Sheffield cycling: Mum and daughter who both 'close passed' rider want him investigated for intimidation

A mother and daughter who both ‘close passed’ a cyclist while driving in Sheffield want him investigated for “intimidating, aggressive and abusive behaviour."

Tracy Haigh said in the first incident she “pulled in a bit” while overtaking the male rider to avoid a traffic island on Ecclesall Road South at Whirlow.

He then “peddled like billy-o” and caught up at lights at the Prince of Wales pub more than a mile away. He “screamed and shouted” and said he “had it on camera” and she would get six points and a £1,000 fine, Tracy said.

Two months later her 21-year-old daughter was in an identical incident with the same cyclist at the same spot. She saw him “furiously verbalising” in her rear-view mirror but did not stop, Tracy said.

The young woman later received a letter from police investigating an offence of ‘driving a vehicle without reasonable consideration to others - close pass on a cyclist’ which had been ‘recorded on camera’. She chose to go on a training course to avoid a fine and penalty points on her licence, Tracy said.

Now she wants to know whether the cyclist is “targeting motorists.”

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Tracy, who lives in Dore, said: “I’m a cyclist myself and when a car passes at less than 1.5m it can be scary. But his behaviour was despicable. He was very intimidating and aggressive, there are much better ways of getting your message across. If he hadn’t been like that I would have apologised.”

She added: “How many times have cyclists ‘close passed’ cars to get in front at lights? It should work both ways.”

Tracy was so alarmed she asked police how many complaints he had made against motorists and how many were against women.

She added: “Under UK law, aggressive behaviour, intimidation, and harassment, including shouting at females, can fall under various laws depending on the circumstances and therefore merits an appropriate investigation to ensure another female isn’t abused.”

But she said the police replied: ‘Although you perceived the male’s behaviour to be aggressive, this on its own would not be an offence in these circumstances and no threats, abuse or insults were made.’

In a written reply the force also stated it was unable to provide information on a third party because it would be a breach of the Data Protection Act 2018.

The Star contacted South Yorkshire Police for comment.