Cyclist Down in Tokai

[Mamil]

If there was a fund attached to the PPA or CSA or any body that devoted resource to legally pursuing a driver in these circumstances I would gladly have my PPA membership doubled. I would support the addition of a percentage to any race entry fee.

 

I don't know enough about the law to say if this is even possible but I would want this driver found guilty, receiving sanction  and his employer or insurance making compensation payments to the rider's family.

[Allrounder]

what about the 1m law in the western cape. Surely he broke the law because he hit a cyclist???

[Headshot]

The law is very lenient for drivers who kill people on the roads if there are any element of "accident" in the incident, and there is always an element of "accident". What punishment did Burry`s killer get? And more importantly, do these convictions if they do happen make the roads any safer?

I agree the law is too lenient on killer drivers and indeed in all such cases eg where corporate negligence kills someone.. All cases are just "accidents", the question is whether someone's conduct makes them guilty of negligently causing the death of a person in the accident, and can be proved in law.

 

I suspect our law used to be more stringent but has been watered down by a plethora of cases and a State unwilling to push for convictions and harsh sentences. In this case the argument will probably be that the cyclist didn't hold his line and strayed into the trucks path. As with all such cases the victim isn't there for the court to sympathize with, only the perpetrator who will, if he is suitably chastened and with a suitable story to tell, probably evoke the Courts sympathy. Its a crazy world.

[Big_Al]

RIP - Terrible news, spend a lot of time on this road!

 

The road works in the area really do make cycling these road quite dangerous at the moment!

 

I think something else that needs to be addressed is the number of commuters who ride to work in the dark with no lights and helmets! Not sure if there are any charities that would help with this, but I think it would definitely help these guys get to work safely on the dark winter mornings!

[bj horn]

RIP

[MTBeer]

Not that careful driving by the careless truck driver would not have avoided the accident - there is still space and a bit of patience is all that is required - that is the crux of the matter!

and we know this how?

[Wannabe]

and we know this how?

 

Uhm, if he exercised due diligence and was patient, he would not have driven over TWO CYCLIST. YES, TWO CYCLIST WAS INVOLVED. ONE DIED, ONE INJURED !!

In other words, if he was careful and not careless, this tragedy would not have happened.

There were a few witnesses that saw the events unfold.

[MTBeer]

Uhm, if he exercised due diligence and was patient, he would not have driven over TWO CYCLIST. YES, TWO CYCLIST WAS INVOLVED. ONE DIED, ONE INJURED !!

In other words, if he was careful and not careless, this tragedy would not have happened.

There were a few witnesses that saw the events unfold.

ok sorry didn't see that anywhere in the thread. thought conclusions were being jumped to again.

[cadenceblur]

ok sorry didn't see that anywhere in the thread. thought conclusions were being jumped to again.

like you did? 

[MTBeer]

like you did? 

no mine was a question, not a statement.

 

But I have since read Marko's post describing incident.

[Wannabe]

Read and comprehend, before making sweeping statements.

 

Just saying....

 

Use it, don't use it.......

 

Sorry, my rant over. 

[MTBeer]

Read and comprehend, before making sweeping statements.

 

Just saying....

 

Use it, don't use it.......

 

Sorry, my rant over. 

I didn't make a sweeping statement, I asked a question. But anyway, more important issues...

[Wannabe]

Not aimed at just you, a few guys are guilty of this.

[J∆kk∆ls]

A very sad case, RIP!!

 

Another close call for my mate and I this morning as a driver just could not handle sitting behind us and so squeezed past at a moerofa speed, only for us to pass her once she hit traffic a minute later. 

 

Unnecessary behave that yields no gain!

[Cam182]

A very sad case, RIP!!

 

Another close call for my mate and I this morning as a driver just could not handle sitting behind us and so squeezed past at a moerofa speed, only for us to pass her once she hit traffic a minute later. 

 

Unnecessary behave that yields no gain!

 

I had a case the other day where a driver overtook me across a solid white line going around a blind corner (while i was driving and slowing down for a stop sign i new was coming up 20-30m later). He went through the stop sign/junction without stopping and sped up the street going maybe 80/100kph in a 50 zone. About 500 meters later he had parked and was talking to someone in front of his house - i stopped and wound down the window to ask him what he was thinking and he immediately got aggressive, told me to f off and that he was running late. I had my wife in the car so didn't want to put her in danger but took his car licence plate details and drove off. I've reported it to the arrive safely / road awareness hotline but not sure what they can do. If a car (or cyclist) was coming the other way its another tragedy with little repercussions on the driver at fault.

 

The thing that stuck out for me was that its just general impatience from drivers that causing these "accidents". Until there's more awareness and drivers are held accountable its going to be more of the same every week.

 

The truck driver probably didn't wake up this morning wanting to kill or injure a cyclist and this could be seen as an accident - and they might be having a very tough time now trying to process that. However the message needs to get across to drivers that if they hit cyclists (especially in the western cape where there is a 1m rule), they are at fault/liable and responsible for the death/injury of someone. And punishment needs to be severe enough to scare people into thinking twice before getting impatient and taking risks. Jail time and liable for costs/recovery.

 

Saying all this i feel like we have the exact same thread every bloody accident.

[Mamil]

This is exactly the point. 

 

I don't know if I do more harm than good but when I catch up with the person who squeezes past me like that I rap on his window and politely ask them to be aware of cyclists. Sometimes I'm told to f@33k off, sometimes I'm ignored and sometimes the person says sorry - about a 50,30,20 split.

 

Sometimes I know I do us all a disservice and tell the person they're an asshole by asking them if they are going to put my kids through 'varsity when their negligence kills me. I try to inhibit that though.

 

 

The truck driver probably didn't wake up this morning wanting to kill or injure a cyclist and this could be seen as an accident - and they might be having a very tough time now trying to process that. However the message needs to get across to drivers that if they hit cyclists (especially in the western cape where there is a 1m rule), they are at fault/liable and responsible for the death/injury of someone. And punishment needs to be severe enough to scare people into thinking twice before getting impatient and taking risks. Jail time and liable for costs/recovery.

 

Saying all this i feel like we have the exact same thread every bloody accident.