2012-08-19 Rider Down/Fatality, A19 (North Yorkshire)

Whilst I agree that jailing this driver is unlikely to make a difference to how he will drive in future, it remains that the message the sentence sends out is that killing a cyclist is nothing more than an inconvenience to a driver so long as they really didn't mean to do it.

The comments of the defending barrister are what really gets me though. "There but for the grace of God go I....the sort of accident that can happen to anybody" legitimises killing cyclists as just one of those things that happens nobody, not even the guy who took his eyes off the road for 9 seconds at 70mph is to blame.

Longer rant here http://icycleliverpool.co.uk/2013/06/21/its-friday/

LoveloBicycles, you are so right. This sort of attitude makes my blood boil. There was a similar one to this a while back (cant remember the names now) where a speeding driver who admitted dangerous driving was overtaking a cyclist while there was oncoming traffic, realised he couldnt fit through the gap so killed the cyclist. The judge said the driver had no case to answer as it was just bad luck that the cyclist happened to be in that spot at that time! WTF!

RIP Mr Grayson, champion.