*Warning: Video contains strong language*

Today's entry for the Near Miss of the Day series features a driver who somehow managed to get away with just a Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP) after close passing a driver an astonishing three times in just under two minutes, however let hubris get the better of him and decided to go to court challenging the NIP.

Spoiler alert: It didn't go well for him.

Tony was heading to work on a cold January morning, and was going over the railway bridge on Ripple Road in Barking, London, where he was first close passed by a bus driver and then the driver of a silver Mercedes estate. Recording the footage on his front and back camera, he called out the licence plates of both the vehicles and carried on.

As traffic queued up, he caught back up to the Mercedes and eventually passed it. However, turning into the next road, the driver then decided to close pass him once again.

"He was easily within 0.5 metres or so of me. I call out some choice words in shock at their continued poor driving," he told road.cc.

Tony added: "This seemed to anger the driver who then slows down considerably, unsure of what they are doing I again pass the driver, with the driver calling me a c***. I respond in kind and carry on.

"As we get to a section where its a single lane with footpath both sides the driver once again forces an overtake, from the rear camera I'd estimate they were within 0.2m of me."

He reported the footage to the Met Police, who issued the driver with an NIP. Then several months later, Tony get a notification saying that it's going to court as the driver has challenged the NIP.

You might be able to guess how it's going to end. The case was heard in court earlier this week, and the driver was found guilty, fined £793 and given 5 penalty points.

"An expensive lesson," Tony commented.

https://road.cc/content/news/near-miss-day-878-304199

Simon Mason <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:

> Today's entry for the Near Miss of the Day series features a driver who
> somehow managed to get away with just a Notice of Intended Prosecution
> (NIP) after close passing a driver an astonishing three times in just
> under two minutes, however let hubris get the better of him and decided
> to go to court challenging the NIP.
>
> You might be able to guess how it's going to end. The case was heard in
> court earlier this week, and the driver was found guilty, fined £793 and
> given 5 penalty points.

> "An expensive lesson," Tony commented.

> https://road.cc/content/news/near-miss-day-878-304199

With Oakley cycling sunglasses at over £140, that fine doesn’t look that
costly.

--
Spike

mctrials23 | 157 posts | 19 hours ago
7 likes

Whenever I see 5 penalty points given out I always just assume that 6 would be the number that resulted in them being banned. Perhaps I am just being cynical....

================

Excellent! Hit the muppet in the wallet. Superb. I would love to seen this fool's face when this outcome got served to him.

On 02/10/2023 12:52 pm, Simon Mason wrote:

> *Warning: Video contains strong language*
>
> Today's entry for the Near Miss of the Day series features a driver who somehow managed to get away with just a Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP) after close passing a driver an astonishing three times in just under two minutes, however let hubris get the better of him and decided to go to court challenging the NIP.
>
> Spoiler alert: It didn't go well for him.
>
> Tony was heading to work on a cold January morning, and was going over the railway bridge on Ripple Road in Barking, London, where he was first close passed by a bus driver and then the driver of a silver Mercedes estate. Recording the footage on his front and back camera, he called out the licence plates of both the vehicles and carried on.
>
> As traffic queued up, he caught back up to the Mercedes and eventually passed it. However, turning into the next road, the driver then decided to close pass him once again.
>
> "He was easily within 0.5 metres or so of me. I call out some choice words in shock at their continued poor driving," he told road.cc.
>
> Tony added: "This seemed to anger the driver who then slows down considerably, unsure of what they are doing I again pass the driver, with the driver calling me a c***. I respond in kind and carry on.
>
> "As we get to a section where its a single lane with footpath both sides the driver once again forces an overtake, from the rear camera I'd estimate they were within 0.2m of me."
>
> He reported the footage to the Met Police, who issued the driver with an NIP. Then several months later, Tony get a notification saying that it's going to court as the driver has challenged the NIP.
>
> You might be able to guess how it's going to end. The case was heard in court earlier this week, and the driver was found guilty, fined £793 and given 5 penalty points.
>
> "An expensive lesson," Tony commented.
>
> https://road.cc/content/news/near-miss-day-878-304199

Which of the drivers was on the chav-cycle?

wtjs replied to quiff | 2 days ago
1 like

but getting a NIP is at the top end of the scale isn't it, as opposed to a warning letter or absolutely nothing?

My opinion is that it's frequently just another police dodge, from the great selection they have put together- especially where offences against cyclists are concerned- to appear to be doing something when you have no intention of taking it further. Most people think a NIP is action, when it may well translate into nothing at all. That's one of the reasons why some police forces are fighting so hard against the FOIA and in favour of their refusal to tell victims what they actually did.

Simon Mason <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:
> wtjs replied to quiff | 2 days ago
> 1 like

> but getting a NIP is at the top end of the scale isn't it, as opposed to
> a warning letter or absolutely nothing?

> My opinion is that it's frequently just another police dodge, from the
> great selection they have put together- especially where offences against
> cyclists are concerned- to appear to be doing something when you have no
> intention of taking it further. Most people think a NIP is action, when
> it may well translate into nothing at all. That's one of the reasons why
> some police forces are fighting so hard against the FOIA and in favour of
> their refusal to tell victims what they actually did.

‘Victim’ as in ‘not struck by a car’?

--
Spike

It's a perfectly legitimate and legal manoeuvre to undertake a slow moving vehicle in such circumstances. "Begging for it" – the language of the victim blamer throughout the ages.

Simon Mason <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:

> It's a perfectly legitimate and legal manoeuvre to undertake a slow
> moving vehicle in such circumstances.

Whether it is safe or wise is of course a different issue.

--
Spike

The police need to stamp down on these petty episodes of drivers thinking they are the judge, jury and executioner of other peoples driving / cycling standards. Glad there was a fine in this case, and not a threat of legal action over the cyclists use of language.