Cyclist escapes prosecution after fatal collision with pensioner

[numbnuts]

What happened to wanton and furious cycling i.e 29mph

 

[Mike_P]

I believe in another thread an experienced club riders explained communication through a peloton or chaingang. How it was often better for less experienced to sit nearer the front and other things. I wonder how true your bit in bold is?

Pedestrian steps out and shouted warning from the front ripples back. If it was too close to shout a warning it could be so close the reaction is only possible by the front riders. At speed surely there's a distance back down the gang of riders where what they see or hear as a warning isn't in time to avoid a hazard. In this case surely which rider hits is down to reaction time from when they are first aware of a need to react?

Which basically says they were cycling too fast for the time of the day

 

[Rusty Nails]

Shouldn’t they hate motorists much more? A pedestrian gets killed by a motorist every single day of the year, every single year.

An elderly woman has died in a tragic accident. A very rare one, when it comes to cyclists. Lets not use that to malign the millions of others who get around just fine.

Sshh....let's not say anything at all on a cycling forum about idiots on bikes, even if they are a tiny minority, and the general public will stop bothering us.

 

[markemark]

My commute to work goes on big roads, small residential roads and a couple of parks. I have no speed limits on any part of my journey. Yet I adjust my speed according to the situation. This is because I’m not a massive pr1ck. Ok, I am, but not due to this

This is a busy popular park full of families and people on a day out.
The cyclists should hang their heads in shame and there should be some accountability as road users.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Mod note:

This thread is about a specific News item. It is not about motorists so please keep it that way.

Thank you.

 

[Time Waster]

A guy got attacked by a bull shark recently. I think they're worse than cyclists so we can't talk about cyclists doing harm without talking about how sharks kill too.

Mosquitoes! Mosquitoes driving cars! Nothing to see with cycling peloton killing a pedestrian who dared to be in their way because more people die after Mosquitoes have bitten them!

Is this not whataboutery? Is it not reasonable to highlight a situation where cyclists have hit and killed a more vulnerable road user in order to highlight where bad habits and behaviour should perhaps change on safety grounds?

PS isn't there a hierarchy of responsibility on public rights of way and paved routes?

Thanks @SpokeyDokey for your mod input. It was needed to prevent derailing the thread.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

What happened to wanton and furious cycling i.e 29mph

Speed alone does not determine if something is wanton and furious.

 

[Brandane]

I wonder how true your bit in bold is?

I don't really know, which is why I ended the sentence with a question mark. I have absolutely no interest in club riding and using public roads as a race track. I recently started another thread on time trialist cyclists coming into conflict with a driver (me!) as a result of them being more interested in keeping their momentum up rather than carrying out proper observations and road craft.

Maybe it is about time cycle racing on open public roads was banned. But for now it is allowed and we have to live with it, whether as cyclists, pedestrians, or drivers. And while racing cyclists SHOULD be more alert to other road users, walking out in front of them is not a good idea. In the same way that cyclists failing to give way to speeding cars at a junction is not a good idea.

 

[numbnuts]

Speed alone does not determine if something is wanton and furious.

What is Wanton and Furious cycling?


HOWEVER, if they are considered to be going too fast for the conditions, they could be charges with 'wanton or furious cycling' which is a criminal offence under section 35 of the Offences Against the Persons Act 1861 (as amended by the Criminal Justice Act 1948

 

[Ian H]

It's an interesting case. Walking into the middle of a peloton could be considered to be similar to walking into the side of a moving truck. Very difficult for the cyclists to avoid a collision.
As to whether cyclists should be using the park roads for training, it would be almost impossible to ban them without also banning all traffic.
There were penalties available to the court to apply, of the dangerous or careless cycling variety. For reasons I don't presume to second-judge they chose not to go that route.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

And what conditions made 29 mph too fast?

 

[poiuy123]

The sooner the speed limit applies to cyclists the better. This terrible person, who seems to have zero empathy with his victim, deserves severe punishment and has got away with manslaughter. I hope I meet him one day to express my opinion personally.

 

[Cycleops]

'Bloody cyclists ' might not be the best mindset to have when trying to traverse a busy thoroughfare in Regents Park.
Just sayin'.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

The sooner the speed limit applies to cyclists the better. This terrible person, who seems to have zero empathy with his victim, deserves severe punishment and has got away with manslaughter. I hope I meet him one day to express my opinion personally.

An independent witness gave a statement to police that the collision was not the fault of the cyclist.

Did you read the comments of the police who gathered all the evidence?
The police concluded that there was “insufficient evidence for a real prospect of conviction”.

Detective Sergeant Ropafadzo Bungo also said, “…there were no criminal acts which would allow prosecution”.

I’m not sure what knowledge of the incident you have to contradict the police. Did you share it with the investigating officer?

 

[Time Waster]

If cyclists had to obey speed limits too under the law, then that would be an offence. It isn't so the opportunity for safer roads aro7nd there isn't available.

Whatever the legal aspect I hope the club learns from this incident and slow down to 20mph so the potential for harm to themselves and more vulnerable pedestrians is reduced. The deceased making a comment shortly prior to death about not feeling safe due to the cyclists speed is telling of an issue there.

Anyone know the location it happened? As a pedestrian where I live we started to cross the road as it looked clear. We had to stop suddenly after a fast, lycra clad roadie appeared from over a raise and dip in the road and around cars.

As a pedestrian there was no way we could have seen him before starting to cross and the short time he travelled from the limit of our view to us was so quick.

That stretch is safe to cross with cars because they drive slower there than some road bike riders. It's a 20mph but tbh at that point ca4s, vans and trucks are driven a lot slower due to hazards easily identified.

Thinking back to our incident, which got a foul mouthed tirade from the cyclist, makes me wonder if there's a sighting issue at that point which made the old lady think it was safe when it wasn't? It's not like most cyclists are noisy, unless they're on a social ride and noisily chatting away in a shout. Sometimes cars are easier to spot too.

I don't think this is a sighting issue but it makes me wonder because it's not like she's one of the usual zombie or mombie type pedestrian. I just struggle to see an old lady as the type to not be cautious crossing, I mean they're not going to have quick reactions or be able to jump out of the way easily if not cautious . Perhaps I'm overthinking it.