Dave Davenport - a year on.

[Bollo]

Tomorrow (8th June) is the first anniversary of the traffic incident that led to Dave losing his life. Dave was a respected member of this forum and an active member of the local cycling scene through his involvement with Sotonia CC.

I didn’t know Dave personally beyond a few DMs and a failed attempt to meet up at a TdF stage a number of years ago, but it turns out we had quite a few mutual acquaintances. Also, the incident occurred a few minutes ride from my home and at a junction that I and many others cycle regularly. It’s a popular route out of the city for cyclists of all stamps.

For this mix of reasons I’ve been following the aftermath of the incident and had planned to attend the inquest if possible, partly to pay my respects but also understand why the incident occurred. I’d never thought of this junction as particularly dangerous or unusual.

The full inquest was originally scheduled for 10th March this year but I believe it was de-listed and hasn’t been rescheduled. It’s possible that I’ve just missed it but I can’t find any report of it taking place. If anyone has an update on this and is happy to pass it on, please DM me.

Information about the incident in the press is very limited so, although I have my theories on what happened, I really really wouldn’t want to speculate. Also, I’ve not seen any reports of action being taken against the driver but have no idea whether this is due to an ongoing investigation, court delays or simply that no charges have been brought. Again, I don’t think it’d be right to run to judgement without any available facts.

This memorial is still in place at the junction.

Finally, sympathies to Dave’s family and friends. This must be a difficult time of year for them.

 

[Cathryn]

That’s a lovely post. I’m glad he’s still on your heart.

 

[I like Skol]

A sombre reminder. I tend to avoid 'rider down' and similar posts so this did unfortunately escape my attention, but still a sad loss for everyone, including those that only encountered his online presence.

A bit closer to home for me perhaps as I could easily have been a similar story after an RTC that was potentially life ending in 2018. These incidents do highlight the frailty of human life and hopefully the memorial makes just a few drivers think about the seriousness of their actions, intentional or otherwise?

 

[ianrauk]

Sadly missed from the forum

 

[biggs682]

Makes me feel even luckier

 

[Slick]

Unfortunately, I don't have any updates on this, but like you, I tried to keep up with an incident that happened on my route to work that saw a cyclist killed a couple of years ago now and like you came up with nothing. There is no ghost bike, and nothing online to explain how or why a young girl who was a newly qualified driver could just drive into the back of a cyclist and kill him. Obviously, it stuck with me as it could easily have been me, but it was the attitude of workmates that struck me at the time, as their sympathies immediately went to the driver, although a number of them had daughters of a similar age. This was a stranger to me, but like you, I think of him often and wonder if he had family able to find out exactly what happened to him.

I do hope that you get to the bottom of what happened to Dave. 👍

 

[dan_bo]

I never knew what had happened. You're a decent bloke Bollo.

 

[Slick]

Perfect defence in Scotland, canny remember mate.

https://www.renfrewshire24.co.uk/20...f-killing-cyclist-on-greenock-road-inchinnan/

 

[grldtnr]

It seems Cyclist are always going to be the victim on the roads, unfairly , we cyclist are looked upon as s problem.
It needn't be, on the continent various countries celebrate &respect cycling, untill that view at home changes things will not change, 'we ' are the problem, not the solution, whilst media promotes the car on basis of speed , glamour convenience, things will not change.

 

[Bollo]

Thanks all for the kind comments. While it's easy to dismiss the forum as just something on t'internet, there is a real community here and many members will have met each other, ridden together, enjoyed the occasional snifter and in one case even got married. With that in mind I couldn't let today pass without some sort of acknowledgement and update for those that remember him from his time on CC.

I appreciate that the lack of info around the circumstances of his death a year on is frustrating but it wasn't my intention to trigger more a general debate around cycling safety here.

 

[Smokin Joe]

I've often wondered what the circumstances were. I never met Dave, but he bought a bike from me a couple of months before he died. As this was during lockdown and travel was restricted he was unable to pick it up himself, but his daughter lives in the next villiage and it was she who called to collect, Dave picking it up from her later.

I've still got the PMs he sent and he came across as a really nice guy, I was shocked when I heard what had happened.

 

[Moodyman]

I was reminiscing about the King Alfred’s Way I did earlier this year and was fondly remembering the long slog out of Winchester towards King’s Somborne.

I remembered a fast, twisty descent (Sarum Road) following the climb and that, something wasn’t right. A bit eerie. Maybe it was the long slog after a filling lunch. Maybe it was the prospect of the climb on the other side of the crossroads at the bottom (*).

Whilst browsing Cyclechat earlier today, I came across a post by Dave Davenport and remembered that he was quite prolific. Often starting new threads.

So, I did google search to see if there was an update on his ongoing inquest. Yep. It was concluded in June this year.

The driver failed to see Dave as she pulled out of Sarum Road and it was deemed an unavoidable accident. Reasons given:

- Dave wasn’t wearing a helmet
- Dave wasn’t wearing hi viz
- Dave didn’t have lights on, even though it was daylight.

I’m lost for words.

https://www.hampshirechronicle.co.u...-man-died-unavoidable-accident-inquest-hears/

Tagged @Bollo and @Smokin Joe

* Dave was killed at the crossroad (I’ve learned today). Could this have been the weird feeling earlier this year. Who knows.

RIP Dave.

 

[Smokin Joe]

Jesus, that's incredible. In two decades as an ADI I don't know how many times I emphasized to pupils that it was your duty to make sure the road was clear before emerging from a junction and there could be no excuses if you pulled into the path of somebody. Attempt to do that on a driving test and the examiners foot would be on the brake an d you'd be marked with a dangerous fault and an automatic fail.

Death by careless driving should have been an automatic verdict, and any driver who needs others to be wearing hi-viz in order to see them does not have good enough vision to be on the roads.

Dave's death hit me particularly hard, as I have previously mentioned he bought a bike off me a short while before this tragic event occurred. I never met him as it was his daughter who picked the bike up. She lives not to far away from me but unfortunately I never got her address.

 

[sheddy]

A truly astonishing verdict.

My cynical take: if the driver had not been a doctor administering CPR there would have been a charge.

 

[raleighnut]

That's disgusting, 2 cyclists riding abreast should be as visible as a car and as for claiming the accident was 'unavoidable'