2012-04-Unknown - Rider Down/Fatality, Newcastle

A driver tried to overtake a cyclist as a central reservation caused the road to narrow, the wheel of the car clipped the kerb of the reservation as he tried to pass, his car turned towards an experienced cyclist and clipped his handlebars. The cyclist fell off and died of his injuries 2 days later in hospital. The coroner said the driver was not at fault and it appears the Police have taken no action against him:

http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2012/04/21/heaton-vicar-died-after-bike-hit-by-moving-car-61634-30806136/#ixzz1t9v1LCbQ

RIP Rev Michael Malleson

Terrible to hear. Ride in peace Michael.

Terrible, ride along there a lot, RIP and thinking of his family and friends.

Surely that dangerous driving isn't it?

Ride in piece Michael.

Tragic. Very sad. The article implies it couldn't have been avoided, but shouldn't the driver have simply slowed down if he was approaching a pinch point, rather than hope to squeeze through parallel?

Awful.

Seems to me like the impatience of one person resulted in the unintentional death of another. Whilst I'm sure the driver is devastated, this verdict seems to imply that these sorts of things can't be helped.

What a terrible thing to have happened. Best wishes to those who knew and loved him.

Terrible news. There seems to have been a complete breakdown of the legal system for the driver to not be considered at fault.

My next door neighbour is a cyclist and criminal barrister. One day he will be a judge. I can't wait. RIP Rev Malleson

really sad news.

thoughts and prayers for michael, his family and friends.

yes seems like yet another injustice.

the inquest seems so wrong on so many aspects. they all seem so ill informed. none of them cyclists.

To be fair to the driver he wasn't speeding, and the victim wasnt wearing a helmet. Terrible news though and RIP.

Helmet have nothing to do with poor judgement from the driver.

Driver made a fatal assessment, someone die as a result, end of.

^This.
The driver should have had the patience to wait until they were past the narrow section of road before overtaking a cyclist. But he only "lightly clipped his handlebars" so let's not blame him eh?

R.I.P Michael, ride free.

Sometimes does make you think twice about cycling on busy roads. Lost count of the amount of times drivers have just pulled out on me/pushed me in to kerbs etc.

Would never imply that the driver shouldn't be blamed. He should be hung out to dry. But personally I find it scary to see that this particular incident happened at less than 30 mph! Dont make me even think about starting the helmet vs. no helmet debate here as I dont think it would be appropriate. Probably should be thinking about booking the twat that parked on the double yellow lines too!

Rev Malleson seemed to have been a very decent person who did a lot of good. The lack of any sanction against the driver and the comments of the police and coroner are baffling and depressing. A motorist hit a cyclist in broad daylight and killed him and it's officially greeted with a shrug.

thats quite a wide road, the driver must have strafing carelessly, forgive my slander RIP Micheal

Motherfuck, that's two minutes from me. I ride along there every day and it's not a road I think of as particularly dangerous. Hadn't heard about this, it's horrifying to hear of something so close to home.

RIP Michael.

That is very sad, and shocking that the police should so actively defend the careless driver. What is comforting though are the comments, which are very critical of the driver coroner and the police, and not the cyclist as is normally the case.
RIP Michael

Dont make me even think about starting the helmet vs. no helmet debate here as I dont think it would be appropriate. !

Well you are the only person talking about it, twice...

true. Touche.

Firstly RIP Rev Michael.

A few things I would say. Firstly, if you think that you get an accurate representation of what occurs in an inquest from some idiot hack working on the local freeebie you are very much wrong.

Secondly, based on the facts given there is no way that the CPS would have got that scenario close to being a charge of death by careless driving, never mind one of dangerous driving. It's shocking and it's not right but that is the harsh reality. A driver not speeding (or commiting any motoring offence) and giving room to a cyclist is not going to get convicted.

Finally, people need to understand that the puropse of an inquest is to establish facts of how someone dies and is not there to aportion blame. The police investigate it as a fatal RTC, they look at charges and only then at the end of that process does the inquest happen. It would be very rare, if not unheard of for the coroner to refer a case back to the police because he would have full access to their files.

A driver not speeding (or commiting any motoring offence) and giving room to a cyclist is not going to get convicted.

The driver clearly did not give the cyclist room.

He did, and then 'the car turned across' the cyclist, all of its own accord, says the hack. Driver did nothing wrong, the car turned into Christine.

RIP Rvd Malleson.

FWIW having sat through many a sad inquest the article seems a reasonably accurate summary of a typical hearing, and objectively written.
Often the investigating officers and pathologist are the only ones to give evidence in person and the proceedings can be quite brief.
The article did quote from the family of Rvd Malleson and families, as appears to be the case here, don't always bear malice towards the driver for what happened or want further action taken.
I'm sure many of us cyclists feel the verdict and lack of criminal proceedings appear inadequate.
But if the "hack" had suggested such a thing, when it hadn't been said in the inquest or by the family, then that would be editorialising wouldn't it?