Guilty or Not Guilty

[Ian H]

From the manner of driving and way the vehicle moved, based on my decades riding small country roads, including ones in Northants, I really believe that "until the vehicle slowed" would mean "until it hit them" in that case. The best likely scenario is that they might have decided to drive with two wheels in the field. They weren't slowing for anything short of the apocalypse.

That's not my experience from decades of cycling in Devon lanes and around the UK.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

What do the good folks of CycleChat think

Motorist pleads guilty to careless driving



It's a strange one and I'm still digesting it to make an opinion.

It sounds windy, + the speed of the Land Rover could well have brought with it turbulent air, we all know that alone is capable of unsettling a bicycle. But also nothing happened in shot that could have led to a sideways topple like that, panic and forget to unclip?

 

[MontyVeda]

If they hadn't fell off what problem had been caused?

Just the fact he was driving quicker than some think appropriate?

He'd gone past before the one in the middle even noticed him!

• The fall isn't the issue. It's irrelevant.
• Personally i believe the speed and closeness of pass is the issue here. It's a narrow lane so giving the cyclists more space wasn't an option, slowing down or even stopping was. The driver admits the pass was inappropriate, which matters more than my opinion.
• I can't see the rider's head so can't really tell what they did or didn't notice. Either way, that's also irrelevant.

 

[newfhouse]

Some context and additional information here.


View: https://twitter.com/surreyroadcops/status/1509570070330101764?s=21&t=bQOwnj8XgchqjPmuj2WqXQ

 

[Arjimlad]

This made me remember a similar incident I had with a Range Rover driver.

There wasn't very much room but the driver failed to react to my presence by slowing down one iota. I sent the footage in wondering what would happen.

Avon and Somerset said it was a "positive outcome" of a warning, fixed penalty, conditional course offer or prosecution. I've driven that road myself and would always slow down.

 

[Deleted User]

It's a pointless post really, the cyclists involved think he's guilty, the Police think he's guilty and even the driver has admitted he's guilty!

What did you expect to hear from people on this forum?

Me personally would have thought 'knobhead' and carried on with my day, these 3 clearly thought differently.

The front one shat themselves and slowed down, the middle one was too close and didn't have a clue what was going on and the 3rd one was more interested in shouting abuse.

 

[matticus]

It's a pointless post really, the cyclists involved think he's guilty, the Police think he's guilty and even the driver has admitted he's guilty!

I kinda agree with this!

Careless Driving seems about the right verdict. Not Dangerous Driving, not Attempted Murder, not innocent on all charges.
This post was bound to provoke the more extreme opinions either side of that - and we have delivered!

 

[MontyVeda]

It's a pointless post really ...

I kinda agree with this! ...

TMN to MontyV

 

[Dogtrousers]

Not pointless at all. We all got to hear of this incident, which was interesting.

And some got to have a go at the nobber driver.
And some others got to have a go at the cyclists, for Doing It All Wrong.

All par for the course for CC.

 

[Cycleops]

‘The driver was offered an education course in lieu of a prosecution but failed to attend, resulting in a court case’
This speaks volumes.

 

[Deleted User]

TMN to MontyV

I don't know what this means, sorry.

 

[DRM]

If it was me, I think I’d have spotted the Land Rover hurtling down the road, and would have slowed ready to stop as it appears to be a straight, long road with good visibility, and think I’d have twigged that the Land Rover wasn’t stopping for anything, crap driving, but equally crap cycling too

 

[cougie uk]

If it was me, I think I’d have spotted the Land Rover hurtling down the road, and would have slowed ready to stop as it appears to be a straight, long road with good visibility, and think I’d have twigged that the Land Rover wasn’t stopping for anything, crap driving, but equally crap cycling too

Love to know how you can tell what cars stop and which don't ?

My normal tactic is to ride further out so they have to slow but it's not for everyone.

 

[DRM]

Love to know how you can tell what cars stop and which don't ?

My normal tactic is to ride further out so they have to slow but it's not for everyone.

It’s all experience, due to driving around 30,000+ miles a year, you soon learn to spot dangerous idiots, the ones that will pull out in front of you, the ones that play chicken on a narrow road, those messing with a phone, or distracted and the downright dangerous idiots, yes taking the lane helps, but you have to know which battles to fight, and which to back away from, I err on the side of caution, on the bike, or in the van or my own car

 

[fossyant]

Me personally would have thought 'knobhead' and carried on with my day, these 3 clearly thought differently.

The front one shat themselves and slowed down, the middle one was too close and didn't have a clue what was going on and the 3rd one was more interested in shouting abuse.

That's my view.

As someone that does MTB to0, we call a 'fall' a 'little lie down', unless you stack it properly. That was a clipless moment/little lie down. Most likely caused by panic from all of the three. Me that pass I'd not be too bothered, but I'd have been further out already so driver was forced to slow down. Poor rider positioning.