Warning to Horse Riders

lincroft1710

custardy wrote: »

Interesting. You realise most already have a drivers licence?

http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/our-region/edinburgh/cyclist-killed-after-collision-with-parked-car-in-edinburgh-1-4599126

This person has a licence,yet managed to kill someone with a stationary car.
Once again focusing on the 'low impactors' is a waste of time.
Motorised vehicles are the real danger of the roads.

If the car was stationary then did the cyclist not realise the car was there, or did they take evasive action to avoid something else and hit the car, or did the driver (or a passenger in the car) open a door into the cyclist's path. Only in the last instance would it be the driver's fault and he wouldn't be driving.

custardy

lincroft1710 wrote: »

If the car was stationary then did the cyclist not realise the car was there, or did they take evasive action to avoid something else and hit the car, or did the driver (or a passenger in the car) open a door into the cyclist's path. Only in the last instance would it be the driver's fault and he wouldn't be driving.

Yes,straight to the blame game.
As you stated as a final option,the driver opened the door.
I think you will find the driver would still be in charge of the vehicle.

esuhl

firefox1956 wrote: »

It's about time that cyclists & horse riders should all have some sort of licence to be on the public roads.
AND pass some sort of test..................

It's about time motorists are taught how to drive properly as part of the driving test. As driving standards clearly demonstrate, any unskilled idiot can pass a driving test. Drivers aren't taught how to "read the road", how to drive on a motorway, how to overtake horse/bike riders. The driving test isn't fit for purpose.

And people who want to injure or kill others will escape a jail sentence (or at worst get a very short one) if they use a car as their weapon of choice. The law is inadequate as it stands for prosecuting criminal driving.

A man deliberately drove into a cyclist, causing a fractured spine, and shouted that he would do it again. But was the motorist charged with attempted murder? Of course not. A mere 27 months in prison, £5k fine, and INCREDIBLY they're going to let this guy back on the roads as if nothing had happened!

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/nov/03/sentencing-road-rage-driver-cyclists

There needs to stronger laws to prosecute motorists who break the law. We definitely need new offences for, "Causing injury by driving" and, "Causing a collision by opening a vehicle door".

Given the high incidence of road rage amongst motorists, the driving test should really include a psychological evaluation to prevent lunatics like this from getting a licence in the first place.

Anyone who deliberately or recklessly causes injury by driving should have a lifetime driving ban.

Nick_C

custardy wrote: »

Yes,straight to the blame game.
As you stated as a final option,the driver opened the door.
I think you will find the driver would still be in charge of the vehicle.

Any evidence to support that unsubstantiated claim?

It's about time cyclists are taught how to ride properly before being allowed on the road. As cycling standards clearly demonstrate, any unskilled idiot can ride a bicycle. Cyclists aren't tested on their ability to "read the road" and overtake parked cars safely.

custardy

Nick_C wrote: »

Any evidence to support that unsubstantiated claim?

It's about time cyclists are taught how to ride properly before being allowed on the road. As cycling standards clearly demonstrate, any unskilled idiot can ride a bicycle. Cyclists aren't tested on their ability to "read the road" and overtake parked cars safely.

Until its reported in the news,no.
An acquaintance knows the deceased and is local.
I have no reason to dispute what they have told me.
On that road I would expect the cyclist to be sitting in the 'outside' lane as cars are parked in marked (to a degree but the council saw fit to re mark them after the death) bays.

jonnyd281

esuhl wrote: »

It's about time motorists are taught how to drive properly as part of the driving test. As driving standards clearly demonstrate, any unskilled idiot can pass a driving test. Drivers aren't taught how to "read the road", how to drive on a motorway, how to overtake horse/bike riders. The driving test isn't fit for purpose.

....

There needs to stronger laws to prosecute motorists who break the law. We definitely need new offences for, "Causing injury by driving" and, "Causing a collision by opening a vehicle door".

Agreed there are some shocking drivers on the road, however everyday on my way to work, I see cyclists with no lights on, ignoring traffic lights, ignoring pedestrian crossings, so it's a two way thing really, if you want to toughen the law for motorist, then the law needs to be tougher on cyclists as well.

custardy

jonnyd281 wrote: »

Agreed there are some shocking drivers on the road, however everyday on my way to work, I see cyclists with no lights on, ignoring traffic lights, ignoring pedestrian crossings, so it's a two way thing really, if you want to toughen the law for motorist, then the law needs to be tougher on cyclists as well.

I think you mean enforce,not toughen.
The driver in that link met the criteria for lifetime ban.

lincroft1710

custardy wrote: »

Yes,straight to the blame game.
As you stated as a final option,the driver opened the door.
I think you will find the driver would still be in charge of the vehicle.

I had that happen to me when I was a teenager, over 50 yrs ago. Apart from cut in my foot and minor bones in foot broken I was OK. Driver was prosecuted and fined £1. He did take me to hospital.

Of course the driver was responsible in the Edinburgh fatality, my point was that he wasn't actually driving at the time.

esuhl

jonnyd281 wrote: »

Agreed there are some shocking drivers on the road, however everyday on my way to work, I see cyclists with no lights on, ignoring traffic lights, ignoring pedestrian crossings, so it's a two way thing really, if you want to toughen the law for motorist, then the law needs to be tougher on cyclists as well.

But (other than needing lights during the day), all those things are illegal. And cyclists face punishments similar to motorists for such offences.

Generally speaking, cyclists don't cause problems for other road users -- it's themselves they are putting at risk. When they are prosecuted (for anything more than a merely ticketable offence) they face much harsher punishments that motorists do.

I don't think there are any drivers who always obey speed limits which, apart from being illegal, increases the risks that driver poses to the public. Yet speeding is just accepted.

Every day during rush hour (morning and evening) I smell cannabis wafting from cars containing a lone driver. It's incredible how being enclosed in a tonne of metal makes people feel so personally safe that they don't have a problem risking other people's lives. Drivers have eventually grasped the anti-drink-driving message, but don't see cannabis as being just as bad.

Sentencing for serious motor offences is laughably soft. This report (from 2012) shows that a third of people convicted for causing death or serious injury by dangerous driving don't even go to prison!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9636991/Third-of-drivers-who-kill-and-maim-avoid-jail.html

The man who killed six people by crushing them with his lorry when he lost consciousness had his licence revoked for medical reasons. Even after killing six people, and knowing it could happen again, this man got back in a car and drove.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-39453847

Again, he's a risk to the public. He's killed six people already and hasn't learnt his lesson. Motorists rarely face lengthy bans, and even the short bans are ignored too often. People don't realise that driving is a responsibility, not an automatic right.

So, there are bad drivers, bad cyclists, bad horse-riders, bad pedestrians and bad people. But some are quite nice.

POPPYOSCAR wrote: »

Please horse riders wear something reflective in the dark.
...
Please be sensible at this time of year and no matter what time you go out put something reflective on for all of our sakes.

Please motorists, use your indicators. And don't overtake on blind bends.

Please be sensible at this time of year and no matter what time you go out, stick to the speed limit for all of our sakes.

custardy

lincroft1710 wrote: »

I had that happen to me when I was a teenager, over 50 yrs ago. Apart from cut in my foot and minor bones in foot broken I was OK. Driver was prosecuted and fined £1. He did take me to hospital.

Of course the driver was responsible in the Edinburgh fatality, my point was that he wasn't actually driving at the time.

and I'm not sure why you are labouring the point.
My post never mentioned driving.