2014-02-25 - Rider Down/Fatality, 309 Regent Street

Daughter pays tribute. RIP Michael Mason: http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/daughters-tribute-to-her-best-friend-cyclist-father-who-died-after-regent-street-crash-9196427.html

Incredibly sad. My thoughts go out to family and friends and all who knew him.

Very sad news.

RIP. My heart goes out to those you loved.

Condolences to Mr Mason's loved ones.

I've just deleted a photo of the bike from this thread as requested by private message.
Please refrain from reposting it.

RIP Mr. Mason. Another horrible day for London.

The black logo is really upsetting. RIP rider, thoughts with family and friends.

One of us has to know someone who saw this. *

Anyone who has information is requested to call the Serious Collision Investigation Unit at Hampton Traffic Garage on 020 8941 9011, or the charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111 (from road.cc article on the same) - more info here:
*

Rest in peace Mr Mason. You sound like a lovely man.

:(

condolences to his family.

Horrible. Yet another one that sounds to be anything but an accident. RIP mate.

Surely it's camera'd up to f*** around there?!

Rip

Sad times :( RIP

One of us has to know someone who saw this.

Anyone who has information is requested to call the Serious Collision Investigation Unit at Hampton Traffic Garage on 020 8941 9011, or the charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111 (from road.cc article on the same) - more info here:

Rest in peace Mr Mason. You sound like a lovely man.
This.

https://rosslydall.wordpress.com/2014/12/09/still-waters-run-deep-daughters-tribute-to-father-killed-cycling-in-london/

http://thecyclingsilk.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/inquest-into-death-of-michael-mason.html

The driver was commuting home in Hertfordshire from her work at a hairdresser's salon in central London. She was driving a 'motability' car owned by a disabled friend. She gave evidence consistent with her accounts to the police that she did not see Mr Mason or his bicycle at any time before the collision. She was travelling at somewhere between 20 and 30 mph and did not brake before impact. She carried on and parked 30 metres up the road before returning to the realisation she had hit a cyclist. In answer to a question which she was warned that she need not answer she accepted that if the cyclist was there (which from the physical evidence he unquestionably was) she should have seen him.

A detective from the Serious Collisions Investigation Unit confirmed to the Coroner that there were no criminal proceedings taken against the driver and that decision had been taken by the Metropolitan Police without reference to the CPS.

Staggering decision. We have just written to the police to see if we can discover the reason for no prosecution.

Good old SMIDSY as usual.

PC Brian Gamble who investigated the scene said Ms Purcell had been breathalysed, drug tested and eye tested at the scene before being taken for an interview under caution at the police station.

He said: 'Mr Mason was probably travelling at a similar speed to the other traffic on the road which was probably at the 30 mile-per-hour speed limit, there were no climatic factors that contributed to the collision, it was a clear dry evening.' - See more at: http://courtnewsuk.co.uk/newsgallery/?news_id=39245#sthash.ALOpgxkF.dpuf

Seventy years old, slightly uphill, 30mph?

That comment is inconsistent with other statements from that report. It's also inconsistent with typical traffic conditions for the time and location of the incident. I would suggest either mispresentation by the officer or misreporting. There is a very significant discrepancy where at least one witness suggests that Mason overtook the car just prior to the incident. If this is borne out, then it would indicate that a failure to see him should be classed as unacceptable driver behaviour due to an absence of attention to the road.

More thoughts here:
https://aseasyasridingabike.wordpress.com/2014/12/12/it-could-have-been-a-pedestrian/
and here:
http://lcc.org.uk/articles/no-prosecution-after-london-cyclist-is-run-down-from-behind

This is fucked up. Can this be appealed in higher courts? (I am not from this country and dont know how things work here)

As it hasn't gone to the CPS, and was NFAd by the police, I suppose that a private prosecution could be sought.

However - they are expensive, and the CPS could take it over and NFA it themselves if they felt that there was no public interest in pursuing it.

I'm torn here, is this police/CPS inaction or a acceptance that Ms Purcell was 'unfortunate' to knock over someone that she just didn't see

Time for a strict liability standard if you hit a cyclist.
Yup that strict liability would also apply if a cyclist were to hit a pedestrian.

Again, rest in peace Mr Mason.

What the actual fuck?
I 2nd Amey's comment, is there something we can do in terms of a starting a petition or similar?