Offence of Dangerous Driving

[jefmcg]

Something like this might help the next person

 

[mjr]

One would assume that, if he has a dropped kerb, all that will have been checked as part of the council installation process.

You have entirely too much faith in the overworked council officers having time to "think bike" and apply the various policies and the "road safety auditors" actually doing anything. Our local cycling campaign's volunteers have had at least one ombudsman ruling in their favour over council failure to follow proper procedure when approving a new driveway crossing a cycle route, if I remember correctly. Once they stopped believing the council or press stirring it, the householder made some changes to reduce the risk, but I don't think there was any way to force them (because the council had approved it) and it's still not great. In another case, the road safety auditors allowed a dangerous cycleway to be built, agreed on site that it needed correcting, but it still remains a death trap waiting for its first unsuspecting victim (most regulars avoid it - I doubt many try it more than a few times).

 

[mjr]

And what does that have to do with this case? We can all do ‘what if’...

Sorry. In this case, it means dropped kerb doesn't necessarily mean checked for safety.

 

[mjr]

The OP was on the road - not a cycle path, so your anecdote at post #52 is entirely irrelevant.

Cycle route, not path. The dropped kerb is onto the road. Local planning policies say such driveways should go onto adjacent feeder roads whenever possible, which it was in that case. Turning traffic on unprotected cycle routes risks motorists left hooking cyclists and there are no other driveways off that stretch.

 

[Tizme]

[QUOTE 5058524, member: 9609"]in a built up area I would have thought the presence of driveways should be accepted as highly likely, also highly likely children, dogs and other vulnerable road users doing the most unexpected of things, speeds need to be halved and concentrations doubled[/QUOTE]

Completely agree! Didn't stop me seeing a van driver going through our village (in an area without pavement) drinking a cup of coffee, whilst chatting on his phone, all around the time you'd expect to see kids walking home from the school bus run.

 

[spen666]

Has anybody been involved in an incident where the vehicle driver has been charged with ' Dangerous Driving ' ?

I was cycling around a blind corner and hit a car turning right out of his driveway causing a broken collar bone. The police have indicated ' No Further Action ' , but in my opinion the circumstances fit the criteria and CPS guidelines for the offence of Dangerous Driving. By choosing to turn right the driver carried out a dangerous manoeuvre - he took a chance as he couldn't see around the blind bend - instead of simply turning left on the straight road and then turning around about 100 metres away. Of course this would have added 30 seconds to his journey time and his time is more important than a life ( apologies for the sarcasm ).

I'm going to appeal the police inaction so any stated cases or knowledge of incidents where Dangerous Driving was charged would be gratefully received.

You have not understood what the offence of "dangerous driving" involves

Dangerous driving involves driving at a standard far below that of the reasonable motorist - not simply that manouvere was dangerous.

The fact that the police are not taking action for the lesser offence of careless driving would suggest the matter is perhsaps not as clear cut as you have described.

The driver coming out of his drive and performing a legal manouvere would almost certainly be travelling at low speed as well

 

[spen666]

.... The driver had a choice - he could turn right uphill and ' chance it ' as he couldn't see around the bend or he could turn left downhill and turnaround about 100 metres down the straight road - the safer option. I wasn't going fast - about 15 miles an hour and not pedalling as it was downhill and a tight corner. I was immediately confronted with a Range Rover straddling both carriageways , braked hard but had nowhere to go in the short distance but luckily managed to steer so I hit it more side on than head on , which would have been more serious.

YOU had a choice to ride slower and in such a manner as you were able to stop in case of an pobstruction.

YOU chose not to ride at such a speed



Seems like you had choices as well, but chose to ignore road safety concerns

..... In fact, what he seemed most worried about afterwards was moving his precious Range Rover as it was in a ' dangerous position ' !

....

Now you are complaining that said motorist showed concern for road safety by ensuring his vehicle was not causing a danger

 

[spen666]

I agree with @User

 

[I like Skol]

I think he's gone, last seen Tue evening. Shame but perhaps he only wanted to hear bad advice rather than suggestions that would prevent him from cycling dangerously?

 

[DCLane]

I think he's gone, last seen Tue evening. Shame but perhaps he only wanted to hear bad advice rather than suggestions that would prevent him from cycling dangerously?

Hopefully Nick'll be back - he's got a vintage bike collection that makes @biggs682 's seem small.

 

[biggs682]

Hopefully Nick'll be back - he's got a vintage bike collection that makes @biggs682 's seem small.

My collection is small , if I had a bigger garage then who knows