Cyclist 'feared for his life' when taxi driver overtakes him on narrow road

10 January 2024 , 22:32

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Cyclist 'feared for his life' when taxi driver overtakes him on narrow road

A cyclist who says feared for his life when a taxi driver overtook him on a narrow road in North Yorkshire has shared footage of the near-miss.

James Lee, 56, was cycling in Kettlewell in the Yorkshire Dales in October when a taxi passed him "leaving just inches of space" on the B6160. Fuming, he submitted his on-bike video footage to North Yorkshire Police and North Yorkshire Council. However he was left disappointed at their response to the incident.

The car drive close to James' bike

James told Yorkshire Live: “An oncoming driver had to brake sharply and pull to the side of the road to avoid a potential head-on collision. Conditions were poor with wet slippery narrow roads and drizzly low cloud and sharp corners limiting visibility. In over 10 years of cycling this is some of the most life-threatening driving I have witnessed.

“I believe North Yorkshire Police and the County Council aren’t taking enough action against drivers who risk cyclists’ lives by driving dangerously. North Yorkshire Police responded several days later saying they had taken ‘positive action’ which could include ‘educational letters, courses, training, penalty points and or fine and court attendance.’

"Despite several requests, and the national Policing Code requiring victims should be provided with ‘information about the investigation and prosecution’, North Yorkshire Police repeatedly refuse to clarify what specific action was actually taken. The police cite ‘lack of resources’ in lengthy time consuming emails saying they don’t have enough time. All this has left with me with very low confidence North Yorkshire Police and County Council are doing enough to protect vulnerable road users.”

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In a statement, Karl Battersby, North Yorkshire Council’s corporate director for environment, said: "We take complaints of this nature seriously. A warning letter was issued to this driver in November 2023 to remind him of his obligations. The matter was also referred to North Yorkshire Police and subsequent action was taken to address the concern from a roads policing perspective. In the event of any further concerns, we may consider the driver’s suitability to hold a licence."

Antony Clements-Thrower