"A pedestrian made me crash... but I must foot the bill"

[GrumpyGregry]

Some guy called Paul Gallagher from Bedford hit a pedestrian who was crossing the road, and seems mightily aggrieved about it. And got a spread in the i Paper as a result.

There but for the grace of God et cetera but he does come across a bit entitled. Almost like a car driver.

He ends by demanding the pedestrians use pedestrian crossings.

Which causes any final shred of sympathy I may have had to evaporate. I expect the article will be online tomorrow....

 

[mjr]

How's it going to cost him thousands? Is a BMC roadracer SL02 a bling bike?

 

[Spinney]

From the pic of the newspaper, it looks like dental charges etc to repair his injuries.

 

[NorthernDave]

Bearing in mind we only have one side of the story, I can feel some sympathy for him.
The number of kamikaze pedestrians is at an all-time high - looking at phones, wired into headphones, away in a world of their own or simply in a rush and expecting everyone to let them through. There are a couple of places near me that I try to avoid purely because constantly looking out for pedestrians makes them no fun to cycle.

Be interesting to see what the final outcome is.

 

[smutchin]

I just had a look at Bedford High St on Street View... The man is an entitled dickhead.

That said, I do have some sympathy - those injuries sound pretty unpleasant and it's an incredibly expensive way to learn a lesson about riding more carefully on busy streets.

 

[theclaud]

constantly looking out for pedestrians makes them no fun to cycle.

But if you ride that way, you do look out for them. Because you know it's not OK to ride into people just because you find them irritating.

 

[mjr]

There are a couple of places near me that I try to avoid purely because constantly looking out for pedestrians makes them no fun to cycle.

I'll go through such spaces if I need to, either doing my best to avoid people or ringing my bell like a leper if the alternative is them walking into me, but I'm generally happy to give walkers any spaces they want. Fark knows they get little enough space or resources spent for their benefit.

I see I can zoom the image bigger than CC shows it by default. It reads like the main source of cost is that private dentistry is being used rather than the NHS. If he wants to rant about anything, maybe ranting about the crap funding for NHS dentistry in his area would be more relevant and get more support? Or would that not fit i's agenda?

Bedford's a bit of a mess for cycling, but it does read a bit like he was going too fast for the conditions right in the centre... although unless it's changed recently, High Street used to be a one-way drag race, so I can see why cyclists might want to go faster than is safe, in order to avoid abuse from motorists.

 

[Profpointy]

bloody pedestrians. They don't pay eny effin pavement tax nor nuffink. The should have to do a test and have insurance, and maybe some kind if number plate

 

[mjr]

I just had a look at Bedford High St on Street View... The man is an entitled dickhead.

http://www.instantstreetview.com/@52.137544,-0.466722,179.89h,3.8p,1z
It has changed since I last spent any time in the centre. It's now 20mph and has some kinks and ornamental fencing in it. Less of a drag strip and a bit more human, but still not a great place to cycle.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

But if you ride that way, you do look out for them. Because you know it's not OK to ride into people just because you find them irritating.

Precisely.

When sharing space with peds, slow the chuff down. Not that complicated.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I'll go through such spaces if I need to, either doing my best to avoid people or ringing my bell like a leper if the alternative is them walking into me, but I'm generally happy to give walkers any spaces they want. Fark knows they get little enough space or resources spent for their benefit.

I see I can zoom the image bigger than CC shows it by default. It reads like the main source of cost is that private dentistry is being used rather than the NHS. If he wants to rant about anything, maybe ranting about the crap funding for NHS dentistry in his area would be more relevant and get more support? Or would that not fit i's agenda?

Bedford's a bit of a mess for cycling, but it does read a bit like he was going too fast for the conditions right in the centre... although unless it's changed recently, High Street used to be a one-way drag race, so I can see why cyclists might want to go faster than is safe, in order to avoid abuse from motorists.

Suspect the NHS would say "here is your new denture".

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

bloody pedestrians. They don't pay eny effin pavement tax nor nuffink. The should have to do a test and have insurance, and maybe some kind if number plate

You forgot to force them to wear a helmet

 

[NorthernDave]

You forgot to force them to wear a helmet

And hi-vis

 

[Profpointy]

You forgot to force them to wear a helmet

Damn, I was going to as well...

 

[jefmcg]

Bearing in mind we only have one side of the story

Very much so, in that the journalist and the "victim" are both "Paul Gallagher"