Will this make the roads safer?

[Tetedelacourse]

In addition to the custodial, a life driving ban is the only sensible punishment for this idiot. She had no regard for anyone else's life behind the wheel that day, so she should make do with a bus pass when she gets out in case that attitude is still there in future. Causing death because you're not looking where you're going is more than enough justification to remove the right to drive, which as has already been pointed out is NOT an essential part of life.

Fair to say the cyclist has been punished enough for his actions, which were of course wrong.

 

[MartinC]

I'll copy the post I put on the same thread in Campaigning. It seems just as relevant here.

"When I look at the way some car drivers behave in this country it seems to me that they believe it's OK to kill other vulnerable road users who have, in their view, transgressed the 'rules' of the road. For example the inattentive child, the slow elderly person or in this case a cyclist who has stopped at a red light and then decided to proceed because he neglected to allow for a speeding, texting motorist.

This attitude isn't supported by the Highway Code or by the law and it's gobsmacking to see it parroted here.

The law is that a green light means you can proceed if the way is clear. Exceeding the speed limit by 50% when approaching a junction is criminally stupid and so is texting while you're doing it.

Given that she also has 2 previous speeding convictions and that killing another human being is a serious matter as far as most of us are concerned 4 years doesn't seem excessive.

The 'unlikely to re-offend' argument seems fairly specious too. This is the third time she's been caught speeding in this area. If one of the killed person's relatives decide to exact retribution in kind by killing her should they be let off because they were unlikely to re-offend?

As for the cyclist - yes, RLJ'ing is a criminal offence and people should be prosecuted for it. As far as I'm aware dead people aren't prosecuted in the UK."

 

[Jacomus-rides-Gen]

Indeed - we do not have the death penalty. AFAIK the penalty for RLJing a bike is a £60 fine, not death.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

No one has said that the cyclist "deserved" this to happen to him, only that had he obeyed the red light he'd still be alive. Which is true.

 

[Jacomus-rides-Gen]

Very true, I can't help but wonder though, would he have been killed, or even hit had she been doing the 30mph limit for that road, and not using her mobile phone around the time of the collision?

It is an unanswerable question, we can only say that he probably would have got away with it.

Are we not taught to drive in a manner that allows us to react safely to surprise situations by travelling at a speed that is both legal and not faster than will allow us to stop in the distance we can see to be clear?

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Absolutely. For the record, I think the motorist in this case was driving very badly indeed and deserves whatever she gets.

 

[Tetedelacourse]

The problem is though that some (including me) believe that she deserves more than she's getting.

 

[Maz]

as said, they stand together

the word 'can' in the first statement makes it work with the second

That's fair enough.

 

[gambatte]

That's fair enough.

No it isn't.

There's only one way to solve this......
.
.
.


Now I know I've been watching too much Harry Hill!!!!!

 

[Maz]

No it isn't.

There's only one way to solve this......

FIGHT!

 

[Mac66]

I like the way the incident was reported. If memory serves it made a point of saying that he wasn't wearing a helmet. Why is that relevant?

 

[HJ]

I like the way the incident was reported. If memory serves it made a point of saying that he wasn't wearing a helmet. Why is that relevant?

It isn't, it is just that non cyclist regard not wearing a helmet it is a sign of irresponsibility, even if he had been wearing a helmet it would have made no difference at all to the out come. It is completely irrelevant, being hit by a car at 45mph is going to be fatal even if the cyclist is wearing a fashion item cycle helmet.

RLJing is irresponsible and wrong.