Cyclist Arrested

[Aperitif]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8577612.stm
Thoughtful piece of news. How often have we, the cyclists, been in a similar, but not so tragic position?
Be careful wherever you ride.

 

[ufkacbln]

I suspect that there is more to this than a pedestrian simply walking out in front of a cyclist.

This suggests to me that there is a crossing involved, failed to stop, or similar.

It would be nice to get full details.

 

[Aperitif]

Camden gazette article.



http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q= Li...ent=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wl

 

[ComedyPilot]

I suspect that there is more to this than a pedestrian simply walking out in front of a cyclist.

This suggests to me that there is a crossing involved, failed to stop, or similar.

It would be nice to get full details.

The woman was hit by the cyclist who stopped at the scene (as reported), so no fail to stop.

 

[summerdays]

A tragic case, which seems to have been reported sensibly in those links rather than sensationally.

The only problem I have with the case is why if it is cyclist : pedestrian does it end up with involuntary manslaughter and if it was car : bike probably nothing. We cyclists do have to be responsible for our actions and face penalties for failures, but every day I see car drivers failing to be held to account for their actions.

 

[XmisterIS]

Camden gazette article.



http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q= Li...ent=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wl

This article explains it in good detail and is agreeably impartial - they're not sure yet what actually happened or who was at fault. I feel sorry for all parties involved - the family of the woman who was killed and also the cyclist who now has to live with this memory and guilt for the rest of his life too.

Nevertheless, just you wait for all the snorting, knee-jerk comments from the non-cycling community along the lines of "ban cyclists", "what a menace", "get them off the road", etc, etc, etc ... funny how they don't say the same thing about cars.

 

[vernon]

A tragic case, which seems to have been reported sensibly in those links rather than sensationally.

The only problem I have with the case is why if it is cyclist : pedestrian does it end up with involuntary manslaughter and if it was car : bike probably nothing. We cyclists do have to be responsible for our actions and face penalties for failures, but every day I see car drivers failing to be held to account for their actions.

Your assertions are not entirely true.

There has been a change in the law making it difficult for motorists to avoid a jail sentence for causing a death by their driving.

The sticking point used to be the difficulty in proving 'death by dangerous driving'

I think there's nor a charge of causing death by careless driving which is easier to prosecute.

The law isn't stacked against cyclists.

 

[Crankarm]

Your assertions are not entirely true.

There has been a change in the law making it difficult for motorists to avoid a jail sentence for causing a death by their driving.

The sticking point used to be the difficulty in proving 'death by dangerous driving'

I think there's nor a charge of causing death by careless driving which is easier to prosecute.

The law isn't stacked against cyclists.

Errr .......... I think your are labouring under a false hood as the CPS frequently decide no further action for collisions where motons have driven into cyclists due to insufficient evidence or the driver says ok I hit them but SMIDSY and gets off scott free. Ediliah Cairns' death ring any bells? Cyclists are hated in the UK where as the car is king. Not a day goes by with out some anti-cycling bile being spouted in the media.

You are right to asssert that it is now harder for motons to escape a "causing death driving" charge as they can now be prosecuted for "causing death by careless driving", but they first have to be charged with the offence and then the CPS has to have the balls and expertise to actually prosecute the charge. Remember the recent case of Rang Rover woman who knocked down a lady cyclist killing her, just missing her husband, continuing over a roundabout and colliding with another car? She claimed to have fainted to escape a causing death by dangerous driving prosecution. She had also been using her hand held mobile minutes before the collision ...........

The law itself might not be stacked against cyclists, but the application of it certainly is.

 

[HJ]

A tragic case, which seems to have been reported sensibly in those links rather than sensationally.

The only problem I have with the case is why if it is cyclist : pedestrian does it end up with involuntary manslaughter and if it was car : bike probably nothing. We cyclists do have to be responsible for our actions and face penalties for failures, but every day I see car drivers failing to be held to account for their actions.

Too true

 

[ufkacbln]

The woman was hit by the cyclist who stopped at the scene (as reported), so no fail to stop.

Sorry - My bad English

I meant as in failed to stop at a crossing or light as opposed to failed to stop at an accident.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Sorry - My bad English

I meant as in failed to stop at a crossing or light as opposed to failed to stop at an accident.

I got it the first time round .....

 

[al78]

Nevertheless, just you wait for all the snorting, knee-jerk comments from the non-cycling community along the lines of "ban cyclists", "what a menace", "get them off the road", etc, etc, etc ... funny how they don't say the same thing about cars.

Although this bias is not just restricted to the non-cycling community.

If it was a motorist that hit the pedestrian instead of a cyclist would people on the cycling forums/newsgroups be as equally non-judgemental and feel sorry for the driver, or would they be condemming the driver and calling for a murder charge? Somehow I think it would tend towards the latter.

 

[darkstar]

A tragic case, which seems to have been reported sensibly in those links rather than sensationally.

The only problem I have with the case is why if it is cyclist : pedestrian does it end up with involuntary manslaughter and if it was car : bike probably nothing. We cyclists do have to be responsible for our actions and face penalties for failures, but every day I see car drivers failing to be held to account for their actions.

I agree, a lad from my village drove his car when drunk and under the influence of cocaine, he crashed and killed his passenger (a lad from my year at school) and paralysed the bloke in the oncoming car. He fled the scene but was later found guilty after claiming he had forgotten what happened.... he's been sent down for 3 years..... ****ing joke.

 

[darkstar]

He may of forgot what happened being drunk and on cocaine - we all make mistakes.

As for the OP, I feel for the victims family, as a cyclist you always give way to peds.

Trust me, you don't know this person, he is a cocky, nasty twat. I've seen him do this loads of times, he was in the pub drinking two weeks after the accident. His parents came out of the courtroom giving the thumbs up smiling to the cameras, right in front of the deceased lads parents. Nasty family, who have lots of money and don't care about anyone else.

 

[darkstar]

Why should I trust you? Loads of times doing what?

The lad may of genuinely forgot what happened, having taken a cocktail of drink and drugs.

You don't, it's just quite a touchy subject. Believe what you want. I don't care in the slightest, take him cookies in prison if you want.