Another cyclist left for dead by a hit & run driver (in Blantyre)

[matticus]

It’s always a bit sobering to read of a cyclist being killed or injured, especially when it’s close to home, but I remind myself that these things make the news because they are exceptional events rather than routine ones.

Indeed.

I was also a bit surprised to see such a clear photo [the one at top of thread]. That's unusual, isn't it?

 

[Solocle]

Plod are very interested in such matters. However, not being Gypsy fortune tellers with crystal balls they rely on this thing called "evidence". Without that there is little they can do, no matter how much they'd like to.

Now, for reasons I won't bore you with I'm not a fan of Police Jockland. Nevertheless, in this case all the have is a style and colour of car, and a possible make and model. I don't know thst area, but unless it is rich with ANPR on that very stretch theyre reliant on dashcams and witnesses, and although its a long shot it is possble a VRM might cone to light. And even if they get a VRM there's a fair chance the vehicle isn't registered when one considers how keen the driver was not to hang about.

If the car wasn't registered, but by utter chance it is stopped tomorrow the driver need only claim they just bought bought it and its down to the Feds to prove otherwise, which clearly they can't. And so the game rumbles on...

So don't confuse lack of action with lack of willingness.

A couple of weeks back I did a time trial, and one of the chaps a few places behind me was hit at the foot of a slip road - thankfully minor. Apparently the driver stopped briefly, then buggered off. I saw two chaps stopped on the return leg, and back at HQ heard a bit more, including a colour and a general description of the car (size, effectively, not make or model).

I was running cameras and only one car matched the description. They were interviewed by the police and admitted to it before the end of the day.

It's strange just how many drivers who seem to be fully paperworked up decide to bugger off.

 

[Pale Rider]

I was also a bit surprised to see such a clear photo [the one at top of thread]. That's unusual, isn't it?

Yes, but it's clear from the story the publication of the pic has been approved by the guy's wife.

Tactically a good move on her part because she judges - correctly - the pic will have more impact in shaming the driver to come forward or persuading someone to dob him in.

 

[DRM]

Since more people are commuting to work now, I’ve noticed a staggering amount of really bad driving, pulling on to motorways and going straight into the third lane at the staggering speed of 52 mph, that I can say with accuracy because that’s the speed my sat nav was showing after having to brake hard to avoid this idiot, that’s happened 3 times in the last 2 weeks, weaving about and slowing down & speeding up, guess what the drivers doing, yes texting, and today a stupid woman in BMW X whatever thing, tried the slip road to outside lane in one go trick, whilst I was overtaking an HGV, and being overtaken myself by a Transit Van, I wish they’d all sod off and work from home again, it’s getting worse out there and we really need Police Traffic Officers on the roads, en masse to crack down on these idiots, I fear more cyclists will be badly injured and killed by these entitled idiots, then in the past, it’s dreadful to think someone’s highly important phone call/text message could put any of us in a wheelchair or in a wooden box, it needs stamping on, hard, now!

 

[Alba Zeus]

Like others I cycle this route regularly and it really is a wide open road. The cycle lane he was reported to be in when hit is also fairly wide, wider than the standard painted rubbish anyway. Conditions where good so visibility not an issue so must have been a real lack of concentration to get anywhere near a cyclist on this stretch of road.

Hope he has a speedy recovery and the low life responsible is brought to task.

 

[Brandane]

Hearing from a friend in Saltcoats, Ayrshire, of another hit and run on a cyclist .
Outside Iceland. Traffic Police and ambulance are there, bike being taken away by Police.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Update on the BBC gives more details of the hit & run and says the police are following a positive line of inquiry. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-57013760

He said: "The part of road I was on when I was struck by the vehicle had a cycle route at the side of it. I though that was a nice safe route home. I certainly didn't expect to be hit by a car when I was in the cycle lane. ​

"I remember the car striking me hard on my body and thinking I had been hit by a vehicle hard, flying through the air, hitting the ground and then coming to a stop and I can vividly remember looking down the road except I was slightly disorientated at the time.​

​

"I can remember seeing a vehicle driving away and me thinking to myself I think that's the car that just hit me and that driver's not stopped, just driven off."​

​

An experienced cyclist, Mr Richards managed to pull himself to the side of the road and passers-by called emergency services.​

​

Ambulance staff, worried about neck and spinal injuries, immobilised him and put him on a back board.​

"I knew I was badly hurt and I was worried about the extent of the injuries," he said. "I knew I had hurt my back and I was worried about whether there would be serious damage done to my spine that could have long-term consequences for me.”​

 

[Brandane]

A 34 year old male has been charged in connection with the Blantyre hit and run as referred to in OP..
Daily Record link.

 

[Brandane]

No chance. Plod are not interested unless there is a camera recording of it. Even then they seldom can be arsed. Easier to sit on their fat arses with a speed gun.

You were saying?............

 

[raleighnut]

A 34 year old male has been charged in connection with the Blantyre hit and run as referred to in OP..
Daily Record link.

Good, hope they throw the book at him rather than a slap on the wrist.

 

[Brandane]

Good, hope they throw the book at him rather than a slap on the wrist.

That's the bit that concerns me too. Getting the person charged is one thing; getting justice is another.

 

[Pale Rider]

The reports doesn't say the charge.

The best we could expect will be causing serious injury by dangerous driving, although proving the second part of that may not be easy.

The victim has already said he cannot help in relation to the manner of driving, but hopefully he will be able to say he didn't dart across the road which is a claim the driver might make to get out from under dangerous.

Leaving the scene of an accident doesn't amount to much, but it would be seen as an aggravating feature if he is eventually sentenced for something more serious.

 

[monkers]

The reports doesn't say the charge.

The best we could expect will be causing serious injury by dangerous driving, although proving the second part of that may not be easy.

The victim has already said he cannot help in relation to the manner of driving, but hopefully he will be able to say he didn't dart across the road which is a claim the driver might make to get out from under dangerous.

Leaving the scene of an accident doesn't amount to much, but it would be seen as an aggravating feature if he is eventually sentenced for something more serious.

I was surprised at that and googled -

What is the penalty for failing to stop or report an accident?
The penalties vary depending on the circumstances. A minor car park collision may attract a fine and between 5-6 penalty points. More serious incidents with aggravating features such as drink driving can result in up to 10 points, disqualification and in the most serious cases even imprisonment.

 

[Pale Rider]

Leaving the scene is summary only with a maximum penalty of a £5,000 fine and/or six months.

I've never seen anyone go to prison for it, which is not to say they couldn't.

The most serious category one of the sentencing guidelines gives a starting point of a high level community order.

That category already takes into account aggravating features such as leaving the scene when someone is clearly injured, and leaving the scene when you know you would be breathalysed or drug tested.

Hard to see how a starting point for this guy would be deemed to be any higher, and he may have some personal mitigation to tip the balance back in his favour.

So while he richly deserves to be locked up for leaving the cyclist injured in the road, let alone wiping him out, if that's all he's charged with it's unlikely to be immediate prison.

https://www.sentencingcouncil.org.u...ail-to-stopreport-road-accident-revised-2017/

 

[ClichéGuevara]

The reports doesn't say the charge.

The best we could expect will be causing serious injury by dangerous driving, although proving the second part of that may not be easy.

The victim has already said he cannot help in relation to the manner of driving, but hopefully he will be able to say he didn't dart across the road which is a claim the driver might make to get out from under dangerous.

Leaving the scene of an accident doesn't amount to much, but it would be seen as an aggravating feature if he is eventually sentenced for something more serious.

Many years ago, a car turned across me at a junction, which I tried to avoid by going behind, but hit the side rear of the car knee first, which I later found out had caused enough damage for it to be written it off. The car tried to race away at very high speed. A driver witnessed it, and assumed by the way I'd cascaded through the air, I was dead anyway, so tried to follow them, but they got to over 60 mph in a 30 mph zone, and the offending car was still disappearing fast, so they had to drop the chase, but had managed to get the details. The Police were at the house in what could only be minutes after the car had got there. The driver was in bed, and had had the whiskey and water his mother always left for them.

They got off with drunk driving, as well as failing to stop, as they claimed they thought the 'bang' was their tool box moving in the boot.

They were found guilty of undue care and attention, which meant I got a full pay out plus compensation, but it was one hell of a battle as they could afford good solicitors.

The witness that chased them was in Court to give evidence, and nearly got summonsed due to their reaction to the sentence, as they had got a higher fine for doing 38 on a 30 mph dual carriageway at 4 in the morning.