Death by dangerous cycling

[Ms Macbeth]

I had to dodge two adult males in full kit cycling along Fargate the other day. I wonder what part of pedestrian precinct they don't understand. My son cycles and I'm certainly not against it, but pedestrian safety should be paramount.

[alchemist]

How do you know? He said he didn't know.

 

Yeah, sure. That comment was just pure BS to try and get off, which he did.

What kind of idiot thinks its perfectly safe and legal to ride a bike with only one brake?

 

Sorry officer, I didnt realise that my car had to have brakes at the front as well

[Treeman893]

The track bike the guy was using who killed the woman had NO brakes. Yes you can use the fixed gear to slow down but it is not a brake.

Done quite a bit of fixed gear riding in Derbyshire and always had front and back brakes.

[El Cid]

Yeah, sure. That comment was just pure BS to try and get off, which he did.

What kind of idiot thinks its perfectly safe and legal to ride a bike with only one brake?

 

Sorry officer, I didnt realise that my car had to have brakes at the front as well

 

People do think that no motoring laws apply to cyclists; that is true to a point. Not sure how many car drivers get charged with manslaughter, after their stupid actions resulted in someone death.

[altus]

People do think that no motoring laws apply to cyclists; that is true to a point. Not sure how many car drivers get charged with manslaughter, after their stupid actions resulted in someone death.

No car drivers have been charged with manslaughter in similar circumstances. Part of the issue with this verdict is that there is no cycling equivalent of the causing death by careless or dangerous driving offences. Maybe politicians should routinely considered all road users when drafting legislation. It's worth noting though that that wouldn't have guaranteed a successful prosecution as it doesn't with all car drivers charged with those offences.

 

As for riding without a front brake - a stupid thing to do.

[El Cid]

MORE than 600 killer drivers(non of them cyclists) have *managed to avoid a prison sentence in the past five years despite being res*ponsible for a fatal crash. I understand that the judge in the case of 'wanton and furious driving' has said he will serve time in jail.

 

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/434678/600-killer-drivers-allowed-to-go-free

[biotechpete]

MORE than 600 killer drivers(non of them cyclists) have *managed to avoid a prison sentence in the past five years despite being res*ponsible for a fatal crash. I understand that the judge in the case of 'wanton and furious driving' has said he will serve time in jail.

 

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/434678/600-killer-drivers-allowed-to-go-free

 

I think it's fair to say our judges are far from consistent in the application of sentencing.

[Treeman893]

This case is the equivalent of a car driving killing someone when he had no brakes on his car claiming he would use engine braking to stop. That is why he deserves to go to prison.

[willman]

People do think that no motoring laws apply to cyclists; that is true to a point. Not sure how many car drivers get charged with manslaughter, after their stupid actions resulted in someone death.

 

How many car drivers yell through the window to move and then continue to drive at the other car or person?

 

---------- Post added 25-08-2017 at 10:20 ----------

 

How do you know? He said he didn't know.

 

Thats a surprise:

 

"London’s Old Bailey court heard Mr Alliston claimed to have ridden track bikes since 2014.

Jurors heard in 2015, he tweeted about taking the brakes off a previous bike as like being “in a Lucas Brunelle movie”, referring to an American stunt rider, and he bought his black Planet X fixed-wheel track bike for A$774 a month before the crash."

 

He's had sufficient time to research and find out.

[WalkleyIan]

The track bike the guy was using who killed the woman had NO brakes. Yes you can use the fixed gear to slow down but it is not a brake.

Done quite a bit of fixed gear riding in Derbyshire and always had front and back brakes.

 

Fair point but not strictly accurate. In the eyes of the Law the fix wheel does count as a one brake. The law says you need 2 brakes which is why the bike was not legal in the form he rode it but to say it had no brakes is incorrect.

 

Pedal Cycle Construction and Use Regulations 1983, says you need two brakes: one on the rear wheel and one on the front. A fixed wheel counts as a rear brake, but you still need a calliper on the front.

 

Whenever I’ve ridden fixed I’ve always added the back brake as well given the terrain round here. Then again its not uncommon to see BMX riders coming down Howard hill brakeless with a foot on the tyre.

 

---------- Post added 25-08-2017 at 11:12 ----------

 

But do you not think that it is a positive move in the right direction that means that cyclists will have to take responsibility for their actions and be punished if they don't abide by the rules of the road that other road users have to follow ?

For instance - maintaining a roadworthy vehicle and following the highway code i.e., not travelling on the pavement and observing red lights etc.

 

It may be the time to revisit the European type of rules on presumed liability that were shouted down by the right wing press when it was suggested we brought something similar in.

 

Presumed liability builds a culture of mutual respect between road users (as seen by the Continental example).

 

Presumed liability ensures the most vulnerable road users are protected – cyclists from motorists and pedestrians from cyclists.

 

Presumed liability will facilitate the development of a road hierarchy based on mutual respect between motorists, cyclists and pedestrians