Careless drivers overtaking cyclists in Cambridge face fines

[robinessex]

Careless drivers overtaking cyclists in Cambridge face fines

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshir...

Motorists who overtake cyclists without giving them enough room are being targeted and could be fined.

Plain-clothed police officers on cycles will be out in Cambridge to ensure drivers adopt a "safe pass" approach.

The Operation Velo police campaign says the "optimum" overtaking clearance width between the cycle and motor vehicle is of 1.5m (4.9ft).

If prosecuted for careless driving, motorists could be fined £100 and get three points on their licence.

There were 489 collisions involving cyclists on Cambridgeshire's roads between 2012 and 2016.........................Continues

[JordanM200]

So basically, motorists will sit behind slow travelling cyclists for ages waiting for a safe pass, causing even more chaos and traffic in Cambridge. Just what the place needs, more traffic

[DonkeyApple]

Seems logical. No reason why you can’t wait until there is enough space to pass without endangering someone on a bike safely.

[Fastpedeller]

JordanM200 said:

So basically, motorists will sit behind slow travelling cyclists for ages waiting for a safe pass, causing even more chaos and traffic in Cambridge. Just what the place needs, more traffic

As the average speed of bikes exceeds those of a car in city centres that seems reasonable. If every car driver in a city rode a bike there would be no traffic jams and the average speed of traffic would increase enormously!

[G321]

So drivers are to be fined for poor driving? Can't really see the problem with that

[Camelot1971]

I take it cyclists will be fined for overtaking slow moving cars too closely? And red light jumping? And riding on the pavement? etc etc

Afterall, the law should be applied equally.

[Prizam]

G321 said:

So drivers are to be fined for poor driving? Can't really see the problem with that

Other than a load of coppers mincing around on bikes all day looking for cars who pass closer than the prescribed 1.5m. that is measured by what... an opinion?

Let's hope they also catch, successfully fine and if applicable add 3 points to the licences of cyclists who jump red lights. Undertake and don't have lights on.

The law seems to be applied to those who make the most noise.

[G321]

Prizam said:

Other than a load of coppers mincing around on bikes all day looking for cars who pass closer than the prescribed 1.5m. that is measured by what... an opinion?

Let's hope they also catch, successfully fine and if applicable add 3 points to the licences of cyclists who jump red lights. Undertake and don't have lights on.

The law seems to be applied to those who make the most noise.

I'm struggling to remember the last time I saw a cyclist jump a red light (Not saying it doesn't happen). However I saw 3 motorists jump red lights on my commute this morning maybe the police need to concentrate on them?

[heebeegeetee]

Camelot1971 said:

I take it cyclists will be fined for overtaking slow moving cars too closely? And red light jumping? And riding on the pavement? etc etc

Afterall, the law should be applied equally.

Be careful of what you wish for. Motorists have been driving on pavements to park on them for decades, and the law has not been enforced. Don't start it now, there'll be chaos.

[Hoofy]

Well, I for one will be stopping cyclists to measure the distance before I overtake them. I will also ask them to keep still so they don't close the distance.

I tend to imagine cyclists are in their own cycle lane of a width I'm used to seeing around SW London. Assuming they're not actually in a marked cycle lane already. I've yet to clip a cyclist or have them cycle into me in 20+ years of driving.

[Riley Blue]

robinessex said:

Careless drivers overtaking cyclists in Cambridge face fines

Yup, OK, no problem with that and while they're cycling around Cambridge they can also look out for careless cyclists and deal with them too.

[otolith]

"The police only care about speeding, they should be watching for careless and dangerous driving"

Police crackdown on dangerous driving

"No, not that sort of careless and dangerous driving, the sort I don't do"

[gazza285]

JordanM200 said:

So basically, motorists will sit behind slow travelling cyclists for ages waiting for a safe pass, causing even more chaos and traffic in Cambridge. Just what the place needs, more traffic

You mean they will have to do what they should be doing already. The horror...

Look at all those cyclists holding up Cambridge traffic.

[apn]

You obviously don't drive round Cambridge everyday!

G321 said:

I'm struggling to remember the last time I saw a cyclist jump a red light (Not saying it doesn't happen). However I saw 3 motorists jump red lights on my commute this morning maybe the police need to concentrate on them?

[anonymous-user]

Camelot1971 said:

I take it cyclists will be fined for overtaking slow moving cars too closely? And red light jumping? And riding on the pavement? etc etc

Afterall, the law should be applied equally.

In case the driver falls off the car?

Great reasoning there. As usual it will only be those that can't respect other road users that will get worked up about this.

[Toltec]

DonkeyApple said:

Seems logical. No reason why you can’t wait until there is enough space to pass without endangering someone on a bike safely.

Seems reasonable to me too, providing it is applied sensibly I don't see any issue.

If there are two or more cyclists riding abreast in a lane and you pass in another lane then the distance should not apply as it is the cyclists choice to ride less than 1.5m from the lane divider. This does not apply to narrow cycle lanes obviously, but they should not exist where a normal vehicle cannot pass a cyclist in one with sufficient space while staying entirely in its lane.
In filtering traffic if a cyclist rides up next to another vehicle and that vehicle then accelerates away the distance should not apply because again the cyclist made the choice to close the gap themselves.

[Pistonheader101]

im almost certain bike lanes aren't 1.5m wide

[TooMany2cvs]

DonkeyApple said:

Seems logical. No reason why you can’t wait until there is enough space to pass without endangering someone on a bike safely.

G321 said:

So drivers are to be fined for poor driving? Can't really see the problem with that

These. Who - apart from those with some kind of entitlement and/or agenda - can really think it's a bad thing? Honestly...?

Pistonheader101 said:

im almost certain bike lanes aren't 1.5m wide

That's nice, dear. And?

[mgv8]

JordanM200 said:

So basically, motorists will sit behind slow travelling cyclists for ages waiting for a safe pass

If you are not wating for a safe pass, what have you been doing?

[Toltec]

Pistonheader101 said:

im almost certain bike lanes aren't 1.5m wide

They do not need to be, but the traffic lane next to it should be wide enough so you can pass a cyclist in the cycle lane at the requisit spacing without needing to leave yours.