Scumbag Cyclist Gets £2,200 Fine For Killing Girl He Could Have Avoided

[Alfred the greatx]

Jesus, there are some sanctimonious ****s on here!
I am a pedestrian, regular cyclist, car driver, van driver and, sometimes for work, I drive a small truck. Honestly, the worst of these forms of transport by a long way is cycling.
I am shit scared of cycling on the roads as I live in the middle of Brighton and some ignorant ****s in cars refuse to accept me as a road user yet when I leave the road in fear of my life, the very same people critisise me for riding, at about 5 MPH, on the pavement!
When I ride on a cycle track I am often abused by pedestrians that refuse to accept that it is for cyclists and want to play chicken to see who moves first. I have been threatened with violance for riding in a cycle lane so what the f*** am i supposed to do.

 

[The Clown of Pevensey Bay]

The culture of the average cyclist I see is thus: "f*** you - I'm getting where I need to go as quickly as possible, by whatever means. f*** your safety. f*** the Highway Code. f*** off out of my way."

In a nutshell, like.

I don't think that's the AVERAGE cyclist. That's just the aggressive, pushy ones you see from time to time. When I'm on a bike, of course I am concerned with getting from A to B as quickly as possible. But I'm also concerned with not sitting behind a bus inhaling its exhaust fumes, and not sitting in the middle of the road where the wing mirror of a massive truck could twat me in the face at any minute, and not getting squished up against a bollard because a car driver thinks he can overtake me in a narrowed gap with a cycle lane running through it. Yes, and as Alfred the Great says, making sure I spot someone opening a car door without looking.

I actually think there should be equivalent Road Traffic Act offences for cyclists -- cycling without due care and attention etc, or even causing death by dangerous cycling.

But someone on a bike means one less car on the the road -- which means more space for drivers. And I don't think enough people remember that, and give us some RESPECT accordingly.

 

[BensGrandad]

The pavements were built for pedestrians and should be used by such people.

The roads were built for vehicles which includes bikes and should be used by such and if ever either goes on to the other ones territory except for crossing at designated places for pedestrians action should be taken against them. Unfortunately the police do not stop people riding their bikes on the pavements.

Oh have just remembered you dont see police men walking on the pavements nowadays, as they used to do a few years ago.

 

[Stumpy Tim]

From what I've read he was on the road, and a number of these kids were standing on the road & pavement. He shouted "I'm not going to move" (gave them a warning), and then knocked one girl over - who unfortunately died.

Question - why would he want to intentially ride into someone else? Surely it would hurt him in the process? So maybe he shouted "I'm not going to move" because he was on a road and could have been hit by a car if he swerved out. In which case, he's in the right.

Now let's look at another set of events. Three of four teenagers are standing on the side of the road blocking a cyclist. As has been said, the pavement is for pedestrians & the road is for vehicles including bikes. The cyclist shouts out a warning to the teenagers but they don't budge. The cyclist has no choice but to hit them because otherwise he hits a car. That cyclist goes over his handlebars, cracks his skull & dies while the teenager gets up and is okay. What would the headlines be? "Brave Cyclist dies trying to avoid CHAV scum"

Of course, some people just believe the newspaper headlines at face value because they're too THICK to think it through. The coroner said it was an accident... not a bad defence really

 

[bhaexpress]

I saw what was almost an amusing accident last week. Some idiot cyclist was riding THE WRONG WAY down a one way street and was hit head on by an old lady driving a Nissan Micra. Suffice to say that the Micra came off worst and no doubt the old lady was seriously shocked. What did the cyclist do ? Shouted and screamed at the Police that the woman must have been blind !

With my statement and that of others he'll get a large bill for repairs at the very least. Granted not all cyclists are bad but when they are by God aren't they ?

 

[Shizuoka Dolphin]

In my experience, most people aren't fit to be let on a bike, let alone behind the wheel of a car. With the sheer number of selfish, mindless cu.nts out and about who blindly look after only themselves and their own worthless lives, I'm amazed not more people are ploughed down each day.

 

[Stat Brother]

It always amazes me that it's something like 3000+ people and rising, a year die on the road.
That's 3000 people.
That's the population of 1 village, each year.

And nobody seems really bothered enough to do anything about, still stuck in the 'I'm ok, it won't happen to me, mentality'.

When I returned to cycling I was struck by how dangerous the roads are. So I now don't have a problem with kids being on the pavement.
(I have enough ability and road sense to deal with cars etc).

The thing is though nobody is pointing out that people on the pavement have the same right of way as cars on the road.

It does make cycling very much 2nd class, but that's just the way it is.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

Question - why would he want to intentially ride into someone else? Surely it would hurt him in the process? So maybe he shouted "I'm not going to move" because he was on a road and could have been hit by a car if he swerved out. In which case, he's in the right.

He could have simply slowed down and stopped.

 

[Gazwag]

Welcome to England in the 21st century, 50% of drivers/cyclist have no regard for the law. Everyday you see people cycling on paths, footpaths (going through those no cycling signs), going through red lights , no lights at night, motorists on mobiles, chucking litter out their windows, moaning when they get caught speeding etc etc etc.

I can remember when I was 14 or 15 walking 5 miles home pushing my bike because the batteries on my lights stopped working, I was to scared to cycle in case a policeman saw me because I knew I would be braking the law

 

[keaton]

Question - why would he want to intentially ride into someone else? Surely it would hurt him in the process? So maybe he shouted "I'm not going to move" because he was on a road and could have been hit by a car if he swerved out. In which case, he's in the right.

Now let's look at another set of events. Three of four teenagers are standing on the side of the road blocking a cyclist. As has been said, the pavement is for pedestrians & the road is for vehicles including bikes. The cyclist shouts out a warning to the teenagers but they don't budge. The cyclist has no choice but to hit them because otherwise he hits a car. That cyclist goes over his handlebars, cracks his skull & dies while the teenager gets up and is okay. What would the headlines be? "Brave Cyclist dies trying to avoid CHAV scum"

Do drink drivers intend to hit people then?

Also are you aware bikes have breaks?

 

[BensGrandad]

Also are you aware bikes have breaks?

Do you mean they stop for a rest or have brakes that they may use if needed

I got fined 5s in 1954 for riding on a pavement whilst delivering newspapers on my morning round before school.

 

[sten_super]

It's not just a problem with cyclists; it's a problem with the population at large, and affects all transport, be it walking, cycling or driving. People are selfish bastards. This is why pedestrians, cyclists and car drivers all do stupid irresponsible things from time to time.

However, having said that, it does seem worse with cyclists. I'm not sure why, but in the minority of cases (or actually, here in Cambridge, probably about 50% of cases!) cyclists seem to think that they can indiscriminantly use the road and the pavements, and expect everyone else to get out of their way for them to do so, and think that the rules of the road/pavement don't apply to them. I suspect it's because, being in small vehicles, they can do it. You don't see people in cars jumping lights, though, even when there's no-one crossing (which is often the excuse they give me when confronted on why then ran a red light).

 

[captainmorganrum]

However, having said that, it does seem worse with cyclists. I'm not sure why, but in the minority of cases (or actually, here in Cambridge, probably about 50% of cases!) cyclists seem to think that they can indiscriminantly use the road and the pavements, and expect everyone else to get out of their way for them to do so, and think that the rules of the road/pavement don't apply to them. I suspect it's because, being in small vehicles, they can do it. You don't see people in cars jumping lights, though, even when there's no-one crossing (which is often the excuse they give me when confronted on why then ran a red light).

Yep, here in Cambridge cyclists do rule the road, and pavements even though we've got cycle lanes everywhere. Red lights especially mean nothing to them.

Just playing devil's advocate though, when this guy shouted "'I'm not stopping...." maybe he couldn't get out the words ".... in time" before the impact.

However, if I was her father I'd get a bike and say the same thing before I mowed him down.
Repeatedly.
Gotta be worth £2k?

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

It always amazes me that it's something like 3000+ people and rising, a year die on the road.
That's 3000 people.
That's the population of 1 village, each year.

And nobody seems really bothered enough to do anything about, still stuck in the 'I'm ok, it won't happen to me, mentality'.

When I returned to cycling I was struck by how dangerous the roads are. So I now don't have a problem with kids being on the pavement.
(I have enough ability and road sense to deal with cars etc).

The thing is though nobody is pointing out that people on the pavement have the same right of way as cars on the road.

It does make cycling very much 2nd class, but that's just the way it is.

As Elvis Costello said " accidents will happen ". Considering the number of trips made each year over the UK that is probably about
0.0000000000000000000000000000000000001% per trips. You will never get to 0 deaths and 3000 is probably as low as it is humanly possible to achieve.

 

[London Calling]

The pavements were built for pedestrians and should be used by such people.

The roads were built for vehicles which includes bikes and should be used by such and if ever either goes on to the other ones territory except for crossing at designated places for pedestrians action should be taken against them. Unfortunately the police do not stop people riding their bikes on the pavements.

Oh have just remembered you dont see police men walking on the pavements nowadays, as they used to do a few years ago.

Interesting point.

Vast majority of roads in the UK were not built for cars but for slower vehicles such as horse and cart!

The roads have been engineered, to be suitable for car traffic and here is the problem. Whilst other countries, notably Holland, more recently Denmark have designed roads for cyclists then other vehicles.

These roads are safer and therefore well used.

Cyclist organisations notably London CC are not totally convinced by parallel cycle lanes in pedestrian areas: it leads to very fast unsuitable cycling and in the UK misuse by pedestrians, and confontation.

The solution is better cycling training, in Hackney it is free and it is meant to ber very good in teaching cyclists to ride safely and assertively. And to design safe roads for all.

By the way Clapham, as a cyclist and pedestrian, I see an equal amount of car drivers breaking the law and absolutely stunned by the number of times I have been on a zebra crossing and vehicles have driven by me. Once I was a third across with two little children and a white van man, drove pass me, shaking his fist? He obvioulsy got a welcoming reply.


But as a cyclist, I am stunned by the persistant need by some cyclist to jump lights? To hop onto pavements, to undercut HGV's . I cycle a lot on the canals to Canary Wharf, the number of cyclists who see this a s a speed track, whilst there are walkers, runners, kids playing is

 

[steward 433]

3000 is probably as low as it is humanly possible to achieve.

Bollocks US

IF young people in cars were restricted like certain American states do it has brought the fatality rate down by 35%

That equates to 1,000 saved lives per year if we adopted similar measures

 

[London Calling]

Another point which I hope is useful and probably does not apply in this case.
There are particular points, which are muggers paradise. One is in the North Circular underpass near Wathamstow Dogs. Youths stand in the cyclist path, they slow down, and mugged.

I have vowed I will never stop if that happens.

 

[jonny.rainbow]

He could have simply slowed down and stopped.

Do you know what happens if a cyclist travelling that fast brakes suddenly?

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

Bollocks US

IF young people in cars were restricted like certain American states do it has brought the fatality rate down by 35%

That equates to 1,000 saved lives per year if we adopted similar measures

Ok Mr Angry I will check the fatality rates in the USA, should be much less than 12000 per annum, ie 4 x ours as 4 x population to see if these superb measures have helped. Be back in a tick, thanks for your patience.

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

USA National Total

42,643


Oops