West Midlands force first in country to launch scheme to clamp down on drivers who endager bike riders by failing to give them enough room
Police have released shocking footage showing a series of terrifying near-misses involving cars driving dangerously close to cyclists.
West Midlands Police has become the first force in the country to launch a scheme to clamp down on drivers who endanger riders by driving too closely to them.
They have started legal proceedings against 38 motorists for what is known as "close passing" - giving cyclists less than a metre-and-a-half of room.
Today the force released heart-stopping footage of a series of bikers narrowly escaping tragedy in a bid to highlight the dangers cyclists face on the roads.
The 33-second clip shows one man riding along a road, before a Ford Fiesta pulls out of a junction, missing him by inches.
Other close shaves include a careless taxi driver overtaking a cyclist as they approach a speed bump and another dangerously being overtaken by a Ford Fiesta.
The Highway Code states that motorists should give cyclists at least the same space as vehicles when overtaking.
Police say encroaching inside the safe passing distance runs the risk of being prosecuted for driving without due care and attention.
West Midlands Police traffic officer and cyclist, PC Mark Hodson, said: "As a police force we must do our utmost to protect vulnerable road users and show that anyone who puts them in danger through poor driving will be dealt with.
"Cyclists may suddenly need to avoid uneven road surfaces or obstacles like drain covers so it's important to afford them plenty of room when overtaking.
"We know through our work with the Birmingham Cycle forum that close passing is the single biggest deterrent stopping more people from taking to their bikes.
"Some drivers get tunnel vision; they're only focus is on getting from A to B as quickly as possible.
"They don't pay any attention to vulnerable road users and we've attended some horrific scenes where cyclists have been wiped out by drivers who've not even seen them.
"Drivers need to consider that a cyclist they are overtaking could be a police officer and if they don't pass them safely they could be prosecuted."
The operation will see officers saddle up on some of the busiest routes in the West Midlands looking out for motorists who put cyclists at risk.
Drivers will be offered a roadside advice but repeat offenders or anyone deemed to have driven dangerously close to a cyclist may be prosecuted face court.
Between 2010 and 2014 there were 530 KSI crashes (killed or seriously injured) in the West Midlands involving bicycles - with 84 per cent of those involving riders colliding with cars.
David Cox, chair of trustees at cycling charity UK Cycling, said: "Close passes by motorists are hazardous for cyclists and extremely intimidating.
"This may be due to ignorance of the Highway Code and carelessness but sometimes it is done deliberately and aggressively.
"We are delighted that West Midlands Police is to actively target close pass drivers.
"They are the first UK police force to do so and it is a priority if the West Midlands is going to achieve the health, congestion and sustainability benefits of more active travel.
"The outcome will mean greater safety for everyone who cycles or would like to use a cycle for everyday trips."
West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson added: "Anything that educates and, ultimately, prosecutes drivers who put cyclists in danger is to be welcomed."
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