Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Any thoughts on this
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/9319616/yoga-teacher-hit-cyclist-lond...
Was a bit surprised by this. I mean 19 out of 20 times I have managed to avoid pedestrians who suddenly walked out onto the road. But there have been 2 or 3 times over the 30ish years where we have collided. And yes when someone suddenly changes direction 0r stops, it makes it so much harder. I mean I note this report was by the sun,so not the most accurate. But does seem bit harsh on the cyclist
And I really don't want this thread to be a rant about cyclists or drivers even.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Philip on
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Very bad case. Its a case of someone being able to afford private litigation whereas most people are denied free legal aid or the means to pay. It seems even a car driver has reaction times which might also have resulted in a collision. Compare this to cyclists crushed under left turning hgvs.
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If he had time to shout and sound an air horn, he had time to take more appropriate action - i.e. braking - which would have avoided a collision. I'm surprised at the judge's statement that the cyclist was 'a calm and reasonable road user', because in my experience anyone riding with an air horn tends to be the complete opposite.
The police obviously didn't think it worth charging the cyclist, this was a private prosecution. If you have public liability insurance (commonly included with home contents) you're covered against such things.
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Get your head up and out of your phone...
I really don’t understand how the judge has reached this conclusion. The arrogance of riding about with an air horn is an absolute irrelevance (it’s obnoxious, but nothing more) - if he was riding within the speed limit, correctly observing traffic lights and keeping a good look out, how can he possibly be held at fault at all?
This shouldn’t degenerate into an anti cycling thread because frankly this could have been a car, van or bus and I doubt the result would have been any different.
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"if he was riding within the speed limit, correctly observing traffic lights and keeping a good look out, how can he possibly be held at fault at all?"
Because he didn't take appropriate action to avoid hitting a pedestrian in the road, despite being aware enough to shout and sound a horn at her.
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Neither of us know whether the shouting, horning and swerving happened simultaneously or successively. I'm assuming that the evidence presented to the judge indicated the latter, hence the verdict.
There are far too many cyclists who have a 'get out of my way' approach to pedestrians in the road. It's really no stretch of the imagination to think that may have been the case in this instance.
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From the article: "..."cyclists must be prepared at all times for people to behave in unexpected ways", Judge Shanti Mauger said.
She added: "Mr Hazeldean did fall below the level to be expected of a reasonably competent cyclist in that he did proceed when the road was not completely clear."
The bit in bold says it was the judge's opinion that he didn't brake when he should have.
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Permalink Reply by tigha on
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Interesting. So it sounds like she had the money for a good lawyer and he didn't. That's why I have always have 3rd party insurance with th LCC
And my guess is that the judge wasn't a regular cyclist. If you are in a car and there is an obstruction on the road, you immediately do an emergency stop. As a cyclist you don't as you know you are likely to go straight over the handlebars. Sounds like he alerted her, made a split second descion how to avoid her. Only for her to then change direction. Bang
Btw I had a fog horn until someone knicked it. Loved it. Made me laugh but at age 55y, the little things do. But i dont think that makes me irresponsible
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"As a cyclist you don't as you know you are likely to go straight over the handlebars."
That's simply not true, it's a matter of technique.
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Maybe, but not being bestowed with that technique and wanting to avoid breaking a collarbone doesn't make you a reckless cyclist.
It seems you've formed in your mind a scenario where a woman was in the road and the guy has ridden straight at her without scrubbing speed. That might not be wrong - you do 20k a day (I do similar) so you probably see a courier do that at least once a day regardless of whether the lights are in their favour or not.
From the information I've read, I disagree - but like you say. We'll never know, so.
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My preconceptions about dangerous cyclists are based on what I see on my 10km each way commute. I've got absolutely nothing against people riding fast in the right circumstances, but some people are simply incapable of appreciating the existence of hazards - or arrogant enough to think that other people's safety is not their problem.
For example on the odd occasion that Green Lanes is clear I'm pretty confident I'm quicker than 95% of other people on bikes. The rest of the time - when filtering past stationary cars - I appear to be *much* more cautious than most. Someone may suddenly step through a gap in the traffic and it's true that a collision may be unavoidable, but riding more carefully reduces the chances of injury to all parties.
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Having gone over the handle bars myself by breaking too suddenly, I clearly like many others I'm sure haven't mastered the technique. And yes came away with the standard broken collar bone as result. Not something I want to repeat.
Yes agree if really don't want to collide with a pedestrian, the only solution I can see is get the bus
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Permalink Reply by Katie K on
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There's an update today in the Graun::
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jun/21/cyclist-crashed-into-...
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