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Original poster

Death cyclist fine angers family

120 replies

ChickenBurger · 09/07/2008 07:46

This is so shocking.

Why would you ride straight into someone regardless as to whether you had right of way?

OP posts:
theSuburbanDryad · 09/07/2008 07:54

That's insane. Why did he only get a fine - is it a loophole in the law or something?

Callisto · 09/07/2008 08:18

I would be furious about this ruling - I think it is utterly ridiculous. He hit the girl so hard he killed her fgs. If he had been driving a car on the pavement he would have had a prison sentence. Can we lobby the Attorney General about this to get the sentence reviewed?

Original poster
ChickenBurger · 09/07/2008 08:24

Don't know Callisto, but sounds like a good idea to try to do something. It's so sad, the girl was only 17.

OP posts:
AtheneNoctua · 09/07/2008 08:49

He should have been tried for manslaughter, or possibly murder. He killed her.

sarah293 · 09/07/2008 08:55

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theSuburbanDryad · 09/07/2008 09:03

At least drivers also get points on their license as well though Riven. And I think the law is in the process of being changed, isn't it?

Callisto · 09/07/2008 09:08

It seems that the case needs to be tried by the CPS and that to complain we need the name of the defendant and prosecutor, the place and date, otherwise the AG has no remit to review the sentence.

AtheneNoctua · 09/07/2008 09:08

"Howard had shouted at Rhiannon to 'move because I'm not stopping' before crashing into her. "

If a driver of a car did this then I would say he/she too should be charged with manslaughter/murder.

Callisto · 09/07/2008 09:09

That should read if the case has not gone to the criminal courts ie CPS (I think) the AG has no remit to review the sentence. Hopefully someone will be along soon to explain it better than me.

sarah293 · 09/07/2008 09:11

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Message withdrawn

MrsTittleMouse · 09/07/2008 09:19

I think that a lot of judges (and people in general) think that cycling is inherently "dangerous" and therefore when someone is killed when they're cycling that it must have been an accident and a result of the dangerous nature of cycling. Whereas if car drivers weren't so selfish and stupid, cycling wouldn't be so bloody dangerous. [anger] I have banned DH from cycling into work for a while as someone almost ploughed into him - he was going straight on at a junction and the car was turning left. The car drivers told DH "well I don't care anyway, if I hit you my car won't get a dent".

AtheneNoctua · 09/07/2008 09:25

i take your point Riven, but that doesn't excuse this guy who intentionally ran into this girl and killed. I suppose one could argue that he didn't think running into her would kill her (which a car driver could not reasonable argue). But he did kill her, so at the very least it is manslaughter.

Car drivers too should be charged with manslaughter/murder. I agree. But it's not really the topic of this thread. And the lack of one being persued does not excuse the other from being persued.

cupsoftea · 09/07/2008 09:43

he was on the pavement - he said he wasn't going to stop - he should be facing prison. Wonder what would have happened had this been a non white young man.

Callisto · 09/07/2008 10:29

Exactly the same Cupsoftea .

tiredemma · 09/07/2008 10:31

cupsoftea - What on earth do you mean?

Original poster
ChickenBurger · 09/07/2008 10:31

This has just made me so, so mad. That someone should have so little respect for another human being that they would willingly cycle into them

OP posts:
Gizmo · 09/07/2008 10:35

Reading the report I think he was on the road, cupsoftea.

Not that it makes much difference, tbh.

TeacherSaysSo · 09/07/2008 10:38

If he was on the road it makes ALL the difference surely. These articles never tell you the whole story or it makes them less newsworthy.

Callisto · 09/07/2008 10:42

The report I read said he was on the path.

sarah293 · 09/07/2008 11:58

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Message withdrawn

cheesesarnie · 09/07/2008 12:01

shocking and very sad.

edam · 09/07/2008 12:04

Good grief. I agree, should have been manslaughter.

Gizmo · 09/07/2008 12:06

It's very ambiguous reporting, but I've looked at it in a number of papers and I think the situation was that she was on the edge of the pavement or just stepped off, and he was on the road.

'He had been cycling on the road, but may have mounted the kerb at one point, his two-day trial at Aylesbury Magistrates Court heard.

He could have swerved to avoid the girl but told police he thought a shout would be enough to avoid the collision, the court heard.'

Anyway, it's not clear, and basically I don't think it makes much difference either way. If he had time to shout, he would have had time to brake. Frankly dangerous.

Original poster
ChickenBurger · 09/07/2008 12:18

"If he had time to shout, he would have had time to brake."

Exactly.

I'm sure he argued that he didn't intend to kill her but frankly I'm sick of this careless disregard for others. There have been a number of incidences where men have been punched and ended up cracking their heads on the pavement and subsequently died. As if it's ok to smack someone in the face, or ride a bike into them because you didn't think they would be likely to die.

OP posts:
HermanMunster · 09/07/2008 12:22

"Howard had shouted at Rhiannon to 'move because I'm not stopping' before crashing into her.
If a driver of a car did this then I would say he/she too should be charged with manslaughter/murder. "

yes but if, as it is suggested by someone above, a pedestrian stepped in front of the car at the last minute it would go some way to mitigating the blame on the driver.
i'm not excusing the cyclist here or saying that the punishment was right. however to me the events of the accident/collission seem a little unclear for me to make a personal judgment.

could someone clear c few things up for me (it's early and i don't have my thinking cap on).

is it clear wether she was on the road or the path?
was it on a cycle path?
did he have the right of way?
did she actually step lut in front of him?

i'm not saying that these would make it "her fault" i would still blame the cyclist for taking little or no evasive action, but it would be mitigating circumstances with regard sentencing.