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Bristol Post
Bristol Post
National
John James & Beth Cruse

Bristol cyclist says he has reported more than 300 bad drivers and 'will report more'

A Bristol cyclist who claims to have reported more than 300 reckless drivers has vowed to report more until people's driving improves.

Dad-of-three James Taylor, who has been cycling to work for 17 years, says he has recorded hundreds of bad drivers on his on-bike camera.

It comes as new measures were introduced into the Highway Code this week which provide more protection for cyclists on the roads.

READ MORE: Family 'overwhelmed' as huge convoy honours Bristol lorry driver killed in crash

The newly introduced “hierarchy of road users” establishes that quicker or heavier modes of travel have the greatest responsibility to reduce the danger or threat they may pose to others on the road.

Cyclists have also received fresh guidance to ride in the centre of a lane on quieter roads, in slower-moving traffic and at the approach to junctions in order to make themselves as clearly visible as possible.

This news has infuriated some road users who deem it as giving inappropriate control to bike riders but for many in the cycling community, the news has come as a bonus, as the Daily Star reports.

Unbeknownst to many drivers, some cyclists have become so incensed by dangerous drivers that they have begun to actively film encounters and take the instigators to court.

On Twitter, cyclists like James Taylor post their encounters which they record on their bike cameras and then report them to the authorities.

The 49-year-old told the Daily Star: "I’ve always ridden a bike. I wasn’t under any delusions as to the danger."

James Taylor has reported 300 idiot drivers (James Taylor/Daily Star)

On one occasion, James says he was aggressively tailgated down a high street where the speed limit was 20mph.

He said: "The worst incident I faced was when I was aggressively tailgated by a driver along the high street.

"I was going 20mph and he was right up against me. He was a strange individual and was convicted for lack of due care."

Like many other cyclists, James has decided to take matters into his own hands and has begun actively recording his encounters.

Since he began keeping records in November 2018, he has been prolific in documenting his road battles.

He continued: “I’ve reported 300 drivers since November 2018. When you report someone you don't always know how far it's taken.

"It's either a positive report or no further action. A positive report is when the driver is warned, offered a fixed penalty or course, or prosecuted. I've had 12 reports no further action, the rest have been positive."

But what is it that driver's do that really endangers cyclists like James?

He explained: "The most common fault is the close pass. People need to leave 1.5 meters when they pass.

“The new regulations just spell this out more clearly for divers.

“This is not a them versus us situation."

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