2015-02-19 - Rider Down/Fatality - Victoria St

http://forum.ctc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=94319&start=225

'SteveHunter' replied 'Noted, will contact you.'

Sadly SteveHunter has not contacted me, or any of my team investigating this sad incident.

I would urge 'Steve' to come forward and tell me exactly what you do - or do not - know.

You have posted potentially vital information here yet not come forward to speak to us. I am only interested in finding out the truth - no more, no less - and by not speaking to me I am potentially wasting valuable time trying to find you.

I note you have edited your posts removing some significant information and would like to know why.

Please speak to us and assist in order we can take a statement or rule you out of our enquiries.

I am forced to post this here as you have deactivated your personal messaging.

John Hartfree

Anyone who posts witness statements like this one on a cycling forum should be prepared to take them to the police - especially since they claim to be a cyclist.

That's a curious and unpleasant situation. He went back and deleted all references to the lorry driver indicating and having an audible warning and the cyclist undertaking. Then it turns out he may not have actually been there. What on earth possessed him to do that? Old bill don't sound happy.

Ugh what an awful thing to do.

Terrible for any family and friends of the victim who may have come across his writings.

Friend or family of the driver perhaps?

It appears he has been on that forum for a while.

A man has been summonsed to appear in court following a collision
which resulted in the death of a cyclist in central London in
February.

Alan Warwick - 61 (21.08.54) - a lorry driver from Rayleigh, Essex has
been summonsed to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 21
October for causing death by careless driving.

http://www.mynewsdesk.com/uk/metpoliceuk/news/man-summonsed-to-court-re-fatal-collision-sw1-132249

Thanks for posting this I work directly above where this happened and it still upsets me

Alan Warwick, 61, of Rayleigh, Essex, today pleaded guilty to causing
death by careless driving at Southwark Crown Court.

He will be sentenced on April 18 at the same court.

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/victoria-cyclist-death-essex-lorry-driver-admits-killing-boris-bike-rider-a3184876.html

A non-custodial sentence for the driver, but this time this was also requested by the victim's husband.

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/lorry-driver-avoids-jail-over-death-of-cyclist-after-widowers-plea-to-judge-a3228116.html

A non-custodial sentence is understandable in the circumstances. The community service order of 160 hours work to be completed in a year seems a light alternative. The loss of licence/driving ban for only 12 months is appalling.

The lorry was fitted with the best equipment available, the driver had taken part in cyclist awareness training, the death was avoidable, driver carelessness was the primary cause.

The message that needs to get out to drivers, especially professional drivers, is that carelessness is a crime. Loss of licence for a very long time should be the standard sentence for this level of crime. A lifetime ban was put on the driver in the recent case in Surrey. Surely this case merits a 5 to 10 year ban.

The driver involved in the death of Brian Holt on Mile End Road in 2013 worked for the same company, driving a similar lorry. That driver was acquitted by the jury even though there was clear evidence of lack of care.

Needless to say that both these deaths would have been highly unlikely had the drivers been in lorries with 'Direct Vision' cabs.

If you're "tidying your cab" instead of looking where you are going, 'direct vision' will make not a jot of difference.

With a direct vision cab a cyclist passing on the left side is immediately in sight, even if you are tidying or cab or have not bothered checking your mirrors for any other reason. Direct vision cabs are not totally fool proof but the current design of high cab lorries is indefenisble.