Motorists urged to make space for cyclists and horse riders

Officers from Devon and Cornwall Police organised an informative event at Haldon Forest to speak to members of the public about road safety.

Roads Policing Officers are using the two-metre close pass mat as a visual aid to help visitors to the park understand how much room should be left when drivers pass a horse or bicycle. The area is a popular spot for those enjoying the outdoors and police want to ensure that people stay safe on the local roads.  

During 2024 there were a total of 600 injury collisions across Devon and Cornwall, which includes 56 fatal incidents.

The two-metre close pass mat as a visual aid - Devon and Cornwall Police

Roads Policing Sergeant Owen Messenger and colleagues from the Force’s Roads Policing team were at the Haldon Forest site on 16 April to promote safe driving.  

Sgt Messenger explained: “These type of events give us an opportunity to offer advice and show the public the distance needed to safely pass by a horse or cyclist. Cyclists or horse riders may feel vulnerable when vehicles get too close, so we would ask drivers to please give them space and be patient.

“Drivers should concentrate on their driving and should not use mobile phones or be distracted by anything such as loud music in the car. They need to anticipate that cyclists may need to move out in the road to avoid potholes/drains or to be seen by oncoming traffic or vehicles waiting at junctions.

“Even if there is a cycle path or cycle lane, sometimes cyclists need to be on another part of the road to make a turn or to make themselves visible.

“The Highway Code recommends 1.5 metres as a safe distance for overtaking at speeds below 30mph and give cyclists more space when overtaking at high speeds. If you cannot allow the minimum distance, do not overtake. Remember to give other road users plenty of room and check your mirrors and blind spots for cyclists.”   

The police event at Haldon Hill - Devon and Cornwall Police 

Police advise drivers not to overtake near a junction, pedestrian crossing, on a roundabout or at pinch points and never overtake just before a left turn you plan to make. Do not drive close behind cyclists or sound your horn.

The Highway Code (rule 66) allows cyclists to ride side-by-side. Be aware that legally, a cyclist can use the entire lane and will often take a mid-lane position to deter overtaking at vulnerable locations, like narrow roads, junctions, and blind bends. However cyclists should be aware of traffic conditions and allow everyone to share the roads safely. 

Cyclists are encouraged to check what is happening around them at all times and look well ahead for obstructions such as drains, potholes and parked vehicles, so they can avoid sudden swerving.

They should avoid using headphones and leave plenty of room when passing parked vehicles as doors could be opened into their path.

Riding too close to the kerb could be dangerous for cyclists; it is safer to ride in the middle of the lane if there is not enough room for a car to overtake. Remember that lorries have blind spots in front of the cab, on both sides and behind the vehicle.

If a cyclist can’t see the mirrors, then lorry drivers can’t see them. At night and when there is poor visibility cyclists must have lights on the front and rear of their bike when cycling.

Operation Snap allows members of the public to submit dashcam or other footage of risky driving to Devon and Cornwall Police. If you wish to report an incident to Operation Snap visit the website Operation Snap - Devon and Cornwall Road Safety Team

There are a broad range of offences that police will review including dangerous driving, driving whilst using a mobile phone, driving without due care and attention, careless driving, overtaking on solid white lines, not in proper control of the vehicle, traffic light contravention or any other road traffic offence that is clearly shown in the footage.

If the video is not of good enough quality or no offence is identified, then there will be no further action taken.

In 2024 Devon and Cornwall Police received a total of 6,575 submissions, of which 1,790 were submissions involving bicycles. Last month (March 2025) police received 685 submissions of which 217 involved cyclists and six involved horses.

Throughout April the Force is supporting a national campaign highlighting the most common causes of serious and fatal road traffic collisions.

For Road Safety advice, visit the dedicated page on the Force website: www.devon-cornwall.police.uk/fatalfive 

Devon and Cornwall Police supports Vision Zero South West road safety partnership which is working to drastically reduce the number of deaths and serious injury collisions on the region’s roads. 

Main image: Sgt Messenger with a horse rider at Haldon Forest