The idea of this blog is for us to discuss all the topics of cycling safety, and come together as a community regardless of how controversial or sensitive the subject. I myself was run over in a petrol station as a pedestrian, after paying for my petrol back in 2010. I was hit head on throwing me up in the air, after my legs were knocked from underneath me, and then landed on my back. Since then I have suffered with problems with my knees as well as my back. Having had to endure many sessions of physiotherapy, of which I'm still having I decided I'm going to take up cycling as this would strengthen my legs and stretch the back as well as trimming down that middle age six pack, "well hopefully anyway".
About six months after this accident an old mate of mine was tragically knocked of his bike and killed. From everything I've read about the case it would seem the van driver was exceeding the speed limit enough that he couldn't stop after seeing him etc etc. I'm not saying the van driver deliberately knocked my mate of his bike, but he was driving well in excess of the speed limit!
A year or so after going to my mates funeral, the coroners report and judgement was announced, and it wasn't what people including myself wanted to hear ! Regardless of what any coroners report said it was never gonna bring back my mate, but surely the report should've highlighted the fact the van driver was driving in excess of the speed limit that had the van driver been driving within the speed limit there was a chance the collision needn't of happened!
So my question is! If the van driver was exceeding the speed limit for that road, how can a coroner come to a judgement of accidental death? I would of thought a charge of manslaughter would of been more appropriate. In fact my friends family are having to take out a private prosecution in order to get some sort of justice! Surely this can't be right!
So what can any one Man or Woman do by themselves to have the law address this situation more appropriately? On their own probably not a lot, but collectively we can do a lot ! The scale of this
problem is ridicules.
For a modern so called civilized society we've got a lot to learn, the contempt for human life shown by today's drivers well beggars belief ! Lets keep it real though, there are far to many cyclists out there that aren't doing the rest of us any favours so this does need to be addressed of which I believe I'm addressing on bad - cyclists and will continue to address on this blog. But there are many other areas that need to be addressed "now" such as drivers attitudes towards cyclists!
The full story of this ignorant spiteful bus driver is told on the website soon to come, so keep your eyes peeled, and please feel free to make a comment add me to your reading list or follow me at twitter.com/@UkSaferCycling with any suggestions towards addressing these issues , kindest regards the Cycle Angel.
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