Range Rover driver given £500 fine for coming within inches of hitting a cyclist

Watch: Range Rover driver fined £500 for driving too close to cyclist

Headcam footage of a Range Rover coming within inches of hitting a cyclist was used as evidence in court, with the driver eventually being landed with a £500 fine.

Barry Field, 59, was handed the fine, plus three penalty points on his licence, for driving without due care and attention. He was also ordered to pay £620 in court costs and a £50 victim surcharge.

The video, filmed by a camera on the cyclist's helmet, shows him riding along Oakley Wood Road in Bishops Tachbrook, Warwickshire, on 5 March last year.

The clip shows Field’s black Range Rover drive past the rider, who then wobbles after the near miss.

The cyclist showed the video to Warwickshire Police’s Operation Snap team who hunt down dangerous drivers using footage provided by the general public.

Field, of Warwick, denied driving without due and attention but was found guilty following a trial at Warwickshire Magistrates' Court last week.

The cyclist, who has not been named, told the court: “I know there are bad drivers and bad cyclists out there but all I want to be able to do is go for a ride and come back home safely to my family.

“His impatience could have killed me. Bad cycling mainly causes annoyance to people but bad driving results in five road user deaths a day.”

PC Ken Bratley, who investigated the incident, added: “Fortunately the cyclist was not injured and on reviewing the footage there is no doubt that this was an extremely careless pass.

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“Cyclists are much more vulnerable than drivers in cars and that’s why the Highway Code has been updated asking drivers to give cyclists more care and attention.

“This includes waiting behind a cyclist until it is safe to pass them and leaving at least 1.5 metres when overtaking cyclists at speeds of up to 30mph and give them more space when overtaking at higher speeds.

"It’s really important that drivers understand their responsibility to look after more vulnerable road users such as cyclists, horse riders and pedestrians by slowing down and giving them extra space.”