I believe the appeal for information concerns this incident:
http://velomorpha.com/2012/12/09/a-pleasant-valley-sunday/
Greg led a forum ride around Ashdown Forest the day before and I was surprised at the generally high quality of driving.
The vast majority of drivers were patient and took the opportunity to make excellent, considered overtakes. It didn't feel as if I was cycling in the south east at all.
Compared to rides in the past where passes would be relentlessly close and fast and the feeling of running the gauntlet would seriously diminish the enjoyment of cycling in such a beautiful area, it was a pleasure to actually engage with the other people using the roads. I think generally, awareness is improving and the needs of cyclists and horse riders are better understood, leading to more pleasant experiences for everybody.
The trouble is, those that have probably always posed the greatest danger have adapted the least. There were still a handful of drivers that didn't use the space available and skimmed by and another handful that relied purely on luck to complete their pass. The riding experience has improved but the danger probably remains the same. That may be why the experience seems to have hit the confidence of those involved quite hard.
It's good to see the police publicising their efforts to find the people that drive like this and cause injury. In the rural pub debates that I've overheard, evidence of enforcement and prosecution would definitely help convert some of the minority that still believe the vulnerable should get off their roads.
