We’ve all wished for it.
A car buzzes past close enough to feel the air move, and you think, “I should have caught that on camera.”
A rider in England actually did. Then the video he handed to police turned around and got him the ticket.
Video further below 👇
What happened
The cyclist, from Leeds in northern England, was riding through a small village, when a car passed too close for comfort. He’d filmed it, so he sent the clip to Operation Snap, West Yorkshire Police’s online portal for reporting bad driving. It’s the same idea as the dashcam and helmet-cam tip lines a growing number of US departments now run.
Police looked at the footage and agreed the pass was tight. Then they kept watching.
A little further along the same clip, the road narrowed between a parked car and an oncoming vehicle. Instead of easing off or putting a foot down for a second, the rider squeezed through the gap. Police said the oncoming driver had to hug the curb to avoid hitting him. The space he left that car, officers pointed out, was smaller than the space the driver he reported had left him.
The bill: a conviction for careless cycling and more than £1,200 in fines and court costs, about $1,600, handed down at Bradford Magistrates’ Court.
Why it matters
It’s a funny story, and plenty of people online enjoyed it. But there’s a genuine lesson tucked inside. When you send police footage, you’re not just showing them the other guy. You’re showing them everything the camera saw, and that includes you.
Worth keeping in mind here in the States, where more of us ride with cameras every year and more departments take submitted video. Our close-pass rules vary by state, from three feet in a lot of places to a bit more in others, but the principle holds on both sides of the ocean. The camera doesn’t pick a side. It just records.
For what it’s worth, West Yorkshire Police made a point of saying most cyclists ride responsibly and follow the rules. This was one rider on one bad day. Still, it’s a sharp little reminder that when we ask drivers to be accountable, the same standard points back at us.
Watch the clip and see what you think
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