# Tragedy - family friend death



## mumbo jumbo (28 Jun 2012)

I've not seen anything about this online but yesterday afternoon the 20 year old son of some of our closest friends was killed here in Birmingham. I've known him since he was 2 - a wonderfully talented young guy. We were out at a concert with him Mum only on Monday. My wife was told this morning and she texted me at work. I've been in bits ever since. All we know is that he was on his bike, something happened (I don't know what or where) and he died shortly after arriving at Selly Oak hospital. He died before any of his family could see him. Something is bound to appear on the wires sooner or later. When it does, I'm sure many will want to discuss / debate it here. By all means do so, but please - with dignity. Thanks.

mj


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## lozcs (28 Jun 2012)




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## dawesome (28 Jun 2012)

20. RIP.


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## roadrash (28 Jun 2012)

so sad


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## mumbo jumbo (28 Jun 2012)

[QUOTE 1909979, member: 45"]In Solihull?

http://www.west-midlands.police.uk/latest-news/appeal.asp?id=4882
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-18614636

Terrible news.[/quote]
Looks like the one. "A 54-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and is currently on police bail." It makes me feel numb.


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## marshmella (28 Jun 2012)

Terrible tragedy, many condolences to you and the lads family.


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## Dayvo (28 Jun 2012)

Terribly sad. Condolences to all parties.


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## ianrauk (28 Jun 2012)

Sorry to hear this.


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## 400bhp (28 Jun 2012)




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## defy-one (28 Jun 2012)

Thoughts are with you and all concerned


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## growingvegetables (28 Jun 2012)

Condolences to the lad's family and you.


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## TonyEnjoyD (28 Jun 2012)

A sad sad loss
My condolences.


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## fossyant (28 Jun 2012)

Very very sorry for all friends and family. Terrible.


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## fossyant (28 Jun 2012)

Best wishes mumbo jumbo. Take it easy.


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## mumbo jumbo (28 Jun 2012)

My wife and I have been to the location. It will be for the police to work it out precisely but in my (admittedly non-expert) view it is pretty clear that he was mown down from behind. He didn't stand a chance.


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## Paul_L (28 Jun 2012)

Awful news. So sorry to hear that MJ.

RIP to the young chap and thoughts to his family and you.


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## deptfordmarmoset (28 Jun 2012)

Condolences to family and friends, MJ. Bad news indeed.


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## wintonbina (28 Jun 2012)

Sending my love to you all RIP


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## downfader (28 Jun 2012)

RIP and condolences to all friends and family of the poor lad.


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## Nigeyy (28 Jun 2012)

Very sorry Mumbo Jumbo, horrible, horrible news. Just awful.


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## Dronespace (28 Jun 2012)

Condolences to you and the family


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## middleagecyclist (28 Jun 2012)

Condolences. Tragic. Difficult to say anything else.


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## Kiwiavenger (29 Jun 2012)

Sorry to hear about this. Rip.

Sent from my LT15i using Tapatalk 2


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## lukesdad (29 Jun 2012)

So sad for one so young.


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## PJ79LIZARD (29 Jun 2012)

Just shows how vulnerable we are, and how fragile life is. You walk out your front door and hop on your bike......

20 my god that's awfull, I can't imagine the grief the parents and you are feeling

RIP


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## BrumJim (29 Jun 2012)

Thoughts and condolances are with you and his family.

If you need to meet up for a chat about this I'm available. Can't promise any words of comfort or hope, empathy or shared experience. Just an ear.


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## Scoosh (29 Jun 2012)

Oh NO !  (not flippant smilie)

I'm sure you'll be able to help the parents come through this and please let them know how sad CC is at their loss - and yours.


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## spen666 (29 Jun 2012)

mumbo jumbo said:


> Looks like the one. "A 54-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and is currently on police bail." It makes me feel numb.


 
Killing someone whilst driving is one of the only situations where the alleged perpetrator is virtually automatically released on bail after arrest (& charge) pending trial

What does that say about our attitude to deaths resulting from driving


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## Cubist (29 Jun 2012)

spen666 said:


> Killing someone whilst driving is one of the only situations where the alleged perpetrator is virtually automatically released on bail after arrest (& charge) pending trial
> 
> What does that say about our attitude to deaths resulting from driving


Not a great deal, but feel free to rewrite the Police and Criminal Evidence Acts and Bail Acts to suit what you think ought to happen. 

Condolences OP, it's truly terrible to be so close to such a tragedy.


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## mumbo jumbo (29 Jun 2012)

spen666 said:


> Killing someone whilst driving is one of the only situations where the alleged perpetrator is virtually automatically released on bail after arrest (& charge) pending trial
> 
> What does that say about our attitude to deaths resulting from driving


I've been to the scene and, whilst I'm no road traffic incident expert, it is pretty clear what happened. The police will have to work out why. I'm not sure what, if anything, I can safely say here without potentially damaging the trial.

I have posted here before about sentencing policy in cases like this. It's just shocking to now have to deal with it up close and personal.

Thanks for all your support.


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## Strick (29 Jun 2012)

Tragic news. Such a waste of young life.
Obviously I dont know either you or your friend, but condolences all the same to his friends and family.


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## mickle (29 Jun 2012)

Awful. My heart goes out to you and his family.


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## tiswas-steve (29 Jun 2012)

My thoughts and prayers are with you and the young lads family.


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## HLaB (29 Jun 2012)

All I can say sorry is RIP


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## GrumpyGregry (29 Jun 2012)

Tragic. Just tragic. Sorry for your, and their, loss.


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## John90 (29 Jun 2012)

Christ, 20. I can't begin to imagine the family's and friends grief and distress. So sorry.


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## Headgardener (29 Jun 2012)

My condolences to you and the family of the young man Mumbo Jumbo.


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## CopperBrompton (1 Jul 2012)

Condolences, MJ.



> I've been to the scene and, whilst I'm no road traffic incident expert, it is pretty clear what happened. The police will have to work out why. I'm not sure what, if anything, I can safely say here


Best to say nothing. The first thing road collision investigators learn is never to jump to conclusions, as it's often the case that what 'obviously' happened isn't in fact what happened. The facts will be known in due course, and there's nothing to be gained by speculative posts in the meantime.


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## jdtate101 (1 Jul 2012)

That's the stretch that goes past the cemetery right? If so, then I've gone that way myself a few times and it never struck me as a dangerous road in any way. Any age to be killed in an RTA is a tragedy, but 20 yrs old is just such a devastating waste of a life. I hope the book gets thrown at the driver but I'll not hold my breath, as justice for cyclists is woeful in this country. Awful.


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## theloafer (1 Jul 2012)

Condolences to family and friends, MJ. Bad news indeed... so young .


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## mumbo jumbo (2 Jul 2012)

Trikeman said:


> Condolences, MJ.
> 
> 
> Best to say nothing. The first thing road collision investigators learn is never to jump to conclusions, as it's often the case that what 'obviously' happened isn't in fact what happened. The facts will be known in due course, and there's nothing to be gained by speculative posts in the meantime.


I've made a video of the incident site and spoken to one or two of the residents. The video is "private" (in YouTube parlance) and I have no intention of publishing it unless / until I get legal advice that I can safely do so. That may not be until after any trial. It's immensely frustrating. The vid only shows what anyone who visits the site could see for themselves. I do not make any comment about the driver in the vid, just say what I see. I admit I can't know all the facts but I have drawn some "obvious" conclusions. Time will tell if I'm right.


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## mumbo jumbo (2 Jul 2012)

jdtate101 said:


> That's the stretch that goes past the cemetery right? If so, then I've gone that way myself a few times and it never struck me as a dangerous road in any way. Any age to be killed in an RTA is a tragedy, but 20 yrs old is just such a devastating waste of a life. I hope the book gets thrown at the driver but I'll not hold my breath, as justice for cyclists is woeful in this country. Awful.


Yep - right by the cemetery. Not a dangerous road in the slightest. The approach to the incident site is perfectly straight. Apart from being part of the support network for the family, my main concern now is the legal side of things - the inquest, the police investigation, the trial and sentencing. I'm in touch with Cyclists Defence League, British Cycling etc to make sure we have the right people on the job.


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## Plax (2 Jul 2012)

If it was right by the cemetry do you think the driver was in some way distracted? No excuse I know but I've had an incident when a woman crashed into me coming out of a cemetry exit. She basically went to turn right, clearly never saw me until it was too late, panicked, stomped on the accelerator instead on the brake (she admitted to this straight away) and crashed straight into the side of me. Knocked me clean into the other lane. Would have been really nasty if I was on my bike at the time and not in my car. This was on a road which really I wouldn't rate as dangerous.

Anyways condolances to yourself and friends of the young man concerned.


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## mumbo jumbo (2 Jul 2012)

I can't imagine what can have been going through the driver's head. Hopefully the police will do their job and work that out.


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## Arjimlad (2 Jul 2012)

Truly awful. So sorry to read of this tragic loss.


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## Wobblers (2 Jul 2012)

Terrible, terrible news. My thoughts go out to his friends and family as well as yourself, MJ.


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## BrumJim (17 Jan 2013)

Not a great result:
http://www.solihullnews.net/news/so...er-cyclist-dies-in-collision-105074-32622442/


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## sabian92 (17 Jan 2013)

BrumJim said:


> Not a great result:
> http://www.solihullnews.net/news/so...er-cyclist-dies-in-collision-105074-32622442/


 
THIRTY FIVE QUID?

Is that the price of a human life?

What a f**king ridiculous penalty to hand out.


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## Hip Priest (17 Jan 2013)

Given the description of the incident in the above article, he seems to have got off astonishingly lightly. Injustice piled upon tragedy. My sympathies to Mr Ridgway's family & friends.


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## GetAGrip (17 Jan 2013)

Deleted


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## glenn forger (17 Jan 2013)

> The victim’s aunt Debbie Sarjant broke down in tears at Solihull Magistrates Court as Malcolm Stoddart, prosecuting, described how her nephew’s body was flung onto the bonnet of driver Ichhapal Bhamra’s car.
> But the 54-year-old, of Oak Hill Crescent, Acocks Green, had carried on driving a further 90 metres, with the cyclist on his Toyota Previa, hitting traffic signs along the way until finally colliding with a tree.


 
WTF?


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## Herzog (17 Jan 2013)

35 quid, better if it was nothing, that's an insulting amount. Especially after:

"...the 54-year-old, of Oak Hill Crescent, Acocks Green, had carried on driving a further 90 metres, with the cyclist on his Toyota Previa, hitting traffic signs along the way until finally colliding with a tree."​ 
"...the Crown Prosecution Service were unable to determine the cause of the crash and whether that, or the subsequent journey, had caused Tom’s death."​ 
I'm not sure I fully understand the CPS judgement...


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## glenn forger (17 Jan 2013)

Baffling. What the hell is going on at the CPS? £35, I mean, you may as well fine the driver a ham sandwich, not being flippant but how the xxxx did they arrive at that figure? If the driver had been seen using a mobile phone he would have been fined more, yet he carried the lad on his vehicle for nearly 300 feet.


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## fossyant (17 Jan 2013)

And just 3 points FFS. The guy that knocked a cyclist off that I saw got more than that - 3 points and £120 and that was for bumps and bruises. Grrrr


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## MisterStan (17 Jan 2013)

Words fail me.


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## Beebo (17 Jan 2013)

Not an easy one to understand. He was a professional driver, the expected standard of driving should have been higher than average, and the duty of care should have been higher too.


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## Rickshaw Phil (17 Jan 2013)

This is absolutely appalling! How can driving so badly it costs a life result in a fine smaller than you'd get for littering??


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## CopperBrompton (17 Jan 2013)

I think this is one of those awful situations where it's blindingly obvious what happened - the driver wasn't paying attention immediately after the collision so we can be pretty confident the same was true immediately before it - but the evidence just isn't there for a conviction. :-(

The driver hasn't been prosecuted for the collision, hence the crazily low fine.

The only positive is him handing back his taxi licence.


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## Saluki (17 Jan 2013)

That is appalling, absolutely appalling. Is there no appeal or anything about the sentence? I am totally shocked.
One of my customers got fined £200 and had to pay compensation and had 6 points on his licence (taking him over the 12 and thus getting a 6 month ban) after running over a dog.
£35 fine for a human life is beyond belief.


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## jiggerypokery (17 Jan 2013)

£35....that's what a Young boy's life is worth in Solihull in 2013.

http://www.solihullnews.net/news/so...er-cyclist-dies-in-collision-105074-32622442/

I ride this route most days, bit of a rat-run but nowhere near as dangerous as many other roads can be in the area and Solihull is for the most part very bike friendly so this..... Sickens me as it was obviously to my mind (and yes I'm making assumptions) one of those lack of concentration SMIDSY encounters that we all fear.

I missed the OP when it was first made but this is so close to home - RIP young man.


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## mumbo jumbo (17 Jan 2013)

I was at court for the "trial". Apart from an aunt (and two close family friends - one of them me), the family did not attend as they wanted to focus their emotional energy on celebrating Tom's wonderful life. I am still reeling from it. Compare 3 points and £35 with this sentence from the same court, reported in the same paper:
http://www.solihullnews.net/news/solihull-news/2013/01/18/driver-who-hits-parked-car-and-drives-off-is-fined-at-solihull-magistrates-court-105074-32617590/ 
Words fail me.
I know more about the case than appears in the report but wont be discussing it online out of respect to the family. I trust you'll understand.


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## Arjimlad (17 Jan 2013)

Unreal.. how could this be ? Did the driver have an epileptic fit or something & lose control of his faculties ? There must be more ?


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## downfader (17 Jan 2013)

mumbo jumbo said:


> I was at court for the "trial". Apart from an aunt (and two close family friends - one of them me), the family did not attend as they wanted to focus their emotional energy on celebrating Tom's wonderful life. I am still reeling from it. Compare 3 points and £35 with this sentence from the same court, reported in the same paper:
> http://www.solihullnews.net/news/solihull-news/2013/01/18/driver-who-hits-parked-car-and-drives-off-is-fined-at-solihull-magistrates-court-105074-32617590/
> Words fail me.
> I know more about the case than appears in the report but wont be discussing it online out of respect to the family. I trust you'll understand.


 
I cannot imagine what his poor family are going through, or you for that matter, but it broke my heart to read the news report (twitter erupted earlier over this). Sickening is the word I used to describe the sentence. 

I hope local cyclists and those elsewhere can help work to raise awareness and fight for change.


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## glenn forger (17 Jan 2013)

The local MP's on the case. This makes no sense that I can make out.


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## CopperBrompton (17 Jan 2013)

See post 60: the reason for this is the driver was not convicted for causing the collision.


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## Col5632 (17 Jan 2013)

Bloody disgraceful, my thoughts are with all who knew the boy, as others have said there was almost no point in getting a fine at all


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## mrandmrspoves (17 Jan 2013)

I fully appreciate everyone's outrage at this but don't see it as simply ss £35 being the price for a life. What would a more harsh sentence achieve? It would not bring the young lad backs -nor would it act as a deterrent to stop similar accidents. I know many will find my view infuriating but the driver appears to have suffered enough already. Inflicting more pain on him will do little to diminish the pain that the bereaved family are goinh through.
I do feel very qualified to make these comments as when I was 17 my Grandfather and I were hit by a car while we were out cycling. He was killed and I escaped with a smashed knee. As I was the surviving victim the police asked me whether I wanted them to pursue charges against the motorist. I chose not too. I have never regretted the decision. Revenge causes more pain than forgiveness. My thoughts and condolences are with all who have been affected by this.


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## glenn forger (17 Jan 2013)

mrandmrspoves said:


> -nor would it act as a deterrent to stop similar accidents. .


 
Fining a driver £35 for killing a cyclist send a very clear message that cyclists' lives are worthless. Sentences should be a deterrent. This is no deterrent whatsoever.


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## mrandmrspoves (17 Jan 2013)

glenn forger said:


> Fining a driver £35 for killing a cyclist send a very clear message that cyclists' lives are worthless. Sentences should be a deterrent. This is no deterrent whatsoever.


Sorry but no sum of money as a fine will deter motorists from driving carelessly, stupidly or downright dangerously.


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## Crankarm (18 Jan 2013)

mrandmrspoves said:


> I fully appreciate everyone's outrage at this but don't see it as simply ss £35 being the price for a life. What would a more harsh sentence achieve? It would not bring the young lad backs -nor would it act as a deterrent to stop similar accidents. I know many will find my view infuriating but the driver appears to have suffered enough already. Inflicting more pain on him will do little to diminish the pain that the bereaved family are goinh through.
> I do feel very qualified to make these comments as when I was 17 my Grandfather and I were hit by a car while we were out cycling. He was killed and I escaped with a smashed knee. As I was the surviving victim the police asked me whether I wanted them to pursue charges against the motorist. I chose not too. I have never regretted the decision. Revenge causes more pain than forgiveness. My thoughts and condolences are with all who have been affected by this.


 
I would suggest that your experiences would not generate the same response with others had they experienced the same as you.


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## Crankarm (18 Jan 2013)

Back to the instant case this judegement has got to be the most absurd pathetic sentence I have ever read. It is disgracefully lenient. Time to complain to the Attorney General about yet another incompetent judge and Keir Starmer for the idiots at this branch of the CPS. Reps ipsa loquitor - the facts speak for themselves. The driver should be in prison and a very lengthy driving ban commences when he is released. Poor lad he was so young. Run down and the State does f**k all to the driver who did it. I would have happily gone to court to call the Prosecutor and judge incompetent halfwits for the satisfaction it would bring for standing up for decency and common sense for the family and the memory of this dead lad. Shameful result. 35 bloody quid - a total insult!


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## glenn forger (18 Jan 2013)

mrandmrspoves said:


> Sorry but no sum of money as a fine will deter motorists from driving carelessly, stupidly or downright dangerously.


 
You ever cycled in countries that have Presumed Liability?


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## kedab (18 Jan 2013)

heartfelt condolences to the the family and those that knew him - 20 is not a life lived, it was barely begun...and that 'punishment'? no words can describe how i feel about that


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## Trail Child (18 Jan 2013)

This is all so sad ....


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## downfader (18 Jan 2013)

mrandmrspoves said:


> Sorry but no sum of money as a fine will deter motorists from driving carelessly, stupidly or downright dangerously.


 
But it would price/remove the incompetent and reckless off the road. Would you apply the same logic to an airline pilot that "made a mistake" and killed hundreds? Or a caterer that poisoned people through negligence in their hygiene practice?

People know full well they can get away with driving without care and attention, thats why we see the speeders so often


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## downfader (18 Jan 2013)

Trikeman said:


> See post 60: the reason for this is the driver was not convicted for causing the collision.


 
In that case you'd expect a mistrial, or retrial ruling.


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## mrandmrspoves (18 Jan 2013)

Crankarm said:


> I would suggest that your experiences would not generate the same response with others had they experienced the same as you.



You may be right.....but I am not setting myself up as Saint Poves.....
I know the woman that killed my Grandfather and injured me as a result of her lack of attention has to go through the rest of her life with this knowledge. How could a decent human being be punished more?
I also know that despite considering myself to be a careful driver, I have lapsed my concentration at the wheel and any motorist that claims they haven't is deluding themself. I am a humanist so have no faith in God - but the saying There but for the grace of God go I, is pretty well my view on this except I would use the word fate instead of God.


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## mrandmrspoves (18 Jan 2013)

downfader said:


> But it would price/remove the incompetent and reckless off the road. Would you apply the same logic to an airline pilot that "made a mistake" and killed hundreds? Or a caterer that poisoned people through negligence in their hygiene practice?
> 
> People know full well they can get away with driving without care and attention, thats why we see the speeders so often


I don't agree, when you get behind the wheel of a car, you are in a potentially lethal machine. The greatest penalty for driving wrecklessly is death - hence so many road fatalities every year. People drive like idiots despite the risk to themselves, their passengers and other road users and pedestrians.
My intention in posting my original post in this thread was not to diminish the sense of loss nor to intrude on other people's grief ..so I apologise to anyone that has been upset by my views and I will therefore stay off this thread and leaveit to serve its original purpose.


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## Cyclopathic (18 Jan 2013)

This is very sad news.


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## fimm (18 Jan 2013)

http://thecyclingsilk.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/update-from-court-cps-v-bhamra.html


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## CopperBrompton (18 Jan 2013)

downfader said:


> In that case you'd expect a mistrial, or retrial ruling.


 
No. The court found there was no evidence the driver was at fault for the collision. So no conviction for that, thus no penalty for that.

The court found that *after* the collision, he continued on for an unreasonable distance before coming to a halt, and thus was guilty of careless driving for that. Small penalty for that.

Now, commonsense suggests that if he driving carelessly after the collision, it is likely he was doing so before the collision, and it is further likely that this carelessness caused the collision. But there is no evidence of that and thus he cannot be convicted of it. It's almost uncertainly an unjust result, but people are mistakenly thinking he was given a £35 fine for causing a death.


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## glenn forger (18 Jan 2013)

Trikeman said:


> No. The court found there was no evidence the driver was at fault for the collision. So no conviction for that, thus no penalty for that.


 

No, they didn't.


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## CopperBrompton (18 Jan 2013)

glenn forger said:


> No, they didn't.


 
Technically, the CPS did, if you want to be pedantic. The point is he was *not* convicted of causing the collision and thus did *not* receive a £35 fine for that.


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## alicat (19 Jan 2013)

Condolences to the OP and the family.

The news article says it is three penalty points and a *section* 35 fine. The amount of the fine is not specified.

The driver was charged with driving without due care and attention for carrying on driving after the collision.

Like the Rhyl tragedy a few years ago, one can speculate why the charge was not greater but the punishment does not seem outrageous given the details of the charge.


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## Mista Preston (19 Jan 2013)

I have spent the past 30 minutes reading this, its so sad and deeply concerning. My condolocences go out to the family, 20 is no age to loose a life. The circumstances around the procecution shock me. Is the local MP or any other group for that matter able to influence this any further or is this case closed for the CPS?


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## Jimmy Doug (19 Jan 2013)

I have just read this too. I do understand what mrandmrspoves is trying to say, and I agree on a lot of points, but the judgement does seem incomprehensible. But this isn't the place to have a heated discussion.


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## mumbo jumbo (19 Jan 2013)

Just to settle a few points as best I can:

There is no appeal available from this sentencing decision. In any event, the family are not interested in that course of action.
The charging decision (and to a lesser extent, the sentence) is where the family's complaint lies
The local MP has indicated that she is going to take up the case. I've no doubt that other road safety / cycling campaign groups will take an interest in the case. PushBikes, the Birmingham Cycle Campaign, is certainly on the case.
The precise details of the incident were not heard in court (he simply pleaded guilty to the charge) but we learned a certain amount from a Police officer who would have been called to give evidence if there had been a trial. I do not wish to say any more about it here other than to refer you to Tom's aunt's comments at the end of this blog post (previously linked at #82 above)
http://thecyclingsilk.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/update-from-court-cps-v-bhamra.html​
Suffice it to say, knowing what I know, I find the failure to charge _causing death by careless driving_ incomprehensible. I should add that I am a practising lawyer (albeit not a criminal / road traffic lawyer) and have looked at the law and the CPS guidelines for prosecuting cases of bad driving and still don't begin to understand the CPS charging decision.
There is likely to be a memorial ride for Tom at some point if anyone is interested.


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## BrumJim (19 Jan 2013)

mumbo jumbo said:


> There is likely to be a memorial ride for Tom at some point if anyone is interested.


 

Keep me updated.


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## jiggerypokery (19 Jan 2013)

BrumJim said:


> Keep me updated.



Add me to attend too please.


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## Maz (21 Jan 2013)

_Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji_'_un. _Rest In Peace.
I know the area well; my sister used to live on Streetsbrook Road.


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## davefb (22 Jan 2013)

fimm said:


> http://thecyclingsilk.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/update-from-court-cps-v-bhamra.html


after reading the comments, christ almighty, daily mail up to its usual lies I see.


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## Sara_H (22 Jan 2013)

davefb said:


> after reading the comments, christ almighty, daily mail up to its usual lies I see.


I'm not so sure. I don't see that they have posted any lies.

Whilst I understand that Tom's family may feel that the driver is truly remorseful, and that their grief has been compounded by the press intrusion, it doesn't alter that fact that justice has not been done here.


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## BrumJim (22 Jan 2013)

Sara_H said:


> I'm not so sure. I don't see that they have posted any lies.
> 
> Whilst I understand that Tom's family may feel that the driver is truly remorseful, and that their grief has been compounded by the press intrusion, it doesn't alter that fact that justice has not been done here.


 
Refer to comment "Anonymous20 January 2013 11:52"
Tom's Mum clearly states that the Daily Mail has, at best, misrepresented her views on the sentance, but probably more accurately, made them up.
I'm loathe to find the article on their web site, for fear of validating the advertisers who pay for space on there, and that I might read comments, which will probably vary from the hideously self-righteous, hopelessly fantasist, to downright offensive, with a smattering of vicarious sympathy thrown in for good measure.


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## PocketFrog (22 Jan 2013)

mumbo jumbo said:


> There is likely to be a memorial ride for Tom at some point if anyone is interested.


 

Put me down for this. If I can get down, I will be there.


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## Sara_H (22 Jan 2013)

BrumJim said:


> Refer to comment "Anonymous20 January 2013 11:52"
> Tom's Mum clearly states that the Daily Mail has, at best, misrepresented her views on the sentance, but probably more accurately, made them up.
> I'm loathe to find the article on their web site, for fear of validating the advertisers who pay for space on there, and that I might read comments, which will probably vary from the hideously self-righteous, hopelessly fantasist, to downright offensive, with a smattering of vicarious sympathy thrown in for good measure.


Yes, they may have misrepresented her views, but not the fact that this men has been dealt with very leniently for killing Tom. I have looked at the mail article and the vast majority of views are shock at the leniency of the charge/sentence. You have to dig quite hard to find the usual dross.


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## Black Country Ste (22 Jan 2013)

I've said elsewhere that I'm keen to take part.


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## mumbo jumbo (26 Jan 2013)

Tom's Mum has written a personal piece in one of the local papers: http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/mother-of-solihull-cyclist-tom-ridgway-1240315 
My 17 year old son has always said that Liz is the most positive person he's ever known. He's right - this proves it.
Please note the appeal not to use Tom's case for cycle safety campaigning.


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## PocketFrog (26 Jan 2013)

mumbo jumbo said:


> Tom's Mum has written a personal piece in one of the local papers: http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/mother-of-solihull-cyclist-tom-ridgway-1240315
> My 17 year old son has always said that Liz is the most positive person he's ever known. He's right - this proves it.
> Please note the appeal not to use Tom's case for cycle safety campaigning.



I'm absolutely blown away by the strength she shows in that piece. An absolute inspiration.


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## Wobblers (27 Jan 2013)

mumbo jumbo said:


> Tom's Mum has written a personal piece in one of the local papers: http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/mother-of-solihull-cyclist-tom-ridgway-1240315
> My 17 year old son has always said that Liz is the most positive person he's ever known. He's right - this proves it.
> Please note the appeal not to use Tom's case for cycle safety campaigning.


 
That's a very moving and humbling article.



mumbo jumbo said:


> There is likely to be a memorial ride for Tom at some point if anyone is interested.


 
I'll take part, if I can.


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