Cyclist dies after collision with minibus in Blackburn.

[Accy cyclist]

Some clarification needed here. This is shockingly bad 'reporting' from this 'newspaper' as this incident was two days ago, Tuesday, not one month ago! I know this because my wife was one of the first on the scene and she called me to tell me she was going to be late. Seeing her stuck in traffic with an obvious nurses uniform and the NHS logo on her badge, she was asked to offer some assistance but the entire crew were in full flow by the time she got there so no further assistance was required from her. You were probably right in your initial thoughts on when you saw him, the so-called newspaper got this hopelessly wrong.

I do now think it was about 4 weeks ago when i last saw him. It was a warm sunny day but seeing as we've had so many of those lately i just can't remember exactly when it was. Anyway,that report giving the wrong date is very bad! I think he had 2 children in their late teens. They must be devastated,especially after only losing their mum only 2 years ago. I cycled round that smaller roundabout where he was killed on Tuesday and yesterday. They'd bollarded one of the lanes off. I felt uncomfy going partly round it as cars were up my backside,due to there only being 1 lane. I know we all think it sometimes,but it's made me think again about jacking in cycling. Every time i set off on a ride i think it could be me who's next. Poor fellow,he was a decent bloke who kept himself to himself. If only he'd let on that he was a cyclist too we could've gone on some rides together. He lived about 1 minutes walk away from my local pub but never went in the place.

 

[Accy cyclist]

Nothing in the papers yet about an inquest into Robert's death. It's been nearly 4 months. How long do these things take i ask? I walked by his grave today. His name and date of death have been inscribed on the headstone that was originally intended for his late wife. It says 'A True Gentleman' beneath his name and they've inscribed a bicycle on the stone. Nice to see it has drop handlebars and a Derailleur on it. I know it's an old cliche,but i can't believe he's dead. I still expect to see him walking his dogs,or on his computer sat in his front room.

 

[keithmac]

It can take years in some cases, they drag their feet for some reason..

 

[Pale Rider]

At one time, an inquest would routinely be opened and adjourned pending the completion of criminal proceedings - if there are any.

That doesn't always happen these days, and I don't know if there are criminal proceedings in this case.

It's a matter of public record, so there's nothing to stop a concerned individual ringing the cops, asking for the 'coroner's officer' for the area concerned, then asking him or her when the next hearing is.

 

[Accy cyclist]

Finally some news about the cyclist in question's death. https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co....-momentary-lapse-killed-cyclist-at-whitebirk/ So Robert has finally been exonerated!! I'm so pleased to hear that it was not his own fault,though mad/sad to hear that the person who killed him has been kind of exonerated too,with the court deciding it was just a 'momentary lapse in concentration' that lead to Robert's death.

Any of you like to guess the motorist's sentence? I'll go for a few hundred pounds fine and 6 points on his license. Meanwhile Robert's daughters are heading towards their first Christmas without both their parents.

 

[alicat]

The motorist has pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving. The sentence might be at the more lenient end of the scale; however he has not been exonerated.

I like the reported tribute to Mr Worden.

 

[Bazzer]

Finally some news about the cyclist in question's death. https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co....-momentary-lapse-killed-cyclist-at-whitebirk/ So Robert has finally been exonerated!! I'm so pleased to hear that it was not his own fault,though mad/sad to hear that the person who killed him has been kind of exonerated too,with the court deciding it was just a 'momentary lapse in concentration' that lead to Robert's death.

Any of you like to guess the motorist's sentence? I'll go for a few hundred pounds fine and 6 points on his license. Meanwhile Robert's daughters are heading towards their first Christmas without both their parents.

According to this the minimum tariff is a disqualification.

 

[Accy cyclist]

I like the reported tribute to Mr Worden.

Yes,me too!

 

[Pale Rider]

The magistrates have committed the case to crown court which suggests they think their sentencing powers of six months are insufficient.

The offence carries a maximum of five years when dealt with at crown, and a sentence of up to two years can be suspended.

The defendant has reached 58 years of age without troubling the courts for anything, and he had a clean licence.

He has pleaded guilty at an early stage in the proceedings, which means he is entitled to the maximum credit available for doing so.

Like it or not, as a general rule we don't lock up people of previous good character for a first offence where there is an alternative.

The offence does not appear to be the worst of its type, it was genuinely a momentary lack of attention, there being no suggestion his driving was anything other than careful up to that point.

Where is all this leading?

I reckon about a year or 15 months, which his barrister will be hopeful of getting suspended.

That's what I think will happen, what I think ought to happen may be slightly different.

 

[Drago]

Aye, suspended sounds about right. In essence, no public punishment at all for a gentleman of his years.

 

[jefmcg]

Nothing in the papers yet about an inquest into Robert's death.

A friend of mine was involved in an inquest. A clear suicide, so there was criminal investigation. The inquest was about 2 years after the death.

(My friend turns her phone off at night, and her friend knew this so chose her to send a text knowing that by the time she turned he phone back on, it would be too late for her to do anything to save him. She had a horrible experience - I think she discovered the body, but she didn't talk about that to me. She then spent two years trying to forget that morning, before she was called as a witness and had to relive it.)

 

[alicat]

The inquest into my mother's death will be held 10 months after she died. I won't share the details since it may offend the squeamish and they are not relevant to this thread.

 

[Milkfloat]

I don’t see how this is a momentary lapse of concentration, in my eyes there are two lapses, first to clip him and second to then pull away. However, from the article I find this troubling “Richard James, defending, said the incident was similar to the type of contact between cars which resulted in whiplash injuries.” It seems like the defence lawyer is massively trying to downplay the incident, I find that very crass.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I don’t see how this is a momentary lapse of concentration, in my eyes there are two lapses, first to clip him and second to then pull away. However, from the article I find this troubling “Richard James, defending, said the incident was similar to the type of contact between cars which resulted in whiplash injuries.” It seems like the defence lawyer is massively trying to downplay the incident, I find that very crass.

Richard James needs to be reminded that someone died and how the laws of physics work when one body has a lot more mass than the other.

 

[Drago]

Momentary lapse of concentration = wasn't paying attention to a fatal degree and some innocent passer by died as a result.

They should say it how it is. That it may or may not have been momentray is irrelevent. No one gets a sticker at the dentist for momentarily shoplifting or momentarily murdering someone.