TYPICAL ! That lousy cyclist has just ruined the Driver's day !Being at the controls of a lethal weapon
confers immunity from responsibility ?
In the USA you can overlook a Cyclist and say " The sun was in my eyes "! YOU can say " I didn't see the Cyclist " , or " The Cyclist came out of No Where "!
You can even FALL ASLEEP at the wheel of YOUR Car , KILL a Cyclist and if you meet CHP Officer Trevor Smith you can go home unimpeded , since he doesn't wish to spoil his day by writing a " Citation "!
http://t.co/J0l1M1VocG
Come on , you can add your own variation of this theme !
Cyclists are a blight on the lives of vehicle drivers/operators , RIGHT ?
NO THEY ARE NOT ! Most Cyclists OWN a Vehicle , they CHOOSE to ride their bike !
They CHOOSE to exercise their body , instead of sitting crunched up by themselves in a tin can ! The Cyclist is thinking about their Community by using a bike to do that short trip , whether they were shopping , commuting to or from work , OR exercising their body .
When YOU are at work , your Employer asks you to take RESPONSIBILITY for your actions ? So you are in a vehicle on Company time , are you then , no longer required to take RESPONSIBILITY for your actions ? When driving/operating a Company Vehicle , cause a Death , then your Superior can join you on a Manslaughter Charge , and your Company on a " Corporate Manslaughter Charge "! You are on your OWN time and driving , are you no longer required to take RESPONSIBILITY for your actions ?
IS there something wrong with the ENGLISH Speaking Community ? In England , in USA , in Australia , you are driving your vehicle and then you have a collision involving a Cyclist and LO & BEHOLD , you expect the Cyclist to carry the RESPONSIBILITY ! Are YOU kidding , they were driving YOUR Vehicle ?
Of course there are those that think that they can drive a vehicle , and use it in a manner that it was not designed for ?
Note that Queensland Police were not amused when they found this example of " careful & thoughtful driving ( not )!
Another example of " careful driving "!
Wonder if the Boss wanted to share a " Corporate Manslaughter Charge "?
Was this similar to the item that caused this death ?
http://m.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/national/cyclist-michelle-smeatons-children-told-mummy-isnt-coming-home-after-her-tragic-death-when-trucks-stabilising-bar-swings-out-and-hits-her/story-fnii5v71-1226753815360
Continental Europe speak various languages , some if not most , even speak English , yet they act and think differently . THEY expect to take RESPONSIBILITY for any contact with a Cyclist They drive with the ATTITUDE that they must NOT ignore the actions of a Cyclist , whether they are heading along on the same Road as the Cyclist , OR , if the Cyclist is in a separate Cycling Lane/track ! In most European Countries , drivers have 2 legs , 2 arms and 2 Eyes , just as English Speaking people , like the Anglo speakers , they also have a Brain ! What is different about their BRAIN ?
NOTHING !
It is just that their mindset is slightly different ?
NO !
Is it that the Laws are different ? Not really ! Does any DRIVER leave home with the intention of crashing into a Cyclist ? Doubtful , but the subject of this article certainly spoilt his Christmas Eve last year :
http://www.sydneycyclist.com/forum/topics/driver-cops-ban-over-rage-against-cyclists
With the news out of Oz this week , we have several road tragedies . Each involved different situations , but each involved the Cyclist not returning home and their Families and Friends suffering .
Each of those events will have caused the Authorities to investigate , but as in most cases in Australia , the Media will have written the incident as though the Cyclist was responsible ! Not the road conditions , nor the driver's actions , BUT ; in each case the Cyclist , did not set out with the intention of not returning home .
Even visitors suffer in Oz :
http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2013-10-30/taiwanese-woman-tourist-killed-bicycle-facebook/5058586
HOW dark is 2100hrs at end of October in Northern Territory , when a Cyclist is riding EAST ? At least we won't hear the coach driver dribble out " The Sun was in my Eyes , your honour "!" Posting on Facebook before her tragic accident, Lin wrote: "Carrying 11750 ml water, lots of food,
camping mat, sleeping bag and tent, going to hit the road in oz desert! Today i have to ride for 100 km where camping site is. otherwise, i have to set up the tent by the road. I will lose phone reception for the next following days. Good luck to me!"
POSTED MI 30 OKT 2013, 4:29 PM AEDT "
Cyclist Accidents come in all sorts of situations , they even create " Inspiration "?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/24759581
"I did a road ride and a car hit me," she recalls. "I was in a coma for two days and spent four weeks in hospital with a lot of broken things. I lost six of my teeth. It was quite a dark moment in my career."EACH Country has it's own set of Road Rules . Recently Italy has instituted a " Vehicular Manslaughter Law" ! Even before a guy in Naples , crashed into and killed 6 Cyclists , because he was inattentive , there had been enough grounds to try and make the road safer for Cyclists . That in a Country that reveres their Cycling Stars ! Most European Countries have a Law that places " STRICT Liability " on the Larger Vehicle . Thus a Cyclist is responsible for Injury to a Pedestrian , just as a Vehicle is responsible for injury/damage to a Pedestrian or Cyclist .
This make you wonder about drivers ?
Cycling Dad
Abusive at me for knocking on the window - driver watching video while driving major cycle commute route in Cambridge.
The following article sets out the distinction between English Speaking Countries and Continental Countries in their treatment of Cycling Incidents !
http://blogs.bicycling.com/blogs/roadrights/2013/10/29/theres-another-way/
Very important that people realise that each Authority will investigate the circumstances , BUT , the attitude of the Vehicle Operator will vary . can you imagine a Dutch Person , saying " The sun was in my eyes "? " The Cyclist came out of No where "? Oh yes , i was wearing " Concrete Boots " will work just as well !
Anybody reading this , like to tell me that Cars were on the roads , in common use , before Bicyles ?
WAITING !
Still waiting !
When did it become the universal idea that Cycles have to get out of the way of Vehicles ?
LAWS need to be UNIVERSAL , so that there is NO Misunderstanding the need , for Vehicles to treat Cyclists with GREATER CARE !
EVEN if you think the Cyclist , is a complete idiot , there is NO VIGILANTE Law , that allows YOU to interfere with their progress .
What YOU do , is do the thing you do all day long , contrary to the Laws of the Land ! Use the Cell / Handy phone , call the LAW ! Finally you have a semi quasi reason for using that gadget , that seems to be more important than your driving skills or giving 100% attention to the road you are SHARING with others , including Cyclists !
As individuals , i see little hope that Vehicle Drivers/Operators , will change their attitude to Cyclists ! There are some who are BANNED from driving , thus on Bikes , there are others that are riding for a variety of reasons , but they ALL have something in common with YOU ! They have Family ! Sons & Daughters , Sisters & Brothers , Fathers & Mothers , Grandparents & Grandchildren ! Just as YOU have ?
TREAT THEM AS PART OF YOUR FAMILY !
IF you ride a Bike , BE AWARE , as you set out , you are responsible for YOUR Safety , if you fail to arrive in good condition , those causing you grief , will be manufacturing reasons WHY YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE for spoiling their day !
West Australian Blogger generated the following info :
http://cyclepolice.com/road-deaths-september-2013/?utm_content=buffer67710&utm_source=buffer&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Buffer
summary report on road deaths in Australia. This issue is dated September 2013.
1,234 road deaths in the 12 months to September 2013, of which 147 where pedestrians, 37 cyclists, 203 motorcyclists and 839 motor vehicle occupants.
In terms of speed zones, lower speed zones haven’t been too kind in the 2012 with 24% of cyclists killed on roads with a 50 km/h speed limit. The most risky speed zones are in the 80 km/h plus range with 51% of fatalities occurring on these roads.
My comment notwithstanding on lower speed zones no deaths occurred in the 30 km/h and 40 km/h speed zones.
One small positive in all of this is that no cyclist deaths involved in the death of the 174 pedestrians in 2012.
Grouchy Cyclist
Even if I bike ON YOUR HEAD, I do not DESERVE squat RT @StephanieHarve8: If you bike in front of a car ON THE ROAD, you deserve to be hit
THE RESULT of a Charity Ride !
http://road.cc/content/news/86894-two-cyclists-killed-collision-lorry-a30-cornwall
Some relevant comments from the article :
BBC Spotlight local news said: "Two cyclists in collision with a lorry"
Semantics - is it not more likely that the lorry was in collision with them?
Agree with you about the semantics. The cyclists were hit by a lorry would be a more realistic description I'd imagine. Would they ever say a pedestrian was in collision with a car/lorry?
Echo Thor. Did the JOGLE in June 2013 and I hated every second of the 10mins we were on the A30 as well as some bits around Inverness and Dumfries. This is not the first time I have heard about LEJOG/JOGLE fatalities on A30 and sadly is unlikely to be the last. Regrettably, the only way to complete the ride in 6-7days is to use larger/more dangerous roads. I think the only way going forward is to re-classify sections of specific 'A' roads as Motorway/Prohibit non-motorised vehicles and make people really think about their route rather than choose roads like the A30. I'm making no comment on the specifics of this case, just seeking to be pragmatic to protect people in future, there are options around the A30 and other busy roads but if you are new to an area they can be difficult to plot and so there needs to be assistance/clear direction given.
" Inspector Stuart Gibbons, of Devon and Cornwall Police, told the Western Morning News that the cyclists on the A30 had suffered severe injuries and the incident had left many colleagues in the emergency services upset. "
A Families Grief :
" Every time a cyclist is killed, there's a flurry of forum activity and that's it until the next one, and nothing changes.
Comments are generally about making roads safer etc, and sometimes about having the law changed so that drivers can't think they can drive like idiots and put us all at risk.
If anything is to be done about this then organisations like RoadPeace and of course ctc need more funding and support for their campaigns.
If every cycling club and every cyclist in Britain gave just a tiny amount each to support these moves then maybe things will change for us.
There's so much hype about the joys of cycling, so much effort on the part of Skyride, Go-ride anything ride to get us out on our bikes, but the risks involved are never considered.
It's great out there on the bike but in an instant it can become not so great, or just totally devastating, 2 more families and wider families this week, going though unimaginable pain, again.
In 2008 we lost our 25 year old son, a Reading cc rider a wonderful young talented athlete and a beautiful son and brother, .....because, as the papers said he was "in collision with a van" In fact he was driven into from behind by a van driver who was "blinded by the sun" at 60 mph.
This latest Cornwall tragedy was one day before the 5th anniversary of our loss.
I can tell you that no one ever recovers from such a loss and for me, when I know that droves of new riders take to the roads every day, in blissful ignorance of the risks from cars and trucks, it makes me angry, and a little sad, to think that
alongside these new found freedoms, people will die, all because, until it happens to them, no-one cares.
In two weeks these two guys will be forgotten and as always, forums will flow back to the subjects of cranksets, tribars powerbars etc....until it happens again.
Valkyrie said "I hope that their families and friends receive all the support they need"
RoadPeace were amazing for us and gave us loads of support in many ways.
They deserve to be noticed and not just when we need them.
Dave.
WONDER when the Policing Authorities will realise CYCLISTS are REAL People , that will when KILLED , cause Families and Friends ONGOING GRIEF ?
Addendum !
We all expect the Fire BrigadePeople to look out for US !Tonight , Friday 1st Nov , they are supposed to be on Strike , due to the CHANGING of their Employment conditions through " penny pinching politicians !
Here is the result :
London Fire Brigade
We've now got 20 fire engines and 120 firefighters tackling the #Dagenham blaze. It's in a scap metal yard.
Might I suggest a firefighter works harder in one year than a cabinet minister works in ten years #FireServiceStrike #Dagenham
RV
That's the problem with bullying and demeaning fire officers. You need them to put out fires and protect the public. #dagenham
Scrap deserves burning , but surrounding property deserves protection ?
TIME that these People were treated with Respect in London & UK ! They are expected to do as those at " Ground Zero " , RISK THEIR LIVES ! And for what ? Life threatening injury , then no job and NOW , reduced Pension Entitlements ?
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