A cyclist has been ordered to pay a total of almost £400, including fine and other costs, for riding through a red light as a mum with her child in a pushchair was crossing the road, forcing them to stop mid-crossing to avoid a collision.
Pavanrao Hanchate, 31, was caught by police officers immediately after he failed to stop at the red light and nearly caused a collision with the mother and child, according to The Standard.
Court papers revealed that he “rode through a red light, which had a pedestrian with a pushchair and child on the crossing,” and the “pedestrian had to stop mid-crossing to avoid collision with the cyclist.”
Hanchate, who lives in Norwich, was initially offered a fixed penalty fine, but this went unpaid. Consequently, he was taken to court for a full criminal prosecution.
The magistrate convicted him of riding a pedal cycle on a road and failing to comply with the indication given by a traffic signal. This unusual prosecution likely occurred because officers noticed the incident and stopped Hanchate at the scene to obtain his details.
Hanchate was ordered to pay a £220 fine, plus £90 in prosecution costs and an £88 victim surcharge.
Background on Cycling and Traffic Laws
This news comes just a few weeks after the “dangerous cycling” bill was tabled in Parliament by senior Conservative MP Iain Duncan Smith. The bill, backed by Transport Secretary Mark Harper, aims to ensure that the “tiny minority” of reckless cyclists face the “full weight of the law” while protecting “law-abiding cyclists.”
The bill proposes introducing specific offences for “causing death by dangerous, careless, or inconsiderate cycling, and causing serious injury by careless or inconsiderate cycling.” These offences would lead to tougher penalties for those who kill or injure while riding bikes, e-bikes, electric scooters, unicycles, and “personal transporters.
Duncan Smith’s amendments have been welcomed by Matthew Briggs, a longstanding campaigner for a dangerous cycling law, whose wife Kim was hit and killed by a cyclist riding with no front brakes in London in 2016. The cyclist, Charlie Alliston, was later jailed for 18 months after being found guilty of causing bodily harm by “wanton and furious riding.
Legislative Context
The bill was first agreed upon in the House of Commons by ministers but was shelved following the announcement of the general elections by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. However, it has since received cross-party backing in Parliament, with Labour joining the Conservatives in committing to introduce stricter laws on cycling if they win the upcoming election.
If passed, the amendments would replace the current legislation that allows cyclists who kill or injure while riding recklessly to be prosecuted under the 1861 ‘wanton or furious driving’ law, which carries a maximum sentence of two years in prison. The new law would bring the maximum sentence for causing death or serious injury by dangerous cycling in line with sentencing guidelines for dangerous driving, which currently carry a maximum sentence of 14 years imprisonment.
Enforcement and Statistics
Currently, the Highway Code dictates that cyclists must stop at red lights. In April, it was reported that the City of London Police had handed out 944 fixed penalty notices to cyclists for riding through red lights since its Cycle Response Unit was formed nine months ago.
The authority, which polices the Square Mile area of the English capital, said it would continue to fine cyclists who ride “through red lights, putting themselves and pedestrians at risk.”
Conclusion
The case of Pavanrao Hanchate serves as a stark reminder of the importance of adhering to traffic signals and the potential consequences of reckless cycling. As discussions around the dangerous cycling bill continue, it highlights the ongoing efforts to balance cyclist safety with accountability.
