosecution against the drivers.
 
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flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
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This isn't pedelec/epac related but push bike related, though the circumstances would apply as well.

I have seen two case reported this year or even the last 8 weeks where two separate incidents have ended with the drivers concerned both being fined and given licence points for close passing cyclists.

The first I saw was a single track lane, a guy in a LR passed two cyclists and after he had passed them one of the riders fell off in two a ditch. He was fined £1000 + five points on his licence.
Land Rover driver fined £1,000 after cyclist fell off her bike on country road as he passed by (msn.com)

The second driver crossed the broken line at speed and appears to be intimidating on coming cyclists.
He was fined £417 + five points on his licence also a section 59 notice was placed upon him/vehicle , which means he might have his car crushed if he commits another act within 12 months.
Motorist handed five points for driving too close to cyclists, sparking row with campaigners (telegraph.co.uk)


In both of these incidents camera evidence was viewed and used as part of the prosecution against the drivers.
The Land Rover driver should have slowed to around walking pace or stopped for the cyclists to pass. Clearly his speed in that confined space was reckless.

The second case isn't quite so clear cut since the car's speed cannot be judged from a still photo and the last cyclist was a long way out from the line necessary to pass the parked car.

While the driver was just slightly across the centre line, cyclists also have responsibilities, such as waiting before passing a parked car when to do so places drivers from the opposite direction at risk.

After all the highway code also says "never follow through without making sure your way is clear", and the later cyclists were clearly following through.
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Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
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Yes the LR driver should have stopped to allow them to pass, to be ultra sure.

The second incident has footage and the police use that evidence, the speed and angle of the car was quite reckless and appeared intimidating as he passed those cyclists irrelevant of the cyclists over taking the parked vehicle. There was a single file of cyclists behind the first two hence the footage.
 

Nealh

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Aug 7, 2014
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guerney

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Sep 7, 2021
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This isn't pedelec/epac related but push bike related, though the circumstances would apply as well.

I have seen two case reported this year or even the last 8 weeks where two separate incidents have ended with the drivers concerned both being fined and given licence points for close passing cyclists.

The first I saw was a single track lane, a guy in a LR passed two cyclists and after he had passed them one of the riders fell off in two a ditch. He was fined £1000 + five points on his licence.
Land Rover driver fined £1,000 after cyclist fell off her bike on country road as he passed by (msn.com)

The second driver crossed the broken line at speed and appears to be intimidating on coming cyclists.
He was fined £417 + five points on his licence also a section 59 notice was placed upon him/vehicle , which means he might have his car crushed if he commits another act within 12 months.
Motorist handed five points for driving too close to cyclists, sparking row with campaigners (telegraph.co.uk)


In both of these incidents camera evidence was viewed and used as part of the prosecution against the drivers.
This is why a camera is permanently attached to my helmet (clamped to the jawguard, not on top, because I don't want to look like a tellytubby [merely tubby is bad enough!])
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,197
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Thanks Neal, that makes it much clearer than the still photo. That was clearly a very dangerous speed when that close.

However my remarks on cyclists following through still stand. Anyone driving from the other direction in their own lane has the right of way. Someone pulling out to pass something has to responsibility to do so safely with regard to other road users travelling the opposite way,

The 1.5 metres space a cyclist needs has to be allowed for by the overtaking cyclist and when not possible for an approaching vehicle due to the road width as in this case, the cyclist should stop, not overtake. Being one of a group of cyclists is no excuse, each is an individual vehicle user.
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E

Erin0110

Guest
This isn't pedelec/epac related but push bike related, though the circumstances would apply as well.

I have seen two case reported this year or even the last 8 weeks where two separate incidents have ended with the drivers concerned both being fined and given licence points for close passing cyclists.

The first I saw was a single track lane, a guy in a LR passed two cyclists and after he had passed them one of the riders fell off in two a ditch. He was fined £1000 + five points on his licence.
Land Rover driver fined £1,000 after cyclist fell off her bike on country road as he passed by (msn.com)

The second driver crossed the broken line at speed and appears to be intimidating on coming cyclists.
He was fined £417 + five points on his licence also a section 59 notice was placed upon him/vehicle , which means he might have his car crushed if he commits another act within 12 months.
Motorist handed five points for driving too close to cyclists, sparking row with campaigners (telegraph.co.uk)


In both of these incidents camera evidence was viewed and used as part of the prosecution against the drivers.
Spam? :D
 

Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
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Another case appeared this week in Wales, a guy was fined with costs approx. £1100 + costs totalling neear £1800 for a close pass and was given 4 points on his licence. He refused to take the driver course offered or the fixed penalty notice but elected to plead NG and go to court. In all he says it has cost him near £4.5 having instructed solicitors, I guess he though he knew the law better.
The pass is said by the drivet was 5 feet but a pic from a cam clip appears to show much less and more like a metre.
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,197
30,602
The pass is said by the drivet was 5 feet but a pic from a cam clip appears to show much less and more like a metre.
Fine out on main roads in the countryside, but life for drivers is potentially getting very difficult now in London, since a metre is about all most passes get or is even possible. As things stand our cycling commuters dont expect so much space, indeed they ride into confined space in fast moving traffic so who is to blame then?

Fortunately our Metropolitan police ignore this law, since if they ever started to enforce it London would be at a standstill.



 

I893469365902345609348566

Esteemed Pedelecer
Oct 20, 2021
543
132
So many more SUVs than there used to be. I've been close passed by those a lot and it's frightening, many are as wide as vans. Cars keep getting wider, taller and heavier. I couldn't believe the size of what's called a mini these days. On the bright side for mini owners, they look less scary to be a passenger of on a motorway.
 

Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
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A driver of a Range Rover has been fined over £1100 and 3 points on his licence after going to court.

 

Benjahmin

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 10, 2014
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Reading the article, this bit's as clear as mud:
Cyclists are also now instructed to ride in the centre of the lane in slower moving traffic, "on quiet roads or streets, moving over to the left if a faster vehicle comes up behind them, but only if they can do so safely" and "at the approach to junctions or where the road narrows, where it would be unsafe for drivers to overtake them".
Their punctuation is confusing.
There is one stretch, near me, where I always ride in the centre of the lane. It's a narrow, 30mph, two lane road in the local town. Drivers seem to go mad on this bit, forcing an overtake even when there's approaching traffic. Add curves, manhole covers and potholes into the picture and this half mile stretch becomes extremely unpleasant. I avoid riding it at going home time 'cos it seems worse.
 

luap321

Pedelecer
Aug 30, 2022
39
1
its not all car drivers i went round an s bend that you can see round an a very steep hill streaching up in front of me a group of pensioners were comming down i thought how are they getting round the corner i put 2 wheels up the bank an the space left was less than 2ft and a old lady came past me doing an estimated 45-50mph she was flying an about 70years old followed by about another 5 or 6 people
i have also followed some silly old cow on a bike with a trailer down single track rds & up hill an every where there was a passing place or junction she moved to the middle i dont think she should be doing it like that if she is holding up traffic like a tractor has to she should let you pass at a suitable place not block the road .
i followed a bike up over kingsmill down i thought far enough he wants to get to the top i did not expect to have to follow him for 2 miles after .
where you have a road where 2 cars could pass most of the time you now get cyclests traveling 2 abreast chatting a i feel like they are taking the p abit not going single file an allowing people to pass where there is room
i think its people like this that make cycling unsafe buy reducing the tolarance of car drivers

that landrover clip he was going to fast but i bet she fell of because the cyclist infront stoped an she couldnt get her foot out her clip in timean fell over thats what i thought i was seeing
 

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