Guilty or Not Guilty

[ianrauk]

What do the good folks of CycleChat think

Motorist pleads guilty to careless driving

It's a strange one and I'm still digesting it to make an opinion.

 

[DCLane]

It's the vehicle speed which imo is the issue here. That someone fell over, whether scared or not, appears to have exacerbated things.

I'd suggest they should/could have slowed, which would have prevented the issues. And their licence getting points.

 

[Alex321]

TBH, I'm surprised they pleaded guilty..

Agreed that they probably should have slowed more, but they didn't seem to be going ridiculously fast.

But the actual offence is Careless and inconsiderate driving
"If a person drives a mechanically propelled vehicle on a road or other public place without due care and attention, or without reasonable consideration for other persons using the road or place, he is guilty of an offence".

I think that falls under "without reasonable consideration...".

 

[Milkfloat]

Genuinely surprised that would result in a Careless Driving charge, around here the police would be high fiving the driver.

More info: https://www.northants.police.uk/new...ng-thanks-to-operation-snap-video-submission/

 

[Arjimlad]

I'm kinda surprised as Northants Police don't have the best reputation for acting on cyclists' videos !

The lack of deceleration is IMHO inconsiderate. I would slow right down as a driver in these circumstances.

On the bike I expect most of us have experienced (and maybe reported) worse - but I don't know the outcome, only that it was "positive"...

 

[numbnuts]

Slow the video down, land rover passes, she turns round to shout at driver and falls off

 

[AndyRM]

Honestly? I don't understand this one. Yes, it's a narrow road/track, but there seems no reason to me for the cyclist to fall over like that. And I wouldn't say the driver 'forced' their way past.

 

[AndyRM]

Slow the video down, land rover passes, she turns round to shout at driver and falls off

That's not what happened.

 

[ianrauk]

Genuinely surprised that would result in a Careless Driving charge, around here the police would be high fiving the driver.

More info: https://www.northants.police.uk/new...ng-thanks-to-operation-snap-video-submission/

That link is in my original post. Cheers anyway.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Slow the video down, land rover passes, she turns round to shout at driver and falls off

I don't think so. The person with the camera is the one who turned round, and wasn't the one who fell off. The person who fell off may or may not have turned round, we couldn't see because the camera was pointing away.

As to my opinion... I'm not a lawyer. It was certainly a knobbish bit of driving, I think I'm qualified to say that.

 

[Time Waster]

She fell after the vehicle passed but not to say it wasn't a factor.

In such a situation I guess all parties need to slow to pass. If I was driving I'd stop, go into neutral and hand brake on until they passed me by.

If I was cycling I'd probably stop and if the driver had stopped I'd pass by walking my bike around. I have done this because of the narrow road and ditch by the side. If the driver didn't stop like that of be standing astride my bike waiting for it to pass. Once that's happened just move on. There's nothing to be gained by gesticulating or shouting at the disappearing car. I'd hope I was sure footed enough not to topple over too.

This is something that probably happens a fair amount on such roads. Very few make it to the police, prosecution or conviction.

 

[slowmotion]

My guess is that the cyclist anticipated that the pass would be closer than in actually was, leaned away and over-balanced. I've done that too. It was inconsiderate driving but not particularly awful IMVHO.

 

[cougie uk]

What do the good folks of CycleChat think

Motorist pleads guilty to careless driving

It's a strange one and I'm still digesting it to make an opinion.

I'm surprised you're confused. Way too fast past the cyclists leaving them with little time to stop and unclip. That rider could have easily fallen the other way.

Ridiculous driving. If it had been me I'd have stopped or been at walking pace at most.

The driver admitted it was careless.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Defo careless driving at that speed past them at close range without making any attempt to slow.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Guilty.

Way too fast to be passing that close. The L-plate on the back might be relevant too. It's also worth pointing out that the filming rider is to the right of the one who falls so was passed very closely indeed.

As a driver in that situation, I would have stopped as far to my left as possible until the riders passed.