Cyclists down a30

[HLaB]

RIP fellow cyclists

I commute on an A-road not too dissimilar. There are no alternative routes with it being on the coast. Expect more calls to ban cyclists from busy A-roads

I think they did that with the A90 when a cyclist was killed (RIP) they introduced a bylaw banning cyclists.

 

[BigonaBianchi]

I think they did that with the A90 when a cyclist was killed (RIP) they introduced a bylaw banning cyclists

typical of this warped car is king country...ban the bloody lorries !!!!!

...oh sorry I got shot in the head by some gun pointing lunatic...lets just ban the innocent bystander victim and put the dipstick who shot him up on a pedestal for hero worship....argggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!

 

[4F]

typical of this warped car is king country...ban the bloody lorries !!!!!

Ban the lorries from A roads ? yeah good idea lets get them all travelling on B roads instead.

 

[Ticktockmy]

So sad that two people have died, and one has to feel sadden for their families. However, I think its best that the reasons and blames should be left until the results of the police investigation are complete, all to easy to place blame on either the lorry driver or the cyclists, when often it the road conditions which cause the problem, or something as simple as a cross wind.

 

[ianjmcd]

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fun....action?userUrl=mcmenigallwallace&isTeam=true

one of the few sensible posts ive seen in this thread RIP: to two fellow cyclists

 

[mrandmrspoves]

Absolutely awful and very sobering particularly for anyone who has ever considered or completed LEJOG/JOGLE.
think it's important to put this into perspective (NOT to trivialise the deaths) - many many people cycle along this road every year as part of their End to End and statistically this type of accident is still extremely rare.

I have posted similar comments to my next comment before and been shot down in flames by some - but I will repeat it here.....

I am sadly fully qualified to express my opinion because I was involved in an accident as a cyclist when a driver drove straight into my Grandfather and me while we were cycling. He died at the scene and I sustained a smashed up knee that still causes me pain over 30 years later.
I have never felt anything except sympathy for the woman that hit us - she has to live with that fact for the rest of her life.

Despite the above experience and being a keen cyclist and therefore maybe more cycle aware than a non cyclist motorist, a couple of weeks ago while pulling out across the road from where I work I very nearly knocked a cyclist of his bike because I simply didn't see him. Maybe he was in my blind spot, maybe I wasn't paying as much attention as I thought I was.....maybe I was driving carefully enough because I saw him in time to avoid a collision.....maybe we were both just lucky.

Anyone on this site who wishes to condemn the lorry driver out of hand is probably someone who does not drive a car.
Any honest car driver will recognise that at some time or other their concentration has lapsed and they have had a near miss.

My thoughts are with ALL those involved.

 

[srw]

An honest post - I wish more people could be as honest with themselves as you are.

 

[mrandmrspoves]

An honest post - I wish more people could be as honest with themselves as you are.

Thanks ....I hope those that wish to delude themselves never have to be more honest.

 

[ColinJ]

Thanks ....I hope those that wish to delude themselves never have to be more honest.

A lot of motorists definitely need to think more and watch what they are doing.

Having said that ... I am a non-driver so I can't comment about not seeing cyclists when driving, but as a pedestrian I started to cross a quiet side-street in Hebden Bridge once and walked out in front of a car that I hadn't seen! I had looked towards it, but for some reason, it just didn't register in my brain. Fortunately, that driver was paying attention! It was probably an example of this effect:

 

[Accy cyclist]

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/41...rathall-killed-cyclist-as-he-chatted-on-phone Another sad story about a !~@! with a total disregard for other road users and in particular,vulnerable road users!

 

[nilling]

RIP fellow cyclist, from my home city as well

This appear to be his defense "Wrathall, from Barnacre, Lancs, later told police Mr Fingleton had run into the side of him." PC from accident unit "'There is a general consensus that driving and talking on the telephone do not mix. It causes distraction." Consensus?

 

[Hobbio]

One of the killed riders is a distant relative of mine, my Mother-in-Law's cousin. We met them last year, Andrew was a lovely bloke. His wife had only emailed my Mother-in-Law a few days ago, talking about him doing Le Jog and their plans for the summer. My wife was very upset last night (she only found out about this yesterday, and then found out about an hour later that a close colleague of hers had also passed away suddenly), especially thinking of his 2 daughters.

The other person was a colleague of his from America who was only over to ride Le Jog. Their firm has lost 2 top executives at once in horrible circumstances.

Awful tragedy, especially seen from up close.

 

[fimm]

I'm so sorry to hear that, Hobbio.
I also knew Andrew as he was a member of the triathlon club I'm in. He was a lovely friendly welcoming guy, and put a lot into the club as a coach and committee member.
R.I.P.

 

[green1]

I think they did that with the A90 when a cyclist was killed (RIP) they introduced a bylaw banning cyclists.

Only in Edinburgh around the bridge.

 

[snailracer]

A lot of motorists definitely need to think more and watch what they are doing.

Having said that ... I am a non-driver so I can't comment about not seeing cyclists when driving, but as a pedestrian I started to cross a quiet side-street in Hebden Bridge once and walked out in front of a car that I hadn't seen! I had looked towards it, but for some reason, it just didn't register in my brain....

I both drive and cycle. Even though I am mildly bike-militant and am more conscious of bikes than the average motorist, I can remember at least 3 occasions where I almost hit a cyclist with my car because I didn't see them:

1. Driving along an unlit country road at night, the cyclist in this case had no rear light and I saw the reflector late. It was a twisty road - had it been a straighter one, I would probably have seen the bike from further back. I should point out that in this jurisdiction, riding with no rear light was entirely legal.
2. Driving up a hill with the sun in my eyes, I failed to see a cyclist in the (narrow) bike lane on my left until I was almost level with him. Luckily, the bike lane meant I was positioned further to the right than I would normally drive, otherwise I would have hit him.
3. Busy urban touristy area during the day, with lots of cars, pedestrians and other visual clutter. This place crawls with MAMILs/club racers, so one might expect that I would be aware of cyclists in the area, however the cyclist I failed to spot was dressed in normal clothes and riding quite slowly, so faded into the background of other pedestrians.

I guess my point is, even though I am bike-conscious and have a spotless driving record since I learned to drive nearly 30 years ago, I can see how it's possible to "not see" a cyclist.

For me, the practical outcome of these near-misses is that I cycle with a flashing front light on during the day, and a bright flashing rear blinky on the rear as well if there is a low sun.