Driver gets 18 months for hit and run on Simon Richardson

[growingvegetables]

How about following his lead and accepting the sentence?

Hmmm - fwiw, I disagree. I have every respect for Simon Richardson's courage and dignity ........ and I hope it doesn't sound like I'm demeaning it by suggesting it's maybe an important and healthy part of the healing process; part of "mentally putting oneself back together"?

But that's not the end of it surely - the onus is on people NOT directly involved t make their voices heard, and be critical, raise the questions, aye - and do something

Rhyl Cycling Club sprang to mind - the statements of families and club were also courageous and dignified after the tragedy of 2006 ........ but the CTC and British Cycling http://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...ey-the-story-of-a-cycling-tragedy-412717.htmlhttp://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...ey-the-story-of-a-cycling-tragedy-412717.htmlhttp://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...ey-the-story-of-a-cycling-tragedy-412717.htmlhttp://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...ey-the-story-of-a-cycling-tragedy-412717.htmlprotested about the outcome - a consequence, they say, of prosecutors' failure in the first place to charge the motorist with the crime of careless driving.

Fair enough; depressing that it's still on the agenda. [Damn it - even more depressing; I'd a senior moment, forgetting the name of the Rhyl Club; trawling around trying to find it threw up a fair few Olympians and hopefuls - Lewis Balyckyi, Jason McIntyre, Zak Carr]

 

[Banjo]

I could have been a bit more magnaminous until the guy did a runner and tried to hide his van. If another motorist hadnt chased him to get his number the barsteward may well have got away with it.

 

[Mo1959]

It he behaves himself in the clink he'll automatically serve only 9 months.

...........and will possibly even get out sooner on the tag!

 

[steve52]

i would give him 3 weeks. but wouldent feed him during that time, but im cruel and vindictive

 

[srw]

He's a bigger man than I am.

Possibly. But it's him who's had his life's ambition scuppered. And him who has to learn to ride a bike again. Unless we're actually willing to get out there and do something practical and useful rather than just sit in our armchairs feeling smug about posting vitriol on the internet I think we owe it to his resolve and his dignity to shut the fark up rather than use his experience as a political toy.

 

[Banjo]

Possibly. But it's him who's had his life's ambition scuppered. And him who has to learn to ride a bike again. Unless we're actually willing to get out there and do something practical and useful rather than just sit in our armchairs feeling smug about posting vitriol on the internet I think we owe it to his resolve and his dignity to shut the f*** up rather than use his experience as a political toy.

Not sure what qualifies you to tell people to shut the f up. I posted to express my exasperation at yet another lenient sentence for someone who threatens other peoples lives by his ridiculously substandard driving.

Maybe Simons way of dealing with this is to play it down but underneath I think he is probably seething. Did you see the interview where Simon mentioned that the driver has not personally apologised to him?

Simon Richardson is an amazing man on so many levels but whatever his way of dealing with this it doesnt proclude other people feeling outraged.

 

[dawesome]

The sentence is a joke, this odious man will be back on the roads in 5 years. You leave someone badly injured in the road you've shown you are not to be trusted behind the wheel.

 

[MacB]

Possibly. But it's him who's had his life's ambition scuppered. And him who has to learn to ride a bike again. Unless we're actually willing to get out there and do something practical and useful rather than just sit in our armchairs feeling smug about posting vitriol on the internet I think we owe it to his resolve and his dignity to shut the f*** up rather than use his experience as a political toy.

I'm a bit yay and nay on this one, I don't feel a custodial sentence serves anything but a thirst for vengeance here and so disagree with it. But the suggestion upthread of a lifetime ban for anyone that flees the scene of an accident, well that I can go with.

 

[Drago]

I'm a bit yay and nay on this one, I don't feel a custodial sentence serves anything but a thirst for vengeance here and so disagree with it.

it keeps them out of circulation so the rest of us are safe from them, at least for a little while.

 

[Accy cyclist]

"As for the court's verdict, I am happy in a way with the sentence.
"I would have been happy whatever sentence he got, even if he walked free.
"At the end of the day, it was just an accident and he did not deliberately set out to knock me down.

I don't think many if any set out to deliberately knock you down, but i wouldn't be so forgiving to someone who couldn't miss to see me like this victim,in "bright clothing", yet did because he was p!!sed!

 

[gambatte]

The hit paralympian expressed his opinion. Just because he was the victim doesn't mean we can't have a differring opinion. I do.
I can't equate someone having a whisky breakast, getting in the car and mowing down a cyclist with an accident.

 

[dawesome]

Insurance companies treat refusing to give a blood or breath sample as the worst-case-scenario so the premium is loaded as it would be for a drunk driving conviction. Crashing into someone whilst drunk then running away and trying to hide the evidence and blaming sneezing and the sun is cowardly and should be treated the same as if a death was caused. Hit and runs should be treated as if the victim died, along the same lines as insurance principles.

As for the victim's feelings dictating what we should or shouldn't discuss, does that mean if the victim bays for blood we should do the same? That makes no sense.

 

[Crankarm]

The sentence indicates how the State ie the court wishes to deal with an offender who has committed an offence. The victim is just a witness. I just wonder what an offender has to do to get a maximum sentence for the offences in question? The thresh hold seems impossibly high. Maybe it is because the prisons are all full and custodial sentences are reserved for people who are genuinely a danger to us such as murderers, crooked bankers and serial killers. In Japan a few years ago they had a problem of space so they executed a few very dangerous lifers. Simples.

This sentence does seem unduly light given the aggregious behaviour of the driver and his lack of remorse.

 

[Cyclopathic]

Personally I'd like to have seen it be a bit longer to make other people think a bit more about it and to confirm that cyclists are people worthy of not being run down and left for dead.
The 5 year ban could also have been longer. I hope that it starts when he leaves prison and not immediately. Taken together it is harsher than some sentences I've heard of but it still does not convey the right message to people

 

[oldroadman]

The ban [robably means little to someone who will be unable to get insured for an affordable sum, so in the end another uninsured, unlicensed, untaxed, an-MOT'd driver and vehicle on the road. WIth small chance of getting caught, and even if he does, what else can happen - crushed car is about it.
The law tends to work with people who have some respect for it, someone who knowingly goes out driving drunk has shown their opinion.