Last week our Near Miss of the Day 752 showed footage released by Sheffield North West Neighbourhood Policing Team, in which an approaching driver passed a group of cyclists too closely, resulting in a £417 fine and five penalty points.
The force added that “if anyone thinks this is an acceptable manner of driving, let this be your warning”. However, despite the police, Crown Prosecution Service, and court finding fault with the driving, the footage has been reported less definitively by many media outlets who have since shared the video.
A quick search of news stories relating to the incident reveals several written from the angle of the video “splitting opinion” or the punishment being controversial.
Yorkshire Live published one such article headlined: “Sheffield driver fined £417 for getting too close to cyclist as punishment splits opinion”, before a follow-up piece went live this morning, titled “Angry drivers say ‘cyclist to blame’ as Sheffield motorist hit with £417 fine for overtaking bike”.
Likewise, The Scottish Sun opted for: “Driver fined £400 for being ‘too close’ to cyclists on other side of country road – but it has divided opinion”, while Manchester Evening News asked “Do you think that this driver deserved his fine or not?”
Most eye-catchingly, however, was The Telegraph’s coverage, which warned of “the cycling wars taking over the countryside”, and compared January’s Highway Code changes, brought in to better protect vulnerable road users, as feeling like a “relegation to serfdom on the streets” for “miserable drivers”.
Writer Harry de Quetteville said there had been a dispute between motorists and cyclists about who was at fault and “far from settling the issue, however, the film inevitably inflamed the spat between fans of four wheels or two”.
Part of the “digital collision” over videos like the one from Sheffield, he argues, is: “Because, according to the new Highway Code, there is indeed a new hierarchy of culpability, with cars one up from the bottom (above only lorries) and cyclists one down from the top (one down from pedestrians). It is a pecking order based, logically enough, on the vulnerability of potential victims.
“But for miserable drivers already sucking up rampant petrol price rises, never-ending (or never beginning) roadworks, and general gridlock, the result can feel like relegation to serfdom on the streets. Gone are the princely postwar dreams of independence behind the wheel, replaced by demonisation as a manic pedestrian – or planet-killer. It all seems a bit unfair.”
Elsewhere in the piece, De Quetteville, without nuance, says the new Highway Code encourages cyclists to ride two abreast, or in the middle of the road.
The Highway Code actually states, as per Rule 66:
Be considerate of the needs of other road users when riding in groups. You can ride two abreast and it can be safer to do so, particularly in larger groups or when accompanying children or less experienced riders. Be aware of drivers behind you and allow them to overtake (for example, by moving into single file or stopping) when you feel it is safe to let them do so
Inspector Kevin Smith, lead of the Sheffield Northwest Neighbourhood Policing Team, commented on our story to explain how the close pass case played out: “I can’t take all the credit though I was just sent the footage, realised it was very close to the NIP (Notice of Intended Prosecution) date and sent officers out to personally serve the S59 warning and the NIP.
“Chap responsible clearly thought he had done nothing wrong and took it to court. The courts agreed with me and not the driver. By putting the videos out there I hope there is a bit of a database of what constitutes an offence to encourage other forces to have confidence in prosecuting videos like this.
“I have issued hundreds of TORs and very few elect to go to court. When they do, and the court agrees with my assessment, that is worth sharing as validation especially where there is video evidence. Anyway, the Telegraph has now gone with it.”
The “splits opinion” headlines surrounding last week’s video are not the first time the national press has taken an interest in issues of cycle safety this year.
Following the aforementioned Highway Code update in January, two major newspapers wrongly claimed drivers face fines if they do not use the Dutch Reach technique when opening car doors.
In the same week, The Telegraph also published a provocative opinion piece titled “Pedal-pushers have taken over British roads – even as a cyclist, I think it’s time to rein them in”.
60 thoughts on “National newspaper warns of “cycling wars” after near miss video sparks media meltdown”
Presumably they also think
Presumably they also think that opinion is split on other controversial issues, like Putin, Hitler, Trump, chemical weapons, climate change etc, etc.
There should be warnings with “newspapers” like this, to the effect that what they say is not to be trusted unless validated by an independent source, like the police or the courts. I think I feel a complaint coming on to the toothless press regulator.
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Correct. Opinion is certainly split on the Trumper.
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I see the way that you categorised him with Putin and Hitler (FGS!!!! LOL!!!)
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Jut because you have a certain point of view, it don’t make it right.
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Go Elon, Go!
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I may be wrong, but I think
I may be wrong, but I think that Burt mentioned Trump because he’s a person in public life who polarises opinion, not because he necessarily thinks that Trump is ‘the new Hitler’. He could have just as easily said Thatcher, Boris, and Simon Cowell.
I am curious, though, Flintshire: it seems that you spend so much more time on here ‘defending’ Trump and his ilk, and decrying the opinions of ‘snowflakes’ and ‘leftists’ than you ever do discussing bicycles and cycling… You okay, hun?
Comparing Trump with Hitler
Comparing Trump with Hitler and Putin is unfair I agree. Putin and Hitler were and are able to string a coherent thought together and to articulate it without sounding like a moron.
eburtthebike wrote:
Do you mean all the newspapers except the one that you read? Or all the newspapers on one side or other of the imaginary political left/right split pushed by politicians and the media to keep us divided and so busy hating each other that we ignore how the world is actually being run?
If You Don’t Read the Newspaper You Are Uninformed, If You Do Read the Newspaper You Are Misinformed
You mean Censorship, like the
You mean Censorship, like the Oligarchs of social media have been using for a while now? Warnings and bans work well crushing any pesky dissenting opinion or even actual facts.
But only for topics you agree with.
Not things like Hunter Biden’s laptop exposing corruption of Joe Biden and China’s influence, or investigating the lab leak being the source of Covid, or the huge conflicts in Ukraine (such as the bio-weapons labs, or the BVI company Ukraine leader Zelensky owns, as noted in the Panama Papers)…
I don’t know your name but
I don’t know your name but your posts ring a bell with me…
Roulereo wrote:
Oo – oo – oo! I know, sir! You forgot to mention Paul McCartney being replaced by a double, lizard Royals, alien autopsies, and UFOs at Area 51 😀
brooksby wrote:
…and the ‘vaccine’ chips in people’s brains being controlled by the 5G.
mdavidford wrote:
But that can’t be right – I was told that 5G causes the Covid
brooksby wrote:
Well – that’s the beauty of it isn’t it? First it causes it, then that gives them the excuse to implant the chip, then it allows them to activate it.
Conspiracy theories for you,
Conspiracy theories for you, are merely spoiler alerts for those less blinkered.
I get the jokes, and no I don’t beieve in Lizard people etc. but be honest, you don’t really believe half of what your media pushes on you?
I understand it’s easier to swallow the spin and lies and disparage anyone’s questioning of it as being from a nutter, recognising the alternative is just too hard. Having to acknowledge that the you don’t know where Covid came from, or that Hunter Biden laptop was covered up, or that President Zelensky and his cronies may be very rich men with homes across London (Yikes, even The Guardian had an article ‘Revealed: ‘anti-Oligarch Ukrainian President has offshore connections”, that is awkward).
You’re actually the ones clapping Lance Armstrong on the TdF podium in 2005 and nodding to his speech.
Well David, they may have
Well David, they may have laughed at Jesus, they may have laughed at Galileo, true. But they also laughed at Bozo the clown. Yes, the powerful and repressive are indeed insidious, manipulation is a universal and no tactics are off limits. Local conspiracies abound. There’s a fairly readable book about it, too.
Mostly though these forces are mercifully imperfect. Often they’re fairly stupid and lazy because they’re ordered and staffed by humans. Generally they only need to work in a more crude [1], [2] – if more or less thorough – basis. Hence I’m a great believer in “cock up over conspiracy”. Or mostly fairly transparent self-serving behaviour. You know, follow the money, expect powerful folks to help each other, beware of our human biases to lend undue significance to chance relations and see bigger stories than there really are etc.
(Of course the way our entire world system conspires to thwart utopia and constantly fills the streets with large motor vehicles – that’s another rabbit hole which even we few on road.cc daren’t mention much.)
Here’s a quick and useful test for you then. Having exposed these major manipulators – who otherwise seem to have fooled everyone else – if they’re as powerful as is suggested you’d likely expect fairly swift retribution. Check if anyone’s harrassed you (mis)using the legal system, thrown you in jail without due process for several years, beaten you or tried to assassinate you [3], [4], [5] (not like “impurifying our precious bodily fluids“).
Roulereo wrote:
fnord
brooksby wrote:
Did you mean to write something there?
hawkinspeter wrote:
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I’ve just realised what’s going on with Flintshire Boy’s posts.
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Can’t believe I didn’t see it before.
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Quote:
Why does this matter? It would matter if we were sanctioning Ukraine. We are not. We are sanctioning Russia for invading Ukraine on made up reasons and causing the deaths of many thousands of people. Russians would still have properties and business interests in London if the invasion had not happened.
Of course you would support Putin because your Orange God finds him a very smart man who did a really smart thing and even when pressed by his most ardent supporters on the Fox to give him an out, praises Putin whilst pictures of Civillian dead are shown on the streets at the same time.
I now expect drivel of “Crisis actors” and other Russian led narratives.
Roulereo wrote:
Why are the U.S. right-wing nutters so obsessed with Hunter Biden’s laptop? China’s influence over the U.S. is absolutely not a secret and Japan and China are the top foreign holders of U.S. debt.
What I find bizarre is that the U.S. right-wing seem to idolise their politicians and think that they can do no wrong and they expect others to do the same. In the real world, politicans from all sides are bought, blackmailed, persuaded etc. to put other interests ahead of the public and that’s the real issue. Follow the money.
hawkinspeter wrote:
But I thought (having once woken up in dialectics class) in the US the whole point was the money? And that was the proof that politicians there were worthy of trust / respect – because they had proved they could make / mobilise money. “To those that hath, more shall be given…”
Actually what am I saying? That’s everywhere. “Now we have capitalism, comrade – we will take your money”. (The British Museum / R4 “History of the world in 100 objects series had a nice episode on a Chinese lacquerware cup drawing parallels between Han dynasty imperial control of commercial interests and the “private companies but part of a wide state” system of modern China).
chrisonatrike wrote:
Ah – but I think you’re confusing ‘money’ and ‘forrin money’.
Now everything is a number
Now everything is a number how do I tell the difference?
EDIT answering my own question – Ukranian gold glows in the dark and Russian numbers have some of the digits backwards of course.
hawkinspeter wrote:
Exactly.
Easy to say ‘right wing
Easy to say ‘right wing nutter’ than to ask why there are emails from Joe Biden’s son stating “the equity will be distributed…10 large to be held by H for the Big Guy”. Hunter Biden was in Ukraine with his father then VP, being paid by Chinese and Ukrainian companies to buy energy and infrastructure assets worlwide.
Instead we saw stories of Joe Biden riding his bike in Delaware. Oligarchs of social media all banned any mention of “the laptop from hell”, while the legacy media worked to denounce the story right before an election.
I gues we should just whine about Boris and his Covid parties and post Ukraine flags on our profile?
Roulereo wrote:
So you believe that big Chinese and Ukranian(?) companies can find no better person to work as a purchaser than Hunter Biden?
Do you realise that what you are saying just makes no sense?
Chinese companies buy up assets all the time without needing some dodgy son of a politician. UK energy got bought by a French company, was Hunter Biden part of that too?
I remember when Mark Thatcher was accused of doing dodgy deals and using his mum’s position (Prime Minister of milk snatching) to gain influence. Along with the accusations came actual documented proof and he ended up serving prison time for some of his shenanigans. However, left wing nutters did not use that as a primary weapon to criticise Maggie Thatcher as she appeared to not be involved with the ruse – criticism of Maggie was based on her policies.
I think you’re missing
I think you’re missing Roulero’s point.
It’s not that those companies can’t find someone better qualified, it’s that they so obviously can.
So why employ Hunter Biden?
Likewise his art auctions, there are apparently a lot of anonymous people willing to pay a lot of money for some Hunter Biden art.
I don’t know much about art, maybe it’s really good? Or maybe, in a similar vein to his employment history, people are willing to pay way over market value.
Why?
What does Hunter Biden offer that leads to people wanting to repeatedly pay him large sums of money?
I’ve nothing against Joe Biden per se but there are definitely some serious ethical questions regarding his son’s finances and how they relate to Biden sr.
But why is Roulero so excited
But why is Roulero so excited about the current incumbent? I mean yes he’s the man in power so merits scrutiny. And I’m not disputing the “what do you think you’re getting paid for?” aspect – a nice example is Ian Hislop here bringing it to UK MPs who are equally nonplussed that the public would be concerned about businesses giving them money.
For all I know some of Roulero’s concerns could have merit (lots would appear to be thoroughly refuted bollards of course). However there does seem to be a rather strong correlation between people coming out with this suite of concerns and those associated with the culture of the previous US administration. Which is documented as being no less sunk in sin. That’s edging in to whataboutery but Roulero’s selective concern does put him into a particular bracket. It’s not just them of course. There seems to be a trend of global increase in spamming people with conspiracy theories, dead-catting, the estate agent technique (don’t just fib – say the exact opposite of the truth) and “doubling-down” when challenged. None of these things are new of course. The Russian goverment has been a major exponent of this but our own powerful classes are adopting this increasingly.
The problem is that this isn’t really useful “argument”. Obviously it serves a purpose e.g. cheers those “on side” and can sway some people (as can just shouting at them, or having a good hairdo). But demanding the other side engage is part of the game and is not being done in good faith. Like the “creationist argumentation” technique – throw out your own points as axioms so don’t bother backing them up. Demand detailed evidence from the other side on every point however minor. If anything is not forthcoming dismiss the whole.
You definitely do make a
You definitely do make a point. How many enquiries did the Republicans make into the Benghazi attack? What did they find? Yet they kept on going back to it until suddenly it didn’t matter as Clinton didn’t win in 2016.
How many enquiries into 2020 “vote rigging” did they do, including hiring dubious actors to investigate some states votes, and Lindells massive cyber investigation? And what did they find? Any actual minor rigging was from Republicans and actually more votes were found for Biden. Yet it is still being quoted every day AND of course being used to remove voters rights. I mean forcing people into a 10 hour queue to vote, but not allowing people to bring them food or water does seem to be something any Democracy loving person should be up in arms over.
And also why isn’t Roulero up in arms that Madison Cawthorne has found out about Sex Orgies and Cocaine being done by the Representatives who they elected. Especially as it is all Republicans doing it. I mean I doubt Democrats would associate with him and he would have stated if it was them. The only thing he seems to admit is that anyone reporting HIS EXACT WORDS is faking the news.
I’m bored of all arguing
I’m bored of arguing about
distracting nonsense peddled by meme salesmenthings that other people care about more than me now. And topics which are just big talk (e.g. nuclear power / US politics). Like a child or rather old man I just want to know how that bicycle wheel keeps going round. When will it ever stop?Easy. The slight wobble of
Easy. The slight wobble of the Flat Earth as the Sun and Moon float over head causes the wheel to continously move in a similar way that affects certain bridges to wobble when it builds up resonance.
chrisonatrike wrote:
Ask Fabian Cancellera.
We all know newspapers make
We all know newspapers make stuff up to sell more copies, and the ‘splits opinion’ headline is just an example of that.
“Harry de Quetteville” sounds
“Harry de Quetteville” sounds like someone so posh that Jacob Rees-Mogg would’ve had to fag for him at Eton. I’m imagining he’s seven feet tall, with no chin, and an Adam’s apple that looks like he’s trying to swallow a ballcock. And who lives in either Saffron Walden or Walton-on-the-Naze.
Somebody is a fan of
Somebody is a fan of Blackadder…..
Opinion is split, over
Opinion is split, over whether this is about punishing drivers or punishing bad drivers.
Ignoring the hierarchy of road users aspect, for a while, I can categorically say that my daily commute, by car, involves encountering few (if any) cyclists, but does involve frequent bum clenching moments, courtesy of the rapidly falling driving standards
People might find their
People might find their opinion was less “split” if they had to stand in the middle of one carriageway whilst a car was deliberately driven at them at 50-70mph and only missing then by 20cm.
For starters this should be a mandated experience for all drivers prosecuted for close passes – and also for most drivers prosecuted for exceeding the relevant speed limit by more than 15%.
ask them to stand them on a
ask them to stand them on a railway platform the wrong side of the yellow line with their back to a train coming through at full speed, then ask them to do it again in the same spot riding a bike.
Im less worried about the
Im less worried about the papers printing the articles themselves, it gets more eyes on what the Sheffield police team are doing prosecuting bad driving, and you know what I might be imagining it but I kind of feel people have been giving me a bit more room on my bike on the road since the story hit the mainstream.
and whilst the highlighted Telegraph piece was annoying for the most part, it actually runs out of steam part way through and the last third wasnt that bad I thought, it was likely just an article that journalist was told to write on the topic to cover it again so I wont criticise them for it, because the news article https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/04/24/motorist-handed-five-points-driving-close-cyclists-sparking/ attracted over 3000 comments.
it was a similar story in the other larger papers sites that publish comment counts, the Mail had 4300, the Express like 500, the independent well they had 6.
but its those comments under the articles that are the problem, because yes you can dismiss alot as bored trolls, idiots and so on, but theres clearly still a large group of people, who think its not only perfectly ok to drive like the Peugeot driver did, but the cyclists were completely in the wrong
and its that attitude which leads to so many NMOTDs, close passes we experience as cyclists in different situations that fills the narrative of this “war” the media like to perpetuate.
Sadly, this site is no better
Sadly, this site is no better than the rest of the gutter press quoted. If you read the twitter feed it’s not the close pass that’s the offence, it’s the speed and crossing of the white line.
Yet another thing old Donald
Yet another thing old Donald Trump was right about…Fake News.
The old legacy Media is mostly fake, biased and clickbait, the majority of people across the world agree that. But it’s only when those lies conflict with your own views do you rail against it. People still think the Media can publish lies and biased rubbish like the above story, but then be truthful in reporting about say Covid, or China.
Cue hysteria and betwetting replies, calls for censorship etc.
Yorkshie Whippet wrote:
What on earth are you talking about? The Twitter feed says:
Neither the speed nor crossing the white line would be an offence if there was no oncoming traffic, the driver was sanctioned for careless driving for making a close pass. Not sure what point you’re trying to make but this site is right and you’re not.
Guess you haven’t read the
Guess you haven’t read the feed and are just quoting the same single headline. The paragraph was copied from the fourth or fifth of the tweets made by the police.
Click on the near miss link, scroll down and click on the read full tweet conversation.
Also stop talking Bolloxs, inappropriate speed be that within limit or not can be reported as careless driving. Cossing the white line into the path of oncoming traffic is also careless driving.
Not interested in engaging
Not interested in engaging with someone who solely wants an excuse to abuse others, be it the editors of this site or its posters. Cheerio.
Yorkshie Whippet wrote:
You mean, so that you pass close to them. Hmm.. there must be some way that we can describe that… let me think…
mdavidford wrote:
Let’s agree to call it “a pass that veers into the realm of not enough distance” unless anyone can think of a more snappy phrase
Hmm as you asked nicely.
Hmm as you asked nicely.
Then some extra bits on the investigation, followed by:-
I’ve marked in bold the multiple times the Police mention he was too close, and italicised the one bit they mention he came over the line. IF the lines were unbroken, then that would be an offence, crossing dashed lines at any time isn’t….. UNLESS you come TOO CLOSE to the vehicles on the other side.
The (factually inaccurate)
The (factually inaccurate) Telegraph piece (& many others across the national media) is tantamount to inciting hatred until the final third that nobody but cyclists will read.
But what is even more alarming is the number of comments that the driver did nothing wrong and the cyclists were at fault, despite being on their side of the road the whole time.
I went for a ride after the video was released and took notice of the huge number of vehicles in my area of Surrey that treated road markings as decoration.
“Black Belt Barrister” on
“Black Belt Barrister” on Youtube covered this:
And supported the cyclist in doing so…. I’ve not been below the line as its like the Daily Hail down there at times.
Shockingly, he also made this video showing how poor the knowledge of the Highway Code is out there: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FUytUx6pIA
Sorry but we need five yearly re-tests for all drivers… well apart from ones like me who drive a BMW…………..
essexian wrote:
Just watched that and was disappointed that he was just giving his opinion (which I agree with) but not quoting any specific laws or details.
I’ve watched a few of his
I’ve watched a few of his videos and he is very much an opinion person rather than a law person, and when he did quote law or HWC a bit keen on saying what he thought it meant rather than any reference to case law. Can’t think of a specific example, but I wasn’t impressed and I’m really not interested in his “lovely wife”‘s cooking.
I saw a few Audit the Audit videos (American rights are peculiar and fascinating) and they go through reams of case law to assess police interactions – normally rating the police as F!
The media are largely funded
The media are largely funded by advertising. Advertising brings in money according to how many ‘hits’ news stories genrate. “Culture wars” generate a lot of hits. The media have an interest in creating and fuelling “culture wars”. Hence “cyclists” vs “drivers” and all other opinons that the media split for their own survival. Fabricated controversy. Manifactured polarization. Anything goes. “Cyclists” vs “drivers”; “brexiteers” vs “remainers”; “cancel culture” vs “freedom of speech”; “anti-vaxxers” vs the rest of the world and so on and on and on and on.
Unless it’s the huge
Unless it’s the huge Government advertising (on Covid) in the Media, then there’s one clear narrative only – theirs. Never a dissenting story about Lockdowns or Mandates, just more fear and propoganda as pushed by their advertisers.
Why should there be a
Why should there be a dissenting story? Most people actually care for other humans when a disease is around? Can people remind me how many people died from wearing masks. Afterall the “dissenting voices” and Alt-Truth News were spouting bollox about Oxygen deprivation and other reasons not to wear them as they were dangerous.
I would state it was a Global Pandemic but then that would be pushing two things you probably don’t believe in.
Has BTBS come back again ?
Has BTBS come back again ?
Millions died because of mask
Millions died because of mask wearing, but the socialist main stream media covered it up…
A cover-up of the cover-up?
A cover-up of the cover-up?
“My commander told me that the entire planet was in imminent danger of being eaten by an enormous mutant star goat!” (Sorry all this conspiracism and debunking has brought me out in Hitch Hiker’s Guide half-remembered quotes again).
Why are they pushing electric
Why are they pushing electric cars but surpressing any mention of the perpetual motion machines which would allow us all to travel without destroying the planet?! #FREETHEENERGY
Just noticed this headline
Just noticed this headline when I turned on Microsoft Edge.
‘I was banned from driving for three years for knocking a cyclist off her bike but still believe I shouldn’t have been punished’
just when you thought you’d heard it all!
Video footage from a passing cars’ dashcam was sent to police
nice surprise, shows how bad it must have been for a fellow driver to report it.
the man claims he didn’t actually see the woman before, after or during the event he was later banned because of.
You’re not doing yourself any favours mate.
I was over the speed limit by only five miles, not many people who drive do so at the exact road speed and it was only a 20mph zone.
keep digging
He was taken to court and given a two year banning order for dangerous driving. He was then given another year because he sped in his first week of returning to the roads.
and he still thought publicising it would be a good idea? I give up.
This one has been dealt with
This one has been dealt with on the forums – https://road.cc/content/forum/penalised-driver-complains-292299
brooksby wrote:
Thanks, i’ll check it out.
And sadly there are drivers
And sadly there are drivers like this on a road near you right now. As good an advert for mandatory re-testing every so often as you’re ever likely to see.