Texting Driver Gets 4 Years for Killing Cyclist

velocity boy [quote]Richard Cheese Good.
I notice that the BBC report in the above link is doing it's best to stir it up a bit - red-light jumping, non-helmet wearing cyclist gets killed. I suppose it's thought provoking if anything.

I liked that.

It still says that even if the cyclist did jump the lights, and isn't taking safety precautions... if you fuck around on your phone and hit the cyclist then the blame if yours and you'll go to jail.

I like that.[/quote]

Hmmm... you've got a good point there, hopefully drivers will get that idea too.

Every driver should have the experience at least once of smashing into a wall/other car/whatever. Burst their comfy cocoon and really understand its weight and momentum. I’ve been a better driver ever since it happened to me.

Totally agree. Gave up driving lessons at 17 as I realised it was a hefty responsibility being in control of something like that. Learn't again at 26 and had a smash 6 months after. Not my fault but still makes me more cautious. My girlfriend had only just put her seat belt on too.

Not pretty.

it is only because people choose to cause danger in our community (by driving) that we need red (traffic) lights.

lets not apologize.

cars and everything to do with them are bad.

their use should be heavily regulated.

this item was just on radio 4 news.

they did not mention the rlj. nice one.

but yeah we all need to be careful out there. be safe.

anyone have that thing where drivers speed up when they see you ?

even when you cant possibly be doing anything wrong

used to happen all the time back in poulton (ooop north) :( ?

but imo if u jump the lights, u should look to.

you get that all the time in denver, espicly when i ride to boulder through the suburbs...

There have been so many incidents where drivers try to speed up and scare a rider and then end up hitting them on accident. Phone drivers are the worst. I went to cross the street one time when I noticed this lady in a nice Jag on her cell inching out of the parking garage only looking one way, I sat and stared at her till finally I knew she wasn't going to see me and I slammed my hands down on the front of her hood. She looked pretty scared, I just rode away. Look both ways people. Seriously.

yea good not just blind people where im from then lol

ha Riss, i love scaring people, even when not trying to make a point :D

Had a fker coming the other way turn across my lane off to (my) left. I could see him watching me, waiting til the cars were past, then specifically turn into my path.

Then he stopped, waited for me to break, stared me then grinned and drove off.

Really fking odd the attitude some drivers have towards cyclists. Way they act you'd think they were the ones in danger from us...

But at the same time you've got to stop from making it some 'us or them' thing in your head. I know a lot of safe drivers. I see a lot of drivers waiting patiently for a safe time to overtake, then doing so with a wide clearance.

I just think they should enforce a mandatory 6 months spent cycling on the roads as a part of the driving test. The thing is that most drivers have literally no idea how dangerous it can be for cyclist on the roads, or how intimidating it can be to share the road with a careless/dangerous driver - the cyclist has no 'bargaining power' like other road users do; no loud horn, no 2-ton safety cage, no large presence...

If you look at it in basic terms of perception, a driver's mind is gonna pay a lot more attention to a big-ass lorry than the thin line the cyclist makes in the rear-view mirror. Threat-perception-wise, we're not on the radar. Problem of a society largely based on competition and violence...

Maybe we should develop some big-ass wing things with giant eyes that we can flash at drivers who get too close. Seems to work for moths...

I've heard its pretty difficult to be a cyclist out there, I'm from LA and I think that people just plain and simple are not even paying attention out here, they're on the phone, doing their makeup, changing a song....or dumb.

i had a truck today not cut me off to make a right turn, but indicate and put the breaks on.

also had 2 16yo rich girls in a really expensive convertible woht the roof down honk at me, i pulled a really really long skid (to slow down for that pot hole officer) then for some reason just could not bring my self to sprint back up to speed untill they backed off enough to get past me.

also got called 'emo'

and got a cup thrown at me

i hate that streak of road