People need to be realistic in these cases, and use a bit of common sense and get in touch with reality.
If cyclists are stupid enough to put themselves at higher risk on a potentially dangerous and very busy road, it does not matter a ■■■■ whether it’s legal or not, it’s just epic muppetry on their part, and that should be taken into consideration when things go ■■■■ up.
(That reminds me, I’ll never forget a complete nut job I once saw riding a bike with no lights on the A66 one night years ago …Darwinism at it’s purest.)
The cemeteries are full of self righteous idiots who do stupid ■■■■ things thinking they are safe…and thinking that because it’s entirely legal.
And yeh maybe they were ‘‘In the right’’, but did it really matter?
At least they can have it carved on their grave stones eh?
jakethesnake:
A bit of a selfish view Harry in my opinion. A cyclist has been killed by a driver who has admitted to causing death by careless driving. Also admitted not taking any action for the blinding sun but you are saying the cyclist should have thought it may not be safe to ride home from work, a route which she used regularily.
Unfortunately every person is not maybe so aware of the dangers as somebody who drives regularily and as you quite rightly say she was perfectly legal and entitled to cycle that route. Maybe that was her only mode of transport.
Maybe if the lorry driver has done what he should have done she would have still been alive today with her family. Very unfair to blame the victim.
I wouldn’t agree that my view is “selfish” but to expand slightly and give you a personal example, last year I was moored on my boat at Fradley and I decided to visit the National Memorial Arboretum which was around six miles away. This is exactly the sort of thing the Honda is for, I keep it on the bow deck of my boat and as it is so light I can lift it on and off unaided.
The most direct route was straight up the A38. There is no legal restriction on my doing this, but knowing that stretch of the A38, I considered that this would be an extremely foolish and dangerous thing to do on such a slow-moving vehicle, and so I took a slightly longer route which kept me entirely on country lanes, and I doubt I saw half-a-dozen moving vehicles all the way there and back. I could have held the view that “I’m perfectly entitled to be on the A38”, which of course I would be, but sometimes you just have to accept that a course of action can be legal but unwise.
Incidentally, I highly recommend a visit to the National Memorial Arboretum, which is a very moving and evocative site.
Yes, of course I understand it from your point of view. I would have done exactly the same however not everybody thinks “road safety” all the time. Least of all the lorry driver who killed the cyclist in question. A lot of people don’t consider the dangers of what they do everyday. The lady in question cycled that route everyday and never had a problem (where have I heard that before Robbie)
until the lorry driver(on his phone) which CAN be a distraction no matter what some say. Also he did absolutely nothing to prevent himself being dazzled by the sun.
Personally I do not know the road in question but in this case whether it was suitable for a cyclist or not if the lorry driver had been paying attention and had driven in a professional manner that lady would have still been alive.
Yes we know there are cyclists that take massive risks (the arrogant ones) but there are also others who don’t know any better. Drivers should know how vulnerable cyclists are and whether a cyclist puts themselves in extreme danger or not need to drive accordingly to prevent tragic accidents.
I’d love to live in your road safety Nirvanic Jakeyworld Jake, where everybody is a perfect driver, nobody succumbs to the foibles of human nature, everybody drives totally concentrating in their minds 100% of the time, never taking their eyes off the road ahead for a split second, and where distractions are just resisted, to the point where there are never any literal true definition ‘‘ACCIDENTS’’ …must be lovely eh?
In the meantime I’ll just concentrate on gritty reality, and accept that ■■■■ happens no matter how good (or bad) you think you may be.
robroy:
I’d love to live in your road safety Nirvanic Jakeyworld Jake, where everybody is a perfect driver, nobody succumbs to the foibles of human nature, everybody drives totally concentrating in their minds 100% of the time, never taking their eyes off the road ahead for a split second, and where distractions are just resisted, to the point where there are never any literal true definition ‘‘ACCIDENTS’’ …must be lovely eh?
In the meantime I’ll just concentrate on gritty reality, and accept that [zb] happens no matter how good (or bad) you think you may be.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+1
well we all know that jakes fantasy world has as much to do with reality as jake has…and rowley…
robroy:
I’d love to live in your road safety Nirvanic Jakeyworld Jake, where everybody is a perfect driver, nobody succumbs to the foibles of human nature, everybody drives totally concentrating in their minds 100% of the time, never taking their eyes off the road ahead for a split second, and where distractions are just resisted, to the point where there are never any literal true definition ‘‘ACCIDENTS’’ …must be lovely eh?
In the meantime I’ll just concentrate on gritty reality, and accept that [zb] happens no matter how good (or bad) you think you may be.
You have me all wrong Rob, I like you was a lorry driver for many years. I count myself lucky in a way not to have had any serious accidents because as we all know sometimes they cannot be avoided.
However as I have said all along these accidents are more likely to happen to some more than others. This one being a perfect example of a driver not being responsible which sadly an innocent person lost their life. Nobody can concentrate 100% of the time but everyone can avoid distractions if they wish.
I often play the devils advocate on here and wind others up (as I am sure you do) but when it comes to bad driving and irresponsible driving from so called professionals it makes me rage.
DD, i wish you would make your mind up. One week I am rowley , previously I have been a fridge engineer and also some sort of doctor I think. I am sure there are a few on here with more than one account. It’s fairly obvious to me but I am not one of them. Strange you only pick on posters who don’t agree with you.
…Darwinism at it’s purest.)
