What rights do I have as a Cyclist?
I wonder at times.
If I am involved in an accident the immediate questions people it appears would ask is "Was she wearing a helmet?" "Was she wearing bright enough clothing?" "Was she running a red light?" "Was she cutting up a vehicle?".
At no point it would seem would someone ask "Did the driver look?" "Was the driver indicating?" "Did the driver just pull across in front of her?" "Was the driver doing something to cause the accident?".
Whenever I read about cycling accidents the questions asked look to point blame at a cyclist rather than someone driving a tonne of metal.
Today two cases were in court regarding accidents with cyclists.In the first the cyclist has survived although she is not able to communicate, move or do anything independently as a result. The driver was on his mobile and admitted to not checking his mirrors. He got a fine and an 8 month driving ban.
In the second, a driver open his door knocking a cyclist into the path of a bus which ran him over. Unfortunately he didn't survive. It emerged in the trial that the driver had his windows tinted which reduced the visibility in and out of his car to 17%. He was cleared of manslaughter.
Both cases involved juries and what worries me is that juries have no sympathy for cyclists. Why?
Why are motorists given all the sympathy in these cases? Is it because more people on a jury are drivers than cyclists? Or is it that the minority of cyclists that you hear about in the media running red lights and hitting pedestrians are tarring the rest of us with the same brush?
Whatever it is as a driver I have a responsibility too ALL road users. You might think that a quick phone call won't hurt anyone or that making your car look "cool" doesn't do anyone any harm. Well, tell that to the families of Mary Bowers and Sam Harding.
If I am involved in an accident the immediate questions people it appears would ask is "Was she wearing a helmet?" "Was she wearing bright enough clothing?" "Was she running a red light?" "Was she cutting up a vehicle?".
At no point it would seem would someone ask "Did the driver look?" "Was the driver indicating?" "Did the driver just pull across in front of her?" "Was the driver doing something to cause the accident?".
Whenever I read about cycling accidents the questions asked look to point blame at a cyclist rather than someone driving a tonne of metal.
Today two cases were in court regarding accidents with cyclists.In the first the cyclist has survived although she is not able to communicate, move or do anything independently as a result. The driver was on his mobile and admitted to not checking his mirrors. He got a fine and an 8 month driving ban.
In the second, a driver open his door knocking a cyclist into the path of a bus which ran him over. Unfortunately he didn't survive. It emerged in the trial that the driver had his windows tinted which reduced the visibility in and out of his car to 17%. He was cleared of manslaughter.
Both cases involved juries and what worries me is that juries have no sympathy for cyclists. Why?
Why are motorists given all the sympathy in these cases? Is it because more people on a jury are drivers than cyclists? Or is it that the minority of cyclists that you hear about in the media running red lights and hitting pedestrians are tarring the rest of us with the same brush?
Whatever it is as a driver I have a responsibility too ALL road users. You might think that a quick phone call won't hurt anyone or that making your car look "cool" doesn't do anyone any harm. Well, tell that to the families of Mary Bowers and Sam Harding.
Comments
Post a Comment