Driver fined £1,000 after cyclist fell off bike as he passed on country lane

Watch: Driver fined £1,000 after cyclist fell off bike as he passed on country lane

A video of a cyclist falling off her bike after a car drove past her on a country lane has divided opinion - after the driver was fined despite not appearing to touch her.

The footage from a helmet camera shows the woman toppling into a ditch after a Land Rover Defender drove past her.

The driver, 52-year-old Paul Nigel Miley, was fined £1,008 for driving without due care or attention after police said the video "proved beyond doubt" that he failed to show consideration for other road users.

But members of the public have jumped to Miley's defence after seeing the footage, saying he had left adequate room to pass and pointing out that the cyclist seemed to have fallen off after getting her feet caught in the pedals on the lane in Ashby St Ledgers, Northamptonshire.

One person wrote online: "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!"

Another person said: "What a waste of everyone's time" while someone else added: "Where’s the offence? Honestly struggling to see what he could have done differently."

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One comment said: "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!", while another internet user 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."

Another woman said: "Laughable she was on the bike when the Land Rover went past - drama queens. Shouldn’t be in control of a bike if you can’t stay on it."

But others sided with the cyclist, with one person 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."

Another wrote: "Agree he should of 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."

Miley, of Ashby St Ledgers, was fined, received five points on his driving licence and was ordered to pay £100 in costs and a £101 victim surcharge after pleading guilty to driving without due care or attention at Northampton Magistrates Court.

The footage of the incident, which took place on June 11 last year, was posted on social media by Northamptonshire Police, who described it as a "reckless overtaking manoeuvre".

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."