Chelmsford: Coach driver protects children from dangerous driver

Last year, a coach driver was so concerned about the aggressive and dangerous driving behaviour of another motorist directed toward him, that he called our control room for help.

The incident started on the outskirts of Chelmsford when the driver of a BMW and a coach were exiting the Army and Navy Roundabout, toward Sandon, shortly before 4pm on Monday 25 March 2024.

Although neither vehicle was damaged, the BMW driver got caught between the coach and the side of the road, clipping the curb.

In reaction to this, the BMW driver, later identified as Clint Hydes persisted in following the coach driver in a reckless and dangerous manner.

The coach driver diverted the bus as it approached the Maldon Road slip road, to keep his passengers safe. But Clint Hydes reacted badly to this, and emergency braked coming to a complete stop on the dual carriageway, nearly causing a collision with the vehicle behind before reversing on the carriageway to get back to the slip road, chasing after the coach.

Eventually, the pair came to a stop on A130, towards Basildon, and the victim waited in a layby after he called 999.

When Roads Policing Unit officers arrived, Clint Hydes’ car was parked beside the coach, having reversed against the traffic a second time.

He was out of the BMW, claiming he wanted to speak to the driver to obtain his insurance.

Following a thorough investigation by officers from our Roads Policing Unit, Clint Hydes, 42 of Montagu Chase, Burnham-on-Crouch, appeared at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court on Monday 27 January where he pleaded guilty to dangerous driving.

He was sentenced to six month’s imprisonment, suspended for a year.

Furthermore, he was ordered to complete 150 hours Community Service and he has been banned from driving for 18 months.

Roads Policing Inspector James Freeman said:
I’d like to thank the coach driver for reporting this incident to us as a means of keeping the 80 children on his coach safe after he became concerned for their safety. His quick thinking and calm approach protected them from the risk posed by both Hydes’ demeanour and his dangerous driving and meant that no one was harmed.
Thankfully, the incident was captured on the coach’s cameras, from start to finish and shows the enormous pressure the driver faced from Clint Hydes anger and posturing, resulting in dangerous driving.
Clint Hydes will not be able to drive again until he passes an extended test at the end of the disqualification period.
This type of driving will not be tolerated, so we will always take robust action and enforce the law to ensure road safety for all and reduce serious collisions and injury on Essex’s roads.
We’d encourage anyone who captures poor and dangerous driving on their dash cam to report it to us using Extra Eyes.

Help us reduce road collisions and casualties in Essex and make our roads even safer. Report instances of poor and dangerous driving through Safer Essex Roads Partnership's Extra Eyes initiative.

More than ever, irresponsible, dangerous and illegal road behaviour is being recorded by road users. Through Extra Eyes this footage can be sent to, and reviewed by, an investigator within Road Policing at Essex Police.

Find out how by visiting Safer Essex Roads Partnership website.