Gosh we have a long way to go still.

[Brains]

Basis he has been given 2 years, typically people do half of time given, less the time he may have spent on remand, means he may well be out by this Christmas, and will certainly be out by next Christmas.

12 months for murder and perverting justice.
It means that 'accidently' killing senior cycle riding politician could be almost worth while.

 

[Norm]

The bit which ires me is that he drove all that way to get rid of the bike! He knew exactly that he had done, yet he gets to serve only 1/3 more for murder and than if he had broken someone's nose.

12 months for murder and perverting justice.
It means that 'accidently' killing senior cycle riding politician could be almost worth while.

I think that mighjt even be seen as furthering the course of justice, rather than perverting it.

 

[Crankarm]

I would urge people if they are outraged to a) write to office of the Attorney General taking issue with the leniency of the sentence and the inadequate charges that were brought, the AG can refer the case to the Court of Appeal for re-sentencing, your MP.

 

[Arch]

I would urge people if they are outraged to a) write to office of the Attorney General taking issue with the leniency of the sentence and the inadequate charges that were brought, the AG can refer the case to the Court of Appeal for re-sentencing, your MP.

Fair point. Being outraged is one thing, but until enough people are outraged, and in public, the inertia that favours the motorist will just continue...

 

[ComedyPilot]

I think we ought to petition the CPS about an unduly lenient sentence.

 

[ComedyPilot]

A woman writes a (bad) article about a man that died of natural causes, and thousands of people are horrified enough to complain.

A cyclist is dragged under the wheels of a wagon and killed, the driver tries to dispose of the bike and not report the 'accident', gets an unduly lenient sentence and the 'general' public don't give a hoot?

 

[Crankarm]

A woman writes a (bad) article about a man that died of natural causes, and thousands of people are horrified enough to complain.

A cyclist is dragged under the wheels of a wagon and killed, the driver tries to dispose of the bike and not report the 'accident', gets an unduly lenient sentence and the 'general' public don't give a hoot?

It's shocking. The world is f'd up.

 

[andyfromotley]

i managed to have a look at the paper today,

it seem the driver plead guilty to

Failing to stop at an accident. Failing to report an accident. Failing to take an obligatory break after 4.5 hours of driving. Careless driving

He plead not guilty to death by dangerous driving and was acquitted, not guilty to perverting the course of justice of which he was found guilty.

The judge was damning of him, stating that given the state of the bike he must have been aware that the cyclist was possibly dead, yet still he tried to cover up his actions.
Unfortunately her sentencing didnt reflect the disgust that she and we feel about it.

Unbelievably the cyclists family when they were informed of his death (but were unaware of the circumstances) had the compassion to say to the officers dealing with it that they hoped the driver was ok. Fine sounding people.

I really am very angry about this. How on earth can this be called justice?

 

[Nipper]

I am upset and outraged too. He should have had a much harsher sentence and been banned from ever driving or owning a motor vehicle again.

For some reason being in a car or lorry seems to give you the legal right to kill and maim without any fear of breaking the law. This is clearly mad and in the distant future we will look back at this time in astonishment that people could live this way. I think the law is this way because so many people know deep down that they are taking too great a risk with the way they drive and fear they may find themselves in the situation of having caused an accident. They are comforted by the knowledge that they will get no more than a slap on the wrists.

It is time for a change. I want speed bump enforced 20 mph speed limits in all built up areas and engine sizes in cars to be limited. I want cars and lorries to be MADE to give way to pedestrians and cyclists in all situations. I want high quality cycle paths. Most of all I want dangerous driving treated with the seriousness it deserves, I want these drivers off the road and their cars crushed, for the firsts offence, no leniency, make them walk or cycle or ride the bus. It is the Bull that must be tamed!If we take the take crimes like speeding, harassing cyclists, failing to stop on red, etc... more seriously then people would drive more carefully around the soft traffic and less deaths would occur. It is not acceptable that so many people are killed on the roads every year, it is time to take the drivers to task.[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]

 

[Crankarm]

You don't want much then ...........

Some might argue why punish the few for the bad behaviour of the many? The driver in this case was driving a lorry not a car. 20 mph speed limits are totally impractical. They would slow me down on my bike. Ok if you plod along at 8mph but not a good move if you can easily exceed 20mph on a bike.

Surely all reasonable fair minded people including road users whether pedestrian, cyclist, car driver or truck driver would find the actions of this driver abhorrent and his punishment totally inadequate?

 

[Nipper]

Hi Crankarm,
You are right about all people finding that drivers actions abhorrent, I am sure they would. I think that we do need the law to act as a deterrent to dangerous driving by having stiffer sentences at all levels not just the murderers but the speeders and the drive too close and the the mobile phone users and the turn left across the cyclist drivers... They should all lose the right to drive and have their cars crushed, this would send the message 'DRIVE SAFELY'.

As to the 20 mph thing, motor vehicles driven at speed kill people. They need to be slowed down and 20 mph is a sensible speed for safety and community. It works in many other countries and on many roads in the UK. (If the council would put in the speed bumps it would work in my village too. We have the limit but too many drivers still speed.) You may ride along at 20 mph but you are in a tiny minority of cyclists or you will be when modal share hits 50% plus. It is important to see the end goal of a better, safer society where people walk and cycle, new cyclists will only get out of their cars if they feel safe and so we need to slow the motor vehicles down. I also don't see the need for a speed limit on cyclists, if we have proper wide paths you should be able to travel safely at speed, just as they do in Holland.

 

[PaulB]

Here's another one seemingly getting away with it.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/south_of_scotland/8334360.stm

 

[Nipper]

Here's another one seemingly getting away with it.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/south_of_scotland/8334360.stm

This is why the law needs to change so drivers are presumed at fault unless they can prove otherwise.

 

[Crankarm]

Here's another one seemingly getting away with it.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/south_of_scotland/8334360.stm

More inadequate crappy BBC reporting as well, as to a fuller report and the circumstances in which the cyclist was killed, and why no charges are to be brought.

 

[Crankarm]

This is why the law needs to change so drivers are presumed at fault unless they can prove otherwise.

I agree with this, but not a 20mph speed limit. Enforcement of current speed limits would be preferable. I don't find cars travelling at 30mph or less in a 30mph taking suitable care to pass widely and safely a problem. Don't see the need to make them go any slower. To do so would just mean that many more would not obey the speed limit. Excessive speed above the national speed limit should mean automatic loss and crushing of vehicle and a full 6 months in jail for offenders. Period. Just like the idiot biker in Scotland who was clocked travelling at 166mph, yes 166mph!!!! He should have his bike crushed, fined £3000 and locked up for a full 18 months.