A video clip of a motorist going about in his car and the cyclist in the same lane falling from their bike as the car passes by has been circulating on social media. The reason the video went viral is that even though the car did not touch the cyclist, somehow the person sitting on the bike fell down and this led to the motorist being heavily fined for his inconsideration. Watch the clip and let us know who do you think is at the fault here.
advertisement
Paul Nigel Miley, 52 has to pay a heavy fine of $1300 for causing a cyclist to fall from their bike even though no contact was made.
The motorist is facing a fine for driving without attention, after helmet camera footage captured the incident in Ashby St Ledger, Northamptonshire.
SWNS
The short video that was recorded last year in June shows 3 cyclists riding along a single-track lane when Miley drives past in his Land Rover Defender.
As the motorist continues to move with their car, one rider makes a gesture at Miley to slow down, before the camera pans round to show another female cyclist falling off her bike and toppling into a ditch.
advertisement
The video was given to Northamptonshire Police, after watching the clip, the officers said ‘proved beyond doubt’ that Miley had shown no consideration for other road users.
As the clip went viral on social media, some people were of the opinion that the driver is not the person to blame here and that he had given enough passage for the cyclists to move about.
One person commented: "Can’t see what he did wrong. Looks like she just fell over cos her feet were attached to her pedals. Maybe she just needs to learn how to get off her bike!"
SWNS
Another said: "Where’s the offence? Honestly struggling to see what he could have done differently."
A third wrote: "I think he could have slowed a little bit more but I wouldn’t have blamed him for her falling off! This world has gone mad! That poor driver!"
A fourth said the incident was ‘laughable’, while someone else added: "Honestly. If someone had been on foot, stepped to the side and fallen in a ditch, it most certainly wouldn’t have been the drivers fault. He left plenty of room."
SWNS
advertisement
Though many sided with the cyclist, with one saying: "A bit of consideration and appreciation of the vulnerability of cyclists would obviously have been better than driving close and fast. The woman could have fallen to the right and into the path of oncoming traffic on a different day."
A second added: "Agree he should [have] slowed down or stopped, however no contact and as others say she only appeared to come off as others stopped and she couldn’t remove her feet from the foot holders on the pedals."
SWNS
advertisement
After pleading guilty to driving without due care or attention at Northampton Magistrates Court on Friday 18 March, Miley was fined and received five points on his driving license and was also ordered to pay $130 in costs and a
$132 victim surcharge.
As the case was finally concluded, Northamptonshire Police shared the footage on social media as an example of a ‘reckless overtaking manoeuvre’.
SWNS
advertisement
PC Mo Allsopp-Clarke, of Northamptonshire Police’s Safer Roads Team, said:
“Miley initially pleaded not guilty to the offence, claiming he had driven extremely slowly past the group and was unable to move further across.
“The video evidence clearly showed that Miley had no consideration for the cyclists on that day, and when he appeared at Magistrates’ Court, he changed his plea to guilty.
“His driving fell below the standard of a competent and careful driver, which could have very easily ended in tragic consequences, and I’m pleased the courts have dealt with the driver positively.
“Drivers should always try to give cyclists and other vulnerable road users at least 1.5m of space and pass slowly. In this instance, on this road, that would not be possible.
“On this occasion, the correct thing to do would have been to come to a stop to allow the cyclists to pass safely.
"It takes a couple of seconds and then everyone can continue their journey in safety."
SWNS