Cyclist John Renshaw, also the chairman of St Peter’s Parish Council, described the daily dangers faced by cyclists after a careless driver ended up in court, including too many motorists watching their phones instead of keeping an eye on the road.
We reported how cyclist Dan Brothwell was forced to take evasive action when a driver overtook him in Hallow towards Grimley as the near miss was captured on video.
RISKS: John Renshaw, chairman of St Peter’s Parish Council, says drivers in Worcester are regularly on their mobile phones and do not see cyclists (Image: Supplied)
The overtake shows the driver passing close to Mr Brothwell, custodian of the SHIFT scheme and chair of Bike Worcester, during the incident on March 27 last year.
David Merritt was found guilty of careless driving following the incident on the A443 at Hallow towards Grimley, near Worcester when he appeared at Worcester Magistrates Court.
The 73-year-old defendant was convicted of careless driving at a hearing following a trial on Monday, January 6 after the Skoda Octavia hurtled past cyclist Mr Brothwell at speed, forcing him to take sudden evasive action.
CLOSE: The defendant passes Dan Brothwell in this video (the defendant is not a police officer, nor is this a police vehicle) (Image: Dan Brothwell via YouTube)
Writing on the Worcester News Facebook page, some readers expressed relief the cyclist was not hurt while West Mercia Police was also praised for the way it had handled the case.
Although there is no suggestion the defendant was on his mobile phone during the incident, John Renshaw says the devices may be a big reason some drivers do not spot cyclists until it is too late.
He wrote on the Worcester News Facebook page: “In 2023 87 cyclists were killed and 3,942 were seriously injured by motorised vehicles on the U.K.’s roads.
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“While cycling I’ve experienced drivers too busy on their mobile phones to notice me on my bike while another overtook me the moment I indicated I was about to turn right. Cyclists have to put up with examples of this kind of behaviour every day. It doesn’t cost anything to be considerate of more vulnerable road users if you’re behind the wheel.”
Alison Potter wrote on the Worcester News Facebook page: “Drivers do that all the time and motorbikes, feel the air on my arm as they pass especially on country roads at the weekends, probably a big thrill for their tiny brains.”
However, some readers were also critical of the behaviour of some cyclists.
Jen Marshall wrote: “And yet cyclists aren’t bothered about getting too close when they’re whizzing past traffic and going through red lights. If they’re riding on the road they should follow the same laws.”