Cyclist Jailed

[User269]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/dorset/8197430.stm

Whilst I don't condone this sort of behaviour, and would express my condolences to the victim's family, I find it galling to read of the penalties this cyclist has faced. I seem to read regularly about motorists killing and maiming people, and ending up with a fine and a few penalty point. FFS!

 

[PaulB]

That div cyclist will doubtless be the cause of much outrage amongst the usual suspects demanding tougher penalties against we who ride bikes. I am expecting the backlash to start any time soon.

 

[addictfreak]

While I would agree the there is certainly inconsistency in the penalties given to drivers. I also think that this sentence was certainly not harsh, this young man will be out in around three and a half months. There is no coming back for Mr.Turner and in three months his family will have barely come to terms with these events.

 

[HLaB]

I would like to think if a motorist mounted the pavement and mowed down a ped they'd be jailed too but there does seem to be an inconsistency there!

 

[PK99]

I would like to think if a motorist mounted the pavement and mowed down a ped they'd be jailed too but there does seem to be an inconsistency there!

Noeh the key point re the deliberate nature of the act:

Darren Hall, 20, cycled down a hill in Weymouth, Dorset, too fast and rode on to the pavement to avoid a red traffic light, Dorchester Crown Court heard

.

Perhaps he was lucky the charge was not mansalughter

 

[marinyork]

Like was said in the other thread. I think it's a poor article. You could redo the headline to banned driver kills someone riding down a hill on a bike and come to a very different image.

 

[marinyork]

Noeh the key point re the deliberate nature of the act:


.

Perhaps he was lucky the charge was not mansalughter

Oh you mean like this one eh? http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/somerset/8196972.stm poor form.

By the way you're rabble rousing, the red light is irrelevent and you've used it to try and emotively bias people. A bit naughty.

 

[User269]

That div cyclist will doubtless be the cause of much outrage amongst the usual suspects demanding tougher penalties against we who ride bikes. I am expecting the backlash to start any time soon.

This is my worry also, the demonising of evil cyclists, the perceived menace, while nobody cares about the misery, death and maiming caused on a daily basis by motoring.
Here in Dorset, at the height of the holiday season, the roads are blocked or congested by volume of traffic, and serious accidents occur daily. But the media focusses exclusively on an errant cyclist.

 

[addictfreak]

Like is said on the other thread, he was not banned when he hit this poor guy, the ban was part of the sentence for this offence. At least thats the way im reading it.

 

[addictfreak]

I think your wrong to say no one cares about the accidents etc caused by motorists. I tend to think people are genuinely concerned, its the justice system that is at fault. These offences should carry set sentences.

In my experience the only ones who dont care are those who commit the offence, who think they have been harshly treated because they never meant to hurt anyone.

 

[Arch]

This is my worry also, the demonising of evil cyclists, the perceived menace, while nobody cares about the misery, death and maiming caused on a daily basis by motoring.
Here in Dorset, at the height of the holiday season, the roads are blocked or congested by volume of traffic, and serious accidents occur daily. But the media focusses exclusively on an errant cyclist.

I think it might partly be a case of the old difference between "dog bites man" (not news) and "man bites dog" (news). Sadly, road deaths and injuries due to motor vehicles are too commonplace to be remarked on, except at local level, unless they are very dramatic. I'm not saying that's right, just the way it is.

Personally, I've often wondered what would happen if a paper or the BBC etc could be persuaded to report every single road death, in the way they would report deaths in a train crash etc. People might just sit up and take notice.

 

[marinyork]

Like is said on the other thread, he was not banned when he hit this poor guy, the ban was part of the sentence for this offence. At least thats the way im reading it.

Well if that is the case I certainly don't agree with that aspect of it.

 

[addictfreak]

I would tend to agree with you there Marin, because he has ridden a bike in this manners does not automaticlly mean he is a bad car driver.

I have a friend who is in my opinion a very good and safe driver, but as a cyclist hes a menace.

 

[marinyork]

Actually one thing I was wondering about, is has this been discussed before? It sounds rather similar to another case. The idea of a second (or third or however many) moron riding down a hill, round a bend on a pavement and totalling someone off within a year or so is not a good thought . So I hope it is the same one I'm thinking of.

 

[User269]

Well if that is the case I certainly don't agree with that aspect of it.

And that's the other bizarre thing, if I've understood correctly; he's been banned from driving for committing an offence on a bicycle.