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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Ashley Pemberton

Driver fined £400 after clip of him driving too close to cyclists splits opinion

This footage shows the moment a motorist drives too close to a group of cyclists - landing a fine and five points for careless driving.

The motorist was slapped with a £471 fine after driving 'too closely' to the cyclists at 'excessive speed'.

Sharing the footage on social media, cops warned: "If anyone thinks this is an acceptable manner of driving, let this be your warning."

The footage shows the driver of a Peugeot appearing to cross the white dividing road marks as the cyclists - who were riding in single file - overtake a parked car.

This footage shows the moment a motorist drives too close to a group of cyclists (Sheffield North West NPT)

But the clip has divided opinion among road users, with some social media users arguing the driver had done nothing wrong.

A spokesman for Sheffield North West Neighbourhood Policing Team said: "The driver of this vehicle decided to pass a group of cyclists at excessive speed and far too closely.

"Fined £417 in total, licence endorsed with five points. If anyone thinks this is an acceptable manner of driving, let this be your warning.

"The driver was also issued a S59 warning as soon as we were notified of the offence.

"If he is seen to drive in a careless and antisocial manner in the year since it was issued his vehicle will be seized."

After a backlash from irate motorists claiming the parked car on the cyclist's side of road, the spokesman elaborated and said: "The driver didn't just endanger one cyclist, he was also too close to those following.

The motorist was slapped with a £471 fine (Sheffield North West NPT)

"He would have seen a group of bikes in a line, and chose to accelerate to a speed increasing the danger to all of them and swerve over the white lines towards them.

"If he had simply driven to the conditions at a less dangerous speed and stayed on his own side of the road he wouldn't have been prosecuted.

"If people do choose to endanger vulnerable road users by poor driving, they need to remember that any pedestrian, horse rider, cyclist or vehicle may be recording.

"We will be happy to make sure that there are consequences to endangering others."

The campaign group the Alliance of British Drivers retweeted the footage with the caption: "If you weren't already convinced that the police are out to get you..."

But cyclist Ian Carey hit back, saying: "An appropriate conviction. If the driver had slowed down and let the cyclists pass there would have been no issue.

Miley pleaded guilty to driving without due care or attention (Sheffield North West NPT)

"The delay to the driver would have been a few seconds."

The row comes after motorist Paul Miley, 52, was slapped with a £1,008 fine for driving without due care or attention after a cyclist fell off her bike when he drove past her.

His motor didn't touch the female cyclist as he passed her in a country lane in his Land Rover Defender in Ashby St Ledger, Northants.

But video footage from a helmet camera showing the woman toppling over into a ditch was submitted to Northamptonshire Police.

The force said it "proved beyond doubt" Miley had shown no consideration for other road users.

The clip has divided opinion among road users (Sheffield North West NPT)

Miley pleaded guilty to driving without due care or attention when he appeared before Northampton Magistrates Court last month.

Earlier this year, a risk-based "hierarchy of road users" was introduced into the the new version of the Highway Code.

The pyramid is based on the idea that those who can do the greatest harm have the greatest responsibility to avoid hurting other, more vulnerable road users.

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