Cyclist on illegal bike who killed a pedestrian on manslaughter charged 'blamed victim'

[Super Steve Earle]

Yesterday, pulled up in r/h lane at lights at bottom of Preston Drove. Taxi (yes I know) pulled up in l/h lane. Lights turned red/amber and cyclist shot through between us in the middle, then pulled sharply across taxi to left of car lane rather than use cycle lane. Taxi pulled in front of cyclist and braked deliberately forcing cyclist to slow down. Taxi pulled away, but forced to slow down opposite Preston Park. Cyclist undertook taxi in cycle lane, whipped out phone and took pictures of taxi license plate in a very obvious provocative manner. Taxi driver drove dangerously and cyclist was a tit. Don't know what happened before the lights though.

 

[dejavuatbtn]

I was in George street yesterday walking up and a bike came past me in the wrong direction doing about 30 mph, so I didn't see it until it had passed me. It had chunky wheels and looked heavy. If it had clouted anyone it would have killed them. I went into a shop and when I came out he was zooming the other way. I have a suspicion that he was looking out for stuff to nick from shoppers - worth watching out for cyclists as well as motor bikes.

 

[Invicta]

When crossing at pedestrian crossing in London you regularly have to pause to let a bike speed through - generally get a mouthful of abuse too for being in the road !

 

[Mackenzie]

You can't claim that 'most cyclists' see themselves above the rules of the road based on a small number that you see when you commute. All that means is they, as individuals, see themselves above the rules of the road not cyclists as a collective. Having been cycling for almost 30 years, being a member of cycling clubs, a commuter to and from Birmingham, motorist and general pedestrian, I have seen ONE cyclist jump a red light. One. Of course, neither your experience or mine, is conclusive evidence either way.

One a day surely? Not once in 30 years.

 

[BensGrandad]

Has this case finished yet if sio what was the verdict?

 

[McTavish]

I was in George street yesterday walking up and a bike came past me in the wrong direction doing about 30 mph, so I didn't see it until it had passed me. It had chunky wheels and looked heavy. If it had clouted anyone it would have killed them. I went into a shop and when I came out he was zooming the other way. I have a suspicion that he was looking out for stuff to nick from shoppers - worth watching out for cyclists as well as motor bikes.

30 mph on George Street on a bike with chunky wheels and then zooming the other way - are you sure that wasn't Bradley Wiggins?

 

[Stat Brother]

30 mph on George Street on a bike with chunky wheels and then zooming the other way - are you sure that wasn't Bradley Wiggins?

I couldn't be bothered to bite at that because it clearly smacks of an agenda instead of the truth.
Not exactly a creditable witness!!

 

[dejavuatbtn]

I couldn't be bothered to bite at that because it clearly smacks of an agenda instead of the truth.
Not exactly a creditable witness!!

No agenda other than concern about the safety of pedestrians in a pedestrian precinct.

 

[Dr. Notthenineo'clocknews]

.....doing about 30 mph,.

Chin rub

 

[DTES]

Blimey, does driving distort people's view of speed, or something? It may not feel like it in a car, but 30mph is fast.

The fastest ever Tour de France stage was - according to Wikipedia - a 2013 time trial, with an average speed of 35.8mph. By a professional. On a top-of-the-range specialist racing road bike. Chris Froome's average speed when winning this year's title was 25.5mph.

But sure, some average Joe sped the wrong way down George Street at 30mph on a heavy, chunky-wheeled bike.

 

[looney]

Blimey, does driving distort people's view of speed, or something? It may not feel like it in a car, but 30mph is fast.

The fastest ever Tour de France stage was - according to Wikipedia - a 2013 time trial, with an average speed of 35.8mph. By a professional. On a top-of-the-range specialist racing road bike. Chris Froome's average speed when winning this year's title was 25.5mph.

But sure, some average Joe sped the wrong way down George Street at 30mph on a heavy, chunky-wheeled bike.

I try to measure my average speed and even when cycling like a maniac cant manage much more than 15 mph.

 

[Gwylan]

One a day surely? Not once in 30 years.

I used to cycle from Victoria to Fitzrovia every day and, for interest, I kept a tally of bikes that jumped red lights. I counted them up over a three month period so I had a decent record. Consistently, the stats were the same: between 18 and 22 percent of cyclists rode through red lights every week. It's not a scientific survey, as it was the same route all the time, but it's an interesting insight.

One thing that did stand out, however; in that three month period I only saw one woman jump the lights, it seems to be very much a male trait.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

My husband's Strava measures his road speed between 15 & 20 mph depending on the road.

 

[brightn'ove]

You can't claim that 'most cyclists' see themselves above the rules of the road based on a small number that you see when you commute. All that means is they, as individuals, see themselves above the rules of the road not cyclists as a collective. Having been cycling for almost 30 years, being a member of cycling clubs, a commuter to and from Birmingham, motorist and general pedestrian, I have seen ONE cyclist jump a red light. One. Of course, neither your experience or mine, is conclusive evidence either way.

I cycle to work daily in London and perhaps see maybe 20-30 people a day jump red lights. It does happen and it happens a lot, but I also see taxis, lorries, white vans etc etc all jump red lights daily too. It's a problem with being an entitled c***, not a cyclist.

 

[Stat Brother]

I used to cycle from Victoria to Fitzrovia every day and, for interest, I kept a tally of bikes that jumped red lights. I counted them up over a three month period so I had a decent record. Consistently, the stats were the same: between 18 and 22 percent of cyclists rode through red lights every week. It's not a scientific survey, as it was the same route all the time, but it's an interesting insight.

One thing that did stand out, however; in that three month period I only saw one woman jump the lights, it seems to be very much a male trait.

How did you come to the figure of 18 - 22 percent?

It seems unlikely that you counted all the cyclists stopped at every red light and then work it out the percentage from those that went through it?

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

How did you come to the figure of 18 - 22 percent?

It seems unlikely that you counted all the cyclists stopped at every red light and then work it out the percentage from those that went through it?

You can't have a sensible debate with 'these people' I'm afraid. In related news, I could always set off the speed camera on Stanford Ave, Brighton (downhill) without even trying. Maybe it's a sensitive camera.

 

[BBassic]

I put an FOI request into Sussex police in March of this year asking how many fixed penalty notices they'd handed out to cyclists for jumping red lights in the previous 12 months. The answer, across Sussex, was 5.

I put the request in because I'd nearly gotten run down three times in one week at the same crossing.

 

[DavidRyder]

If anyone is aware of the path that goes through Hyde Park, the route up from Victoria station to Marble Arch, they will be able to picture this. There is a wide path, in the middle is a cycle lane.

So, 7.40am today, I was walking on the very edge (almost on the grass), minding my own business - the pedestrian part. Next thing I know, a cyclist is coming towards me, flashes past as close as he could get whilst telling me to get out the way - even though there was an empty cycle path next to me.

I have sympathy for the good cyclists who are taking flack because of the actions of some, but riders like this are utter ****s.

 

[Gwylan]

How did you come to the figure of 18 - 22 percent?

I counted all the cyclists on the road and worked out a percentage from those that went through it? It wasn't really a difficult sum to do every day. I had a tally in the office that I updated daily.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

I put an FOI request into Sussex police in March of this year asking how many fixed penalty notices they'd handed out to cyclists for jumping red lights in the previous 12 months. The answer, across Sussex, was 5.

I put the request in because I'd nearly gotten run down three times in one week at the same crossing.

Just carry a javelin at all times, and as they come past aim through the wheels. You should get it though one wheel, even from a distance away. Be doing us all, cyclists and non-cyclists, a favour.