Guilty or Not Guilty

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DRM

Guru
Location
West Yorks
Just a reminder that the driver entered a guilty plea. Whatever mistakes the cyclists may have made they did not endanger the driver.
No they didn’t, but lack of awareness put themselves in danger
 
A similar thing happened to me the other day but I remained upright! I slowed down to let the idiot in a white BMW past ! It was a narrow road and we were approaching one another . He was driving fast towards me . I was wondering if he was ever going to slow down ! He eventually did just a few yards in front of me ! I gave him my most serious Paddington Bear stare as he went past ! :angry:
 

Dogtrousers

Kilometre nibbler
I'm loving all of these pompous expert "if it was me I'd have done this and that and the other" comments. I'm surprised no one's mentioned saddle height.
 
I just had another look at the video .
Did the rider who was videoing the ride run into the person who came off ?
I can't see how when they turned round to see the Land Rover that they avoided hitting her !
 
The person who fell off reminded me of a few times when I have had to stop and not realised that the ground on my left was slightly lower than expected
Hence I put my foot down onto thin air
which result in a slow fall to the left accompanied by a growing hope that no-one is around to notice

Although the car is clearly going too fast for the circumstance - to be clear
 

nickyboy

Norven Mankey
Everyone has differing thresholds of what's acceptable. If that was me cycling I'd have thought "hmmm, wish he'd slowed down a bit". Then just got on with the ride. I wouldn't have felt endangered, no big deal. Appreciate that the police force and recording magistrate felt it was bad enough to prosecute but I wouldn't regard it as particularly poor driving.

I can't help but think the rider falling off (which had precious little to do with the incident) influenced the process
 

newfhouse

Resolutely on topic
Appreciate that the police force and recording magistrate felt it was bad enough to prosecute but I wouldn't regard it as particularly poor driving.
The police offered a driver training course, presumably because they didn't feel it serious or clear cut enough to prosecute. It seems it only went to court because the driver failed to attend.

Had the rider not fallen the video would likely never have been published or sent to the police.

The way I see it, the falling rider was inattentive when the leader braked suddenly. Some of us may like to think we are sufficiently robust to shrug off a close pass like that but drivers have no way of gauging a cyclist's risk tolerance. In situations like that they should be more cautious and slow the f... down.
 

Alex321

Veteran
Location
South Wales
The police offered a driver training course, presumably because they didn't feel it serious or clear cut enough to prosecute. It seems it only went to court because the driver failed to attend.
That isn't the way that works. You get offered the course for a variety of offences in place of prosecution. If you don't take up the offer, or if you do but then fail to attend, then the prosecution goes ahead.

You aren't offered the course because it isn't serious or clear enough to prosecute - and if you were, then the evidence still wouldn't be enough to prosecute if you declined.


Had the rider not fallen the video would likely never have been published or sent to the police.

Very likely.

The way I see it, the falling rider was inattentive when the leader braked suddenly. Some of us may like to think we are sufficiently robust to shrug off a close pass like that but drivers have no way of gauging a cyclist's risk tolerance. In situations like that they should be more cautious and slow the f... down.

Agreed.
 
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newfhouse

Resolutely on topic
You aren't offered the course because it isn't serious or clear enough to prosecute - and if you were, then the evidence still wouldn't be enough to prosecute if you declined.

In practice an assessment is made about the seriousness, the administrative burden and the likelihood of conviction. In that respect it is similar to being offered a police caution for some other offences - there is an admission of guilt but no onerous punishment. Of course the driver is free to argue the toss in court if he wishes to take the risk of losing. The whole process - for both sides - is like a game of poker.
 
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