20 cm away from death

[661-Pete]

The police can't make it tonight, the young constable just phoned me. Obviously I can't say much, however, the one thing I will say is that she keeps on saying how the bloke seems a genuine, top bloke and is really sorry for what he did. Ah pooh!

IIRC, when I 'shopped' a wrongdoer (much more minor offence) and had a statement taken, the officer was meticulous in not saying anything about the person's character. All he volunteered, was that the offender was male, that he admitted the offence and to being 'a bit drunk' at the time (note: he wasn't driving) . I think 'my' constable acted correctly by the book, and 'yours' perhaps was a bit out of order?

Unless you were 'steering' the conversation, possibly. I only ask!

 

[Arch]

Some of you are being a bit harsh on this guy about which we know very little, there may have been mitigating circumstances and we all make mistakes - he might have a wife and young family to support.

What 'mitigating' circumstances do you think there might be? Blindness? Impatience? Stupidity? On the phone?

If he's got a family to support, he wants to be a bit more carfeul he doesn't do anything that might lose him his job. And, slightly more importantly, that he doesn't nearly kill anyone...

 

[Coco]

- he might have a wife and young family to support.

Must remember that one for my defence next time I kill someone (did I really say next time )

That's not for Mags to worry about. If he was genuinely remorseful he would have stopped the lorry when he got off the RAB and apologised. There is no way he could have failed to see (or at least hear) Magnatom.

 

[downfader]

Some of you are being a bit harsh on this guy about which we know very little, there may have been mitigating circumstances and we all make mistakes - he might have a wife and young family to support.

Having said that, you're right to proceed with charges Mags, he deserves to be charged, even if he does get let off with a caution in the end - perhaps it'll make him and his work mates a little more cautious in future. If he genuinely wan't looking / on phone etc he deserves everything he gets and more -

I would go a stage further. The driver concerned may well be a top bloke, but I know top blokes who have gone behind the wheel, or on two wheels and acted like a complete tool. The driver could easily have avoided this.

The driver who hit me came across as a nice bloke at the scene. The police however wouldnt tell me anything about him other than they knew who he was and where he was, later they gave me a number to ring to contact him (where he became an evasive c*** who tried to weasel out of his obligations).

This is the way we all need to head. Not just cyclists, but residents and drivers, you name it. If you see something wrong it must be reported. The person who commits the act is in the wrong, not the victim.

Dave, you did the right thing!

 

[Arch]

Must remember that one for my defence next time I kill someone (did I really say next time )

The sad thing is that people do get off with lesser penalties (IE, not getting a ban) because they bleat about needing their car to take the children to school - a rather lesser consideration than supporting a whole family. If they need it that much, they shouldn't drive like idiots.

 

[ianrauk]

What about Mags' wife and young family? Due to the actions of a reckless, inconsiderate, moronic and imo, deliberate actions of the driver, a husband and father to a young family was needlessly placed in mortal danger.

Some of you are being a bit harsh on this guy about which we know very little, there may have been mitigating circumstances and we all make mistakes - he might have a wife and young family to support.

Having said that, you're right to proceed with charges Mags, he deserves to be charged, even if he does get let off with a caution in the end - perhaps it'll make him and his work mates a little more cautious in future. If he genuinely wan't looking / on phone etc he deserves everything he gets and more -

 

[addictfreak]

What about Mags' wife and young family? Due to the actions of a reckless, inconsiderate, moronic and imo, deliberate actions of the driver, a husband and father to a young family was needlessly placed in mortal danger.

I agree with Ian, it could so very easily have been the police family liason officer contacting Mrs Mags.

Very easy to be sorry after the fact. Anyone can make a mistake, but his could have cost a life.

 

[ComedyPilot]

Anyone can make a mistake, but his could have cost a life.

Magnatom could have scratched the paint on the lorry????

 

[shippers]

I wonder if the lovely young PC would have an easier life if Mags were persuaded to accept the appologies of the tanker driver and go on his way?
Good god, I'm a cynic!

 

[ttcycle]

I wonder if the lovely young PC would have an easier life if Mags were persuaded to accept the appologies of the tanker driver and go on his way?
Good god, I'm a cynic!

+1 I thought that too and it did seem a tad unprofessional of the police to mention anything about the driver...I don't think you're being cynical

 

[Coco]

+1 I thought that too and it did seem a tad unprofessional of the police to mention anything about the driver...I don't think you're being cynical

Ahh, now if Mags had almost been killed by a flash Audi...

 

[sheddy]

I bet he will just get 3 points.
We have a ongoing case here with a driver who killed a cyclist on a DC. I'm hoping that her sentence will also reflect on the fact that she fled the scene. Will start a thread when I have more details (Sorry for the rant)

 

[bauldbairn]

[quote name='swee'pea99']Oh, and I forgot to say, well done Mags. It's *only* by people like this getting charged that this kind of behaviour gets changed. You've made the roads safer for all of us.[/QUOTE]

+1, only just catching up on this thread.

 

[scotbiker]

Great news on the charges Magnatom! Do not feel bad in any way for him and don't let the police wifey officer affect you. There is someone out there cycling right now that would've been killed by this twat sooner or later.

 

[jamesxyz]

was I being a bit controversial? didn't mean to be ..

I wonder how many of you have had an accident where it was your fault, or reversed your car into a stationary object etc etc etc. all I'm saying is there's a lot of people on here seem to think this guy saw Mags and intentionally drove out (even Mags can't be 100% sure and we weren't there and there is no way you can tell from the camera) - that may be the case and if he did then he deserves to be fired. Even if it was an accident he deserves to be punished but he doesn't need hanging ... Jesus, what sort of justice system would we have if you were locked up everytime you nearly did something ...