Mark Andrew Patterson, 55, of Longreach, pleaded not guilty to knowingly driving a motor vehicle in a manner that menaces another person but was convicted after a hearing in Nowra Local Court on Tuesday.

The incident happened on April 2 last year on Yalwal Road at Bamarang.

Court papers stated at around 10.16am a male and female cyclist fell from their bikes after allegedly being forced off the edge of the road by a Toyota Hilux driven by Patterson.

The incident which Patterson claimed in his police interview was not a case of “road rage” followed an earlier episode in which a truck driving for his earthmoving company had also had a close encounter with the cyclists.

The court heard the cyclists had been riding abreast, west on Yalwal Road near the Longreach Road intersection when the truck travelling between 80-90km/h in a 100km zone up a hill had been forced to brake harshly behind the riders as a car was coming in the other direction.

Patterson said the employee had told him about the incident and he had decided to approach the cyclists just to warn them he had two trucks operating regularly on the road throughout the day as well as having knowledge of two other heavy vehicles from another company that would also be using the road.

Patterson said he found the cyclists on Yalwal Road, again riding abreast.

Court papers said there were no cars on the road at the time and as he approached the cyclists he honked his horn but had no intention to pass the riders.

As he honked his horn he realised one of the riders was female and she “got a bit close” to his vehicle.

The male cyclist was in the middle of the lane and made no effort to move over.

He said as he drew alongside the male cyclist seemed a “bit wobbly” and then the bike just disappeared. He thought the female rider must have hit him.

He said he then saw the female cyclist go flying through the air towards the bush.

Patterson stopped his vehicle about 20 metres away but could not park on the side of the road because there was no shoulder.

He performed a U-turn and returned to the crash site to see if the riders were alright.

Court papers said other motorists had stopped to help the cyclists and there was a heated exchange between Patterson and the male rider.

Patterson said he drove home, about three or four kilometres away, to compose himself before returning to the scene when police had arrived.

During his police interview Patterson said the road was “in a pitiful condition” and he had been travelling between 40-50km/h at the time of the incident.

In his statement, the male cyclist said they were travelling around 48km/h on a downhill section of the road.

His evidence also spoke of the near miss with the truck earlier in the day.

“I heard the car behind us honk its horn for five seconds, right behind us,” his statement said.

He said he moved ahead of his female companion but the utility pulled alongside them and matched their speed.

He claimed the vehicle moved towards the woman, forcing them both onto the gravel verge and his tyre slipped on the gravel, and he fell onto his right side. The female rider also crashed.

The two cyclists suffered numerous grazes and other injuries.

As well as fining him and disqualifying him from driving, Magistrate Fleming also ordered Patterson pay more than $8200 in compensation to the cyclists.