Driver hits out at 'appalling' £1,152 fine for overtaking cyclist too closely in Bridgend
A motorist has been fined more than £1,000 after he overtook a cyclist on a country road without leaving enough space.
Wayne Humphreys, 77, was captured coming close to a cyclist while overtaking them in Bridgend last year.Humphreys was forced to pay out a total of £1,887 and given four penalty points after the video footage was handed to the police.
'Absolutely appalling'
Humphreys was offered a course as an alternative to prosecution for driving without due care and attention, but he failed to accept the course and later failed to comply with a fixed penalty notice resulting in him appearing in Cardiff Magistrates' Court on June 8 this year.
He was found guilty of driving without due care and attention and received four penalty points on his licence as well as a £1,152 fine.
He was also ordered to pay £620 costs to the CPS and a £115 victim surcharge.
Mr Humphreys said: "I think the fine is absolutely appalling. I am 77 years of age and the last fine I had was 35 to 40 years ago for doing 34 miles per hour in a 30 zone.
"Other than that I have never had a fine and I have had a licence for 60 years."
The footage was submitted to the police via GoSafe's Operation Snap, a streamlined process which encourages the public to report video and photographic evidence of driving offences.
A GoSafe spokesman said: "GoSafe received footage of a white Audi overtaking a cyclist on Pant Hirwaun, Bridgend on Wednesday, 15th September 2021, without leaving enough space to perform the manoeuvre.
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"The driver, Wayne Humphreys, from Pontyclun, was contacted and offered a course. The ‘What’s Driving Us’ course is offered to drivers/riders as an alternative to prosecution for the offence of driving without due care and attention.
"Mr Humphreys failed to accept this course and later failed to comply with a fixed penalty notice. This resulted in him appearing in Cardiff Magistrates Court on 8th June 2022. He was found guilty of driving without due care and attention. He received 4 penalty points on his license, given a £1152 fine, £620 costs, and a £115 victim surcharge.
"GoSafe regularly receives similar submissions through Op Snap and has worked closely with drivers and cycling groups to develop Operation Close Pass, which looks to educate both drivers and cyclists on how to stay safe on our roads. This includes promoting one of the fundamental things to remember when overtaking a cyclist, to reduce your speed and always leave 1.5 metres between your vehicle and a cyclist, whenever safe to do so."Despite this, unfortunately, GoSafe continues to receive regular Op Snap submissions relating to close pass incidents. This outcome shows that these submissions are taken seriously and given the appropriate amount of attention, as we continue to work towards ensuring that our roads are safer for everyone."If you have information on a close pass incident or other possible road traffic offence, you can submit the details, along with supporting footage, to GoSafe using Operation SNAP (gosafesnap.wales)"