Record
Keep the approach, the pass and what happens after it.
Footage and reporting
Close-pass recording and reporting
Keep the whole sequence, preserve the originals and report promptly through the right local route.
A close pass is over in seconds. What you do in the next few days decides whether the recording can be used.
Preserve
Lock and copy the original files before the next ride.
Report promptly
Submit through your local police route without delay.
1. What counts as a close pass
Highway Code Rule 163 asks drivers to leave at least 1.5 metres when overtaking people cycling at speeds up to 30mph, and more at higher speeds. When passing horse riders and horse-drawn vehicles, drivers should keep below 10mph and allow at least 2 metres.
Those distances are guidance rather than an offence in themselves. Police consider whether the driving was careless or dangerous, and a recording that shows the pass clearly can help them do that.
2. Set up to record a useful sequence
Before you ride, set the camera's date and time, clean the lens and check the angle in the app. A recording is most useful when it shows the vehicle approaching, the pass itself and the vehicle moving away, with the registration readable where conditions allow.
Many close passes start behind you. A rear view, from a dual-lens helmet camera or a rear bike camera, records the approach that a forward-facing camera cannot see. Keep riding safely and leave the camera running.
3. Preserve the footage
When you have stopped somewhere safe, lock the clip if your camera supports it, then copy the original files as soon as you can, before loop recording replaces them. Keep the clips from just before and after the pass, and both views from a dual-lens camera.
Do not edit, trim or rename the originals. Make a separate working copy if you need to review it, and write down the date, time, location and what happened while it is fresh.
4. Report it promptly
For careless driving allegations, police generally have to send a Notice of Intended Prosecution to the vehicle's registered keeper within 14 days of the incident. Submit as soon as you can so there is time to review the footage.
Use the reporting route for the police force where the pass happened. Many forces in England and Wales use an online portal, often called Operation Snap, but processes and file requirements differ. Follow the force's own instructions on file format, clip length and your statement, and be prepared to give a witness statement if asked.
5. After you submit
Keep the original files and your notes until the matter is closed. Avoid posting the footage on social media while it is being considered, as police advise this can affect proceedings.
Outcomes vary by force and by incident, from no further action or an advisory letter to a course or prosecution. A recording gives the police a clear account to assess. It does not guarantee a particular result.