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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:
AuntieMaggie · 09/07/2008 21:00

I'm confused - the news reports I've seen say that the girl was on the pavement.

In any case I think he should have been charged with more than dangerous cycling as he did nothing to avoid the collision.

"he could have swerved to avoid the girl but told police he thought a shout would be enough to avoid the collision."

What if she had been deaf? He didn't know she wasn't. What arrogance to assume that just because he shouted that people would get out of his way.

LittleBella · 09/07/2008 21:07

He should be in prison. There are a growing number of arrogant testosterone fuelled cyclists with a self-righteous belief that because car drivers are bastards, they can cycle any which way they like and who cares if pedestrians are endangered, they're probably too fat and lazy to matter. If it had been a respectable middle-aged couple or old couple in his way, would he have shouted at them to move because he wasn't stopping, or is it just teenagers the bastard had the right to treat with such contempt?

This is a serious miscarriage of justice. The law exists so that vigilantism is curbed, but if this were my daughter, I would not feel that the law had given me justice and I would want to take it myself.
I would gladly sign any petition to get a proper sentence for this.

katz · 09/07/2008 21:14

her dad was on 5live this morning this took place on a quiet culdersac i think, so no over traffic for him to have to worry about.

2shoes · 09/07/2008 21:30

this was on the news earlier. he was riding a bike that was worth over 4 grand. it was going at 23 miles phr or there abouts(acording to news) and he was doing a time trial. not just going about ardinary stuff.

totalmisfit · 09/07/2008 21:44

the law needs to change. Cyclists are part of the traffic and therefore need to obey the law of the road. It is because of piss -take penalties like this that these heinous individuals think they can get away with - literally - murder. And they can.

Cyclists are almost more of a danger to pedestrians than motorists because so few of them behave in the way oncoming traffic is expected to do. You're crossing at the lights and it seems everything has stopped and then there's this whizz of metal and lycra which quite often misses you by a fraction of an inch. I fear for my own dd's safety every bloody time i cross the road with her.

beaniesteve · 09/07/2008 21:58

Someone has said he "intentionally ran into this girl and killed" which is true, but there's a big difference between that and 'ran into her with the intention of killing her'.

This is the same story news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/beds/bucks/herts/7496370.stm He thought she would get out of the way, it was an error in judgment not manslaughter.

beaniesteve · 09/07/2008 22:00

Jesus - from some of these posts you'd think all cyclists are the same. that would be as bad as saying All drivers break the speed limit, go trough amber lights and don't check their mirrors.

AtheneNoctua · 10/07/2008 08:55

But, that's what manslaughter is, Beanie. You do something stupid that results in someone's death but don't actually do it with the intention of killing someone, like speeding through a school zone at 50 mph. If he had intended to kill her, it would be murder.

So, he was a serious competitive biker doing a time trial. But, he should have considered that a public footpath was not an appropriate place to do such a thing. That was selfish, careless, and the sole cause of this girl's death. Manslaughter in my opinion.

beaniesteve · 10/07/2008 10:29

Yes I agree in some respects that Manslaughter was an option but it was discounted at the trial as far as I am aware.

MsSparkle · 10/07/2008 10:46

"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".

When i'm cycling and want to go straight on at a junction, if there is a car waiting to turn left at the junction i wait behind the car. That is of course providing the driver is using his indicator which i know they don't sometimes

But no way would i pull up on the inside of a car at a junction that is clearly indicating to go left. If i am already at the juntion and the car pulls up beside me then the car should wait for me to go ahead first but if the car is already at the junction when i get there then i would wait behind the car.

MsSparkle · 10/07/2008 10:52

I'm confused? Was the man on the pavement or not? Was it a split cycle/pedestrian path?

MsDemeanor · 10/07/2008 10:54

I hope the parents sue him. He sounds so horrible and arrogant.

PeachyBAHonsBirthdayGirl · 10/07/2008 11:02

The news report last night said it wasn't certain if she was on pavement or road.

I can't beleive the sentencing- hal;f the value of the bike FGS! All for what seems to have been a time trial.

HermanMunster · 10/07/2008 11:08

"I'm confused? Was the man on the pavement or not? Was it a split cycle/pedestrian path? "

no one seems entirely sure and according to the bbc website article linked above there was conflicting evidence at the trial as to wether or not he mounted the path.
for me that is a crucial piece of information.

LittleBella · 10/07/2008 15:49

And it doesn't even say if he was banned from cycling for a year.

Perhaps it's time to introduce licences...

2shoes · 10/07/2008 16:01

before we all bash inocent cyclists
can you please note that this man was not just popping to the shops or to work. he was doing a time trial

LittleBella · 10/07/2008 16:30

We're not bashing innocent cyclists.

We're bashing an extremely guilty one.

iBundle · 10/07/2008 16:36

time trial

was this on a public highway?

NappyGallor · 10/07/2008 16:53

Why is it cyclists always come off as the innocent party?

Remember a while back when that cyclist went through a red light and a car hit him? All be it the silly cow was texting at the time but everyone focused on her texting all the while ignoring the fact the cyclist wouldn't have caused the accident in the first place if he had stopped when he was supposed to at the red light.

They were both in the wrong but everyone focused on the car driver doing wrong as usual rather than the cyclist.

Nighbynight · 10/07/2008 16:55

OMG this is shocking. He had wheels - he hit a pedestrian - there is no excuse.
With the evidence that he hit her deliberately rather than stop, yes, he should have been charged with manslaughter.

NappyGallor · 10/07/2008 16:56

If it had been a motorcyclist then he would have gone to prison for it.

beaniesteve · 10/07/2008 17:23

I disagree - this is turning into a cyclist bashing excercise.

there are good and tehre are bad cyclists, just as there are good and bad Drivers.

Who here has never gone over the speed limit, never forgotten to look in their wing mirrors when moving off at lights, never gone through an amber light?

When each of you are next in your cars (Or on your bikes for that matter) and you do aomething which breaks the law or the highway code - just think about it and think about how one little 'mistake' or ignoring of the law could put you in the dock.

iBundle · 10/07/2008 17:25

beanie, but a mistake is a mistake

having time to shout a longish "I'm not stopping" type message means he could reasonably have stopped

edam · 10/07/2008 17:26

Time trial makes it worse, IMO - he deliberately rode into a group of pedestrians because HIS stupid game was more important than their lives.

meemar · 10/07/2008 17:27

Beaniestevie, this is more than simply breaking one of the rules of the highway code.

He deliberately drove into her when he could have avoided her. He knew he was going to hit her if she didn't move, and he did it anyway.