A cyclist's helmet camera captured the moment a van driver dangerously overtook them, forcing an oncoming haulier to sound his horn - has been up in court.

Footage shows a Mercedes Sprinter van driven by David Pope narrowly missing the cyclist who was trying to avoid a pothole on the A483 near Four Crosses, Llandysilio, on January 30, just as an articulated lorry was approaching..

In the charge, the 35-year-old was said to have not allowed 'sufficient distance been him and the cyclist', adding: "The standard of driving of the defendant fell well below that of a reasonable and competent driver and he was driving without reasonable consideration for other persons using that road."

He admitted driving without due care and attention when he appeared in court in August and was sentenced in Welshpool Magistrates on September 12.

Pope, from Caldecott Crescent, Whitchurch, was fined £176 and had his driving licence endorsed with four penalty points.

He was also ordered to pay £110 costs and a £70 surcharge.

The footage was submitted to Dyfed-Powyos Police as part of Operation Snap's GoSfafe campaign to improve road safety which allows people to report and submit footage of potential traffic offences.

A spokesperson for the force said: "As two-wheeled transport becomes more popular, safer interaction between cars, bicycles, and motorcycles is reliant on co-operation and a greater awareness from drivers regarding the presence of less protected road users.

"Operation Snap took positive action against 1562 ‘close pass’ incidents in 2022. This highlights that there is still a need to educate road users on safely overtaking cyclists and other vulnerable road users. A good tip is to overtake cyclists in the same way as another vehicle, in a suitable location, ensuring that the 1.5 metre minimum gap is maintained between the cyclist or road user and the vehicle."

https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/crime/2023/10/03/van-drivers-dangerous-overtake-on-cyclist-as-lorry-approaches-caught-on-camera/

Simon Mason <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:

> A cyclist's helmet camera captured the moment a van driver dangerously
> overtook them, forcing an oncoming haulier to sound his horn - has been up in court.

> Footage shows a Mercedes Sprinter van driven by David Pope narrowly
> missing the cyclist who was trying to avoid a pothole on the A483 near
> Four Crosses, Llandysilio, on January 30, just as an articulated lorry was approaching.

“Trying to avoid a pothole” is the same as “Swerving out into traffic”.

> He admitted driving without due care and attention when he appeared in
> court in August and was sentenced in Welshpool Magistrates on September 12.

They fined the wrong person.

“Poor turn or manoeuvre” is the fifth-highest killer of cyclists. The van
was neither turning nor manoeuvring, but the cyclist certainly was.

> https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/crime/2023/10/03/van-drivers-dangerous-overtake-on-cyclist-as-lorry-approaches-caught-on-camera/

--
Spike

QUOTE: Pope, from Caldecott Crescent, Whitchurch, was fined £176 and had his driving licence endorsed with four penalty points. eHe was also ordered to pay £110 costs and a £70 surcharge" ENDS

Won't be doing that again in a hurry. :-)

Simon Mason <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:
> QUOTE: Pope, from Caldecott Crescent, Whitchurch, was fined £176 and had
> his driving licence endorsed with four penalty points. eHe was also
> ordered to pay £110 costs and a £70 surcharge" ENDS
>
> Won't be doing that again in a hurry. :-)

Won’t be doing what? He didn’t do the swerving!

--
Spike

Helmet footage captured the moment David Pope narrowly avoided a cyclist while overtaking as a lorry came towards him. Photo: Dyfed-Powys Police

https://www.shropshirestar.com/resizer/QmDWIBpR_ITKmR9LXaqk1qYRIkU=/1200x0/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/mna/PIBJLKEJWNFMDEM5KTFW5EIN3A.jpg

Simon Mason <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:
> Helmet footage captured the moment David Pope narrowly avoided a cyclist
> while overtaking as a lorry came towards him. Photo: Dyfed-Powys Police
>
> https://www.shropshirestar.com/resizer/QmDWIBpR_ITKmR9LXaqk1qYRIkU=/1200x0/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/mna/PIBJLKEJWNFMDEM5KTFW5EIN3A.jpg

It doesn’t show the cyclist swerve, but it’s in his account:

“…. the cyclist who was trying to avoid a pothole on the A483…”

Not a wise move on a busy road.

--
Spike

QUOTE: A cyclist's helmet camera captured the moment a van driver dangerously overtook them, forcing an oncoming haulier to sound his horn - has been up in court. ENDS

QED - If a lorry driver felt the need to sound his horn as a warning to the idiot driver, then it MUST have been dangerous. No wonder he got points and a fine.

Simon Mason <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:
> QUOTE: A cyclist's helmet camera captured the moment a van driver
> dangerously overtook them, forcing an oncoming haulier to sound his horn
> - has been up in court. ENDS
>
> QED - If a lorry driver felt the need to sound his horn as a warning to
> the idiot driver, then it MUST have been dangerous. No wonder he got points and a fine.

Perhaps the toot on the lorry’s hooter was just a polite ‘have you seen
me?’. Not everyone is a Jeremy Vine.

--
Spike

QUOTE: Footage shows a Mercedes Sprinter van driven by David Pope narrowly missing the cyclist who was trying to avoid a pothole on the A483 near Four Crosses, Llandysilio, on January 30, just as an articulated lorry was approaching. ENDS

What happened to the "allow cyclists wobble room" when overtaking, as was written the 1960's Highway Code?

Now they get caught on camera, fines and points thanks to the new rules and CCTV.

Simon Mason <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:

> QUOTE: Footage shows a Mercedes Sprinter van driven by David Pope
> narrowly missing the cyclist who was trying to avoid a pothole on the
> A483 near Four Crosses, Llandysilio, on January 30, just as an
> articulated lorry was approaching. ENDS

> What happened to the "allow cyclists wobble room" when overtaking, as was
> written the 1960's Highway Code?

> Now they get caught on camera, fines and points thanks to the new rules and CCTV.

Ah, so it’s 1.5m plus an indeterminate amount, according to Mason.

That cyclist was very unwise. See video in the OP.

He could have chosen to have wobbled the other, safer, way.

--
Spike

QUOTE: In the charge, the 35-year-old was said to have not allowed 'sufficient distance been him and the cyclist', adding: "The standard of driving of the defendant fell well below that of a reasonable and competent driver and he was driving without reasonable consideration for other persons using that road." ENDS

That's court speak for "you're nicked".

Simon Mason <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:
> QUOTE: In the charge, the 35-year-old was said to have not allowed
> 'sufficient distance been him and the cyclist', adding: "The standard of
> driving of the defendant fell well below that of a reasonable and
> competent driver and he was driving without reasonable consideration for
> other persons using that road." ENDS
>
> That's court speak for "you're nicked".

“You’re nicked” is what the police say.

--
Spike

QUOTE: "Operation Snap took positive action against 1562 ‘close pass’ incidents in 2022. This highlights that there is still a need to educate road users on safely overtaking cyclists and other vulnerable road users. ENDS

A return of nearly 1600 prosecutions is a very satisfactory harvest of idiot drivers caught on camera.

Simon Mason <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:
> QUOTE: "Operation Snap took positive action against 1562 ‘close pass’
> incidents in 2022. This highlights that there is still a need to educate
> road users on safely overtaking cyclists and other vulnerable road users. ENDS
>
> A return of nearly 1600 prosecutions is a very satisfactory harvest of
> idiot drivers caught on camera.

How many ‘other vulnerable road users’ sent in a video and had a positive
result? We’re any of them of pavement cyclists?

--
Spike

QUOTE: A cyclist's helmet camera captured the moment a van driver dangerously overtook them, forcing an oncoming haulier to sound his horn - has been up in court. ENDS

No resident Mr Arsehole on tap? What a shame - take the rap, moron.

On 5/10/23 05:48, Spike wrote:
> Simon Mason <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:
>> QUOTE: A cyclist's helmet camera captured the moment a van driver
>> dangerously overtook them, forcing an oncoming haulier to sound his horn
>> - has been up in court. ENDS
>>
>> QED - If a lorry driver felt the need to sound his horn as a warning to
>> the idiot driver, then it MUST have been dangerous. No wonder he got points and a fine.
>
> Perhaps the toot on the lorry’s hooter was just a polite ‘have you seen
> me?’. Not everyone is a Jeremy Vine.
>
Possible.

I was biking down a hill on a narrowish road, intending to take a right
turn into a street ahead. I hear something behind me, so I pull hard
left, intending that he overtake me. Nothing doing. ( the road is a bit
narrow)
I glance behind and see the large lorry slowed down behind me, not
attempting to overtake. So I signal, and 2secs later turn right in front
of him, giving him a wave of appreciation as I did so.
I hear the toot of appreciation come from the lorry.

Simon Mason <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:
> QUOTE: A cyclist's helmet camera captured the moment a van driver
> dangerously overtook them, forcing an oncoming haulier to sound his horn
> - has been up in court. ENDS
>
> No resident Mr Arsehole on tap? What a shame - take the rap, moron.

Mr Arsehole might well have asked why the cyclist swerved *into* the
traffic rather than the other way; or asked why the cyclist didn’t brake.
Both were viable options.

--
Spike

Peter Keller <muzhmuzh@centrum.sk> wrote:
> On 5/10/23 05:48, Spike wrote:
>> Simon Mason <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:
>>> QUOTE: A cyclist's helmet camera captured the moment a van driver
>>> dangerously overtook them, forcing an oncoming haulier to sound his horn
>>> - has been up in court. ENDS
>>>
>>> QED - If a lorry driver felt the need to sound his horn as a warning to
>>> the idiot driver, then it MUST have been dangerous. No wonder he got points and a fine.
>>
>> Perhaps the toot on the lorry’s hooter was just a polite ‘have you seen
>> me?’. Not everyone is a Jeremy Vine.
>>
> Possible.
>
> I was biking down a hill on a narrowish road, intending to take a right
> turn into a street ahead. I hear something behind me, so I pull hard
> left, intending that he overtake me. Nothing doing. ( the road is a bit
> narrow)
> I glance behind and see the large lorry slowed down behind me, not
> attempting to overtake. So I signal, and 2secs later turn right in front
> of him, giving him a wave of appreciation as I did so.
> I hear the toot of appreciation come from the lorry.

That’s great road craft on both your counts, showing sense on both sides.

--
Spike

On Thursday, October 5, 2023 at 12:01:01 PM UTC+1, Peter Keller wrote:

> I glance behind and see the large lorry slowed down behind me, not
> attempting to overtake. So I signal, and 2secs later turn right in front
> of him, giving him a wave of appreciation as I did so.
> I hear the toot of appreciation come from the lorry.

In this case, the horn was sounded by the trucker to warn a van driver that was driving straight at him that a collision was going to happen.

Simon Mason <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Thursday, October 5, 2023 at 12:01:01 PM UTC+1, Peter Keller wrote:
>
>> I glance behind and see the large lorry slowed down behind me, not
>> attempting to overtake. So I signal, and 2secs later turn right in front
>> of him, giving him a wave of appreciation as I did so.
>> I hear the toot of appreciation come from the lorry.

> In this case, the horn was sounded by the trucker to warn a van driver
> that was driving straight at him that a collision was going to happen.

You were the truck driver! Is there no end to your talents?

--
Spike

QUOTE: He admitted driving without due care and attention when he appeared in court in August and was sentenced in Welshpool Magistrates on September 12. Pope, from Caldecott Crescent, Whitchurch, was fined £176 and had his driving licence endorsed with four penalty points. He was also ordered to pay £110 costs and a £70 surcharge. ENDS

The article is wrong about the distance. This is what the Highway code says.. Give motorcyclists, cyclists and horse riders and horse drawn vehicles at least as much room as you would when overtaking a car (see Rules 211 to 215). As a guide: leave at least 1.5 metres when overtaking cyclists at speeds of up to 30mph, and give them more space when overtaking at higher speeds.."

Simon Mason <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:
> QUOTE: He admitted driving without due care and attention when he
> appeared in court in August and was sentenced in Welshpool Magistrates on
> September 12. Pope, from Caldecott Crescent, Whitchurch, was fined £176
> and had his driving licence endorsed with four penalty points. He was
> also ordered to pay £110 costs and a £70 surcharge. ENDS
>
> The article is wrong about the distance. This is what the Highway code
> says. Give motorcyclists, cyclists and horse riders and horse drawn
> vehicles at least as much room as you would when overtaking a car (see
> Rules 211 to 215). As a guide: leave at least 1.5 metres when overtaking
> cyclists at speeds of up to 30mph, and give them more space when
> overtaking at higher speeds."

So the 1.5m distance is only a *GUIDE* and not a law.

Thanks for clearing that up.

--
Spike