[News] Pedestrian jailed for manslaughter

[Swansman]

Caused by the hate for cyclists that seems to be an accepted view in this country. Supported by gutter press and complete imbeciles.

Its a strange one when looking from the outside (from one of the most cycling happy countries). Here you're considered a feckin muppet if you don't have a bicycle and use it frequently.

(I don't have one though...)

Thought the whole UK drivers vs cyclists thing was a bit of a joke when first encountering it, but it really seems that a lot of drivers dont like the cyclists. Can only assume it comes from the drivers being annoyed and jealous to see people who are fitter, less lazy, less polluting and less enviromentally damaging happily biking around .

 

[Seagull58]

I slow down when cycling on a shared use path when approaching pedestrians and if they're walking in the same direction, either cough, say excuse me or ding my bell (which sometimes startles them more). On the Seafront and much to the annoyance of some other cyclists and bemusementof some pedestrians, I'll give way to pedestrians at the crossing points where the give way signs are painted. We are all pedestrians, most of us are drivers and some of us cyclists. Just put yourself in the shoes of the most vulnerable road / path user and have some respect FFS.

That's very considerate of you, and good advice. Is it correct that cyclists in the Fulham area are more inclined to fall over and fake a head injury until the pedestrians have passed?

 

[Deleted member 37369]

On the seafront I do a similar thing. Even though the cycle lane gives us cyclists the right of way, I don't want to hurt people by hurtling through at max speed, or hurt myself! Common sense. Just, say, three incidents over the years where I was cycling slowly on the cycle lane, where miserable/aggressive older men (always them ) wanted to make something of it, shouting 4-lettered abuse. When I'd made every effort not to surprise pedestrians and it almost impossible to hurt anyone.

I do the same …. but also when I’m walking on a shared path I will give way to cyclists when it is the safer thing to do. For example, on N2 after The Perch heading west there’s a narrow section of shared pavement before the path and cycle lane splits again on way to Worthing. I step right against the wall to give cyclists room to safely pass as otherwise there really is a risk they’ll be close to the edge of the pavement … and an older or young person might be more vulnerable to coming off the pavement into busy traffic.

It’s easy to do … I’m stopped for just a few seconds … and my cheery good morning/afternoon is usually reciprocated leaving us all in a positive frame of mind rather than getting all angst if we try and fight for the space!!

 

[Eeyore]

The highways department could not prove it was a shared pavement.
The pedestrian had medical issues.
Just to balance this incident up,

"I certainly urge people to think twice about commenting in relation to this case when they're not in possession of all the facts," the detective said.

 

[Shropshire Seagull]

First & foremost, a very sad, tragic and avoidable death.

Can't see clearly from the clip but was the cyclist wearing a helmet?
If yes, fair-doos but if not, might this have potentially made a difference to her outcome?

Thoughts also with the totally innocent car driver too ....
I worked with a bloke 10 years ago who found himself in a very similar incident. He was stationary at a red light [pedestrian crossing] and the kid was pushing his bike across in front of him - mate was rammed from behind with such force it shunted him into the kid, killing the child - mate was off work for weeks with trauma - I think the other driver went down for manslaughter.

 

[Weststander]

I do the same …. but also when I’m walking on a shared path I will give way to cyclists when it is the safer thing to do. For example, on N2 after The Perch heading west there’s a narrow section of shared pavement before the path and cycle lane splits again on way to Worthing. I step right against the wall to give cyclists room to safely pass as otherwise there really is a risk they’ll be close to the edge of the pavement … and an older or young person might be more vulnerable to coming off the pavement into busy traffic.

It’s easy to do … I’m stopped for just a few seconds … and my cheery good morning/afternoon is usually reciprocated leaving us all in a positive frame of mind rather than getting all angst if we try and fight for the space!!

It's nice helping others isn't it? I think we're in the overwhelming majority .

As opposed to a minority of angry idiots looking for conflict when they go out .

 

[Swansman]

First & foremost, a very sad, tragic and avoidable death.

Can't see clearly from the clip but was the cyclist wearing a helmet?
If yes, fair-doos but if not, might this have potentially made a difference to her outcome?

Thoughts also with the totally innocent car driver too ....
I worked with a bloke 10 years ago who found himself in a very similar incident. He was stationary at a red light [pedestrian crossing] and the kid was pushing his bike across in front of him - mate was rammed from behind with such force it shunted him into the kid, killing the child - mate was off work for weeks with trauma - I think the other driver went down for manslaughter.

I imagine that if you're 77 years old laying down on the street while a car drives over you, wearing a helmet is not going to do a whole lot most of the times.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

So once again I'm at the brunt of weapons grade arrogance.

For me it's hard to fathom anyone being so arrogant they know what a complete stranger is going to say.
Not only that the arrogance is so hard wired they are prepared to tell the whole planet the words of a complete stranger.
But that still doesn't ice the cake, that comes when using the death of a poor pensioner, minding their own business, as a means to telling everyone else what a stranger will write.




Now that's said - the rest of you crying about shared path or not.
She was fookin 77 years old for crying out loud, where the hell is she supposed to go, outside lane of the M1?

If you're triggered by a little old lady going about her day, you shouldn't be allowed to leave the house, and thankfully one scumbag now can't.

Welcome, you have joined a reasoned discussion on a tragic incident. No-one triggered.

 

[Coalburner]

I wouldn’t stop on a shared pathway just because their was a pedestrian on it….slow down yes

there was

 

[jcdenton08]

That bitter old Karen caused this entirely avoidable death.

She left the scene immediately, without stopping to give aid or even phone for help, and did her weekly shopping. Absolutely callous disregard for human life and despicable, vile behaviour.

In the video we clearly see her move closer to the cyclist in order to cause an avoidable confrontation. Look at her gait and the clear 2-3ft of space to the side of her. She actually changes position in order to get closer to the cyclist to she can be “aggrieved” by something. Anything.

In my view she attempts a physical assault - had she connected she would very likely be looking at a murder charge.

I think she’s gotten off very lightly.

 

[GT49er]

I've just seen this which is worth reading.

Huntingdon cyclist death: Police warn over ill-informed views

Auriol Grey has been jailed after gesturing and swearing at a woman who fell into the path of a car.

www.bbc.co.uk

In particular ...

Investigating officer Det Sgt Mark Dollard said that following the sentencing he had seen comments which were "not helpful to anyone".

And re the full CCTC footage available to the police ...

"In all honesty it's horrific and not appropriate for wider release to the public, but, if it were, then I think a lot of the arguments in relation to appropriate responses would be null and void."

The report also states, "The trial was told that police could not "categorically" state whether the pavement was a shared cycleway, but in his sentencing remarks Judge Sean Enright said it was.
Labour county councillor and disability campaigner Gerri Bird said: "The county council ought to have the information and it needs checking urgently."
A Cambridgeshire County Council spokesperson said: "We cannot categorically say it is a shared use path as we could not find any legal records to evidence this."

So, it has not legally been made a 'shared space' - not even a F*****g white bicycle daubed somewhere? - it's a pavement, then. A footpath. For pedestrians.

I'm sorry for the lady who died and her family, of course, but if the police did their job and enforced the law against cyclists riding illegally on footpaths, maybe this tragedy wouldn't have happened.

 

[Deleted member 37369]

The report also states, "The trial was told that police could not "categorically" state whether the pavement was a shared cycleway, but in his sentencing remarks Judge Sean Enright said it was.
Labour county councillor and disability campaigner Gerri Bird said: "The county council ought to have the information and it needs checking urgently."
A Cambridgeshire County Council spokesperson said: "We cannot categorically say it is a shared use path as we could not find any legal records to evidence this."

So, it has not legally been made a 'shared space' - not even a F*****g white bicycle daubed somewhere? - it's a pavement, then. A footpath. For pedestrians.

I'm sorry for the lady who died and her family, of course, but if the police did their job and enforced the law against cyclists riding illegally on footpaths, maybe this tragedy wouldn't have happened.

You want the police to ‘have a word’ with 77 year old ladies then?

 

[Weststander]

there was

they’re wasn’t

 

[happypig]

Even if it wasn't a shared path, it's a £30 fine, not the death penalty.

On a shared path I would expect cyclists to slow down or stop if there's not enough space to safely pass.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Even if it wasn't a shared path, it's a £30 fine, not the death penalty.

On a shared path I would expect cyclists to slow down or stop if there's not enough space to safely pass.

Do you know if there wasnt enough space?
Do you know…….

As i said previously i personally slow down..not stop..….we dont know at what speed the cyclist was pedalling…we can see that it was a 20 inch wheel bike..so smaller than the norm

 

[Swansman]

That bitter old Karen caused this entirely avoidable death.

She left the scene immediately, without stopping to give aid or even phone for help, and did her weekly shopping. Absolutely callous disregard for human life and despicable, vile behaviour.

In the video we clearly see her move closer to the cyclist in order to cause an avoidable confrontation. Look at her gait and the clear 2-3ft of space to the side of her. She actually changes position in order to get closer to the cyclist to she can be “aggrieved” by something. Anything.

In my view she attempts a physical assault - had she connected she would very likely be looking at a murder charge.

I think she’s gotten off very lightly.

I think it strongly suggests that she does not have all her horses at home which might be a mitigating factor when deciding how to penalise her.

 

[jcdenton08]

I think it strongly suggests that she does not have all her horses at home which might be a mitigating factor when deciding how to penalise her.

Fair point

 

[Shropshire Seagull]

I imagine that if you're 77 years old laying down on the street while a car drives over you, wearing a helmet is not going to do a whole lot most of the times.

I have to confess, I've not seen the results of the post-mortem so I do not know the actual cause of death.
What I do know is that wearing a helmet can help make some head injuries survivable.

I'm not saying she died of head injuries, nor that wearing a helmet in this collision would have saved her.
Just asking if she was actually wearing a helmet, or not.

 

[GT49er]

You want the police to ‘have a word’ with 77 year old ladies then?

No, I would like the police to do their job and prosecute cyclists breaking the law - and no, I'm not suggesting they just pick on cyclists, they should take action against all law-breakers - but all law-breakers includes cyclists riding on the pavement.

 

[Shropshire Seagull]

As a general comment I would add, to all the "CCTV is an invasion of my privacy", "shouldn't be filming in public" etc. dissenters.

This is the perfect example of exactly why CCTV has its place in our modern society. Were it not for CCTV, I could imagine the car driver being a possible suspect where investigators may have thought the cyclist was riding in the road. Especially given the pedestrian, as the key witness, had cleared off pronto ....