It Was The Spiders Fault.

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Not good but probably the best that can be expected. The cyclist has paid the ultimate price, whatever the outcome of this.

Just a modicum of comfort:
Defence barrister Rupert Taylor ... said that Mills was never going to drive again...".
If that's true, something to respect.
 

Will1985

Über Member
Location
South Norfolk
I'm uneasy about the part where it says the cyclist was "inside the rumble strip - not on the main road."

It doesn't change the blame, but it makes it sound as though that is where cyclists should be.
 
Will1985 said:
I'm uneasy about the part where it says the cyclist was "inside the rumble strip - not on the main road."

It doesn't change the blame, but it makes it sound as though that is where cyclists should be.
It might mean there was an audible edge line and the cyclist was to the left of it and not on the main carriageway :smile:
 

Will1985

Über Member
Location
South Norfolk
Yes, but why should that have been significant enough in the case for the BBC to have written it?

It shouldn't have mattered which side of the line the cyclist was, but someone clearly thought it important enough to raise the point in court. It just sounds a bit too much like segregation and reinforces the public perception that cyclists should be away from cars.

Just my thoughts anyway...
 

fossyant

Ride It Like You Stole It!
Location
South Manchester
That's one view, but the driver should have 'corrected' as they heard the rumble. She didn't even know she'd hit the cyclist till after...something's fishy here though. Would have been a hell of a bang.
 

Will1985

Über Member
Location
South Norfolk
Fair enough - where she hit him hardly matters. She got distracted and drifted. He could have been on the right side of the line and still be dead. I can't see why they felt the need to mention it.
 
Its the BBC quite often they mention meaningless drivel or only give half the story.
 
D

Deleted member 1258

Guest
fossyant said:
That's one view, but the driver should have 'corrected' as they heard the rumble. She didn't even know she'd hit the cyclist till after...something's fishy here though. Would have been a hell of a bang.

Sad to here about more loss of life, but I have to agree with fossyant, there's something fishy about this. Why did she try to evict it whilst still moving? why didn't she hear the rumble strip and correct? How can she have not realised she had hit two cyclists.
 

Baggy

Cake connoisseur
Uncle Mort said:
I saw the report on the BBC news and my understanding was that it was mentioned to show the driver had driven off the carriageway and into (or past) the rumble strip. I didn't read any implication that the cyclist should be segregated into it at all.
Having read the more detailed report in our local rag, that's the way I interpret it as well.

The driver accepted blame right from the start, which is why the judge may have shown leniency. It's a sorry affair all round.
 

wafflycat

New Member
dave r said:
Sad to here about more loss of life, but I have to agree with fossyant, there's something fishy about this. Why did she try to evict it whilst still moving? why didn't she hear the rumble strip and correct? How can she have not realised she had hit two cyclists.

It's a truly horrible thing. :smile: But perhaps there's actually nothing fishy about it at all. Perhaps she's one of those people who is scared of spiders and simply panicked. When some panics they end up doing all sorts of irrational things.
 

PBancroft

Senior Member
Location
Winchester
Baggy said:
The driver accepted blame right from the start, which is why the judge may have shown leniency. It's a sorry affair all round.

In a way I think its admirable that the driver said that she accepts the blame when so many would not have done. It is a sorry affair and something which shouldn't have happened, but if she stands by her word not to drive again maybe that's a good thing. Even if she does drive again but makes sure her skills are up to scratch beforehand that's more than most people.

It is sad but maybe... just maybe... a step in the right direction for people taking responsibility on the roads.
 

buggi

Bird Saviour
Location
Solihull
if she's scared of spiders, she wouldn't have grabbed it. more likely she's not scared of it, but just wanted to get rid of it. she should have stopped the car and if she took her eyes off the road for "2 seconds" then she should have already known the cyclist was ahead of her, and shouldn't have got distracted.
 

buggi

Bird Saviour
Location
Solihull
however, i'm sure she didn't set out that morning to kill someone and probably feels awful. would anything be gained by sending her to prison?? it's a toughy, that's for sure, because such a lenient sentence sends out all the wrong signals, but she probably does punish herself enough. i know if i hit someone and killed them, i couldn't live with myself.
 
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