Cyclist mown down by raging man in a camper van

[veloevol]

http://www.thisishullandeastriding....n-camper-van/story-19155153-detail/story.html

This arse clown got off lightly i think.

 

[sparkyman]

Madness if he'd done that to a pedestrian I bet he would have gotten a year at least..

 

[Dave Davenport]

Actually, I think the sentence was fairly reasonable given that the cyclist (very luckily) only received minor injuries. Ban, re-test, community service, curfew. More use than him sitting in prison for six months IMO.

 

[summerdays]

I like the statement:

"If he could bang on the side of your van, you were too close.
"That was not the worst of it. You had heated words. You had words and he was telling you what you had done and you both had an altercation and you swerved at him.
"Anyone using a vehicle as a weapon for whatever reason deserves a custodial sentence and you are going to get one.

I hope the readers of the newspaper also noticed them!

 

[Peteaud]

Actually, I think the sentence was fairly reasonable given that the cyclist (very luckily) only received minor injuries. Ban, re-test, community service, curfew. More use than him sitting in prison for six months IMO.

Have to agree.

Prison record, driving ban wont help him for many years to come with employment etc..

 

[PMarkey]

Actually, I think the sentence was fairly reasonable given that the cyclist (very luckily) only received minor injuries. Ban, re-test, community service, curfew. More use than him sitting in prison for six months IMO.

+1

Paul

 

[BSRU]

Good the judge recognised that if you can bang on the side of a vehicle the vehicle is too close.

 

[Brandane]

Burnell will also have to take an extended retest when his ban expires.

Not many people pass these first time (the examiners possibly know the score ), and they are quite expensive to sit (£124). He will also have to sit a theory test and hazard perception test first. If he hasn't done a driving test for several years, then he will probably need driving lessons from a proper instructor to get him up to speed with how the test is conducted. All in all, it might just be enough to teach him an important lesson.

 

[albion]

But surely, mowing some down with a vehicle should always be 'attempted murder' ?

 

[veloevol]

But surely, mowing some down with a vehicle should always be 'attempted murder' ?

The firearm analogy supports this view in my mind.

 

[Pale Rider]

But surely, mowing some down with a vehicle should always be 'attempted murder' ?

Looks like they charged attempted grievous bodily harm, but accepted dangerous driving.

Practically that makes sense because proving intent to the high standard required can be hard because you have to prove what was in the defendant's mind.

At trial, he might reasonably have said: "I only wanted to warn the cyclist," or even: "If I intended harm I would have slammed into the back of him at speed."

 

[Boris Bajic]

I think this is a good outcome. The incident sounds terrible for the cyclist. It is not in any way good that the motorist drove as he did, but I find the outcome and the way it was reported positive.

I think it is likely to have a calming effect on the road behaviour of those who read it. It doesn't fan the flames of the infantile 'them and us' mentality that exists in some motorists and cyclists.

As a road user, I find the outcome, the judge's comments and the reporting of the case positive.

 

[TheJDog]

Attempted manslaughter?

That Bristol bus driver only got 17 months for something similar, though the victim in that case did get his leg broken.

 

[Glow worm]

Unusual for a judge to hand out a sentence that vaguely matches the crime when it comes to people using their vehicles as weapons. Usually, as we all know, it's a wrap on the knuckles and a paltry fine/points.
Seems the only way to get a harsh sentence from these buffoons is to knock their stupid wigs off!
(Although ironically, this twerp had just sentenced the wig remover's brother for causing death by dangerous driving).

 

[nilling]

If you are going to use a car as a weapon I'd like to see that crushed as well...