Negligence

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cycle tramp
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Re: Negligence

Post by cycle tramp »

Cyril Haearn wrote: 8 May 2021, 12:45pm Seems obvious that legislation is needed, no need for misplaced caution or sympathy with elderly drivers

Could it be thematised in a police series on TV?

Mind, I understand young drivers cause many 'accidents' too :?
I wouldn't say sympathy, but probably a political understanding that the elderly are more likely to vote, more likely to vote for the political right and a recognition that our public transport system is in such disarray as to make the sudden change from car ownership to using public transport impractical (anecdotally the small hammett in which several of my family members live is 3 miles away from the county town of Taunton) despite this there is now no bus service from that village to Taunton, nor even the park and ride service at the edge of Taunton).
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cycle tramp
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Re: Negligence

Post by cycle tramp »

Ride-sleep-repeat wrote: 8 May 2021, 12:30pm Patrol type programmes and a Traffic cop,in Gloucestershire IIRC,was called to an accident where the elderly driver had knocked a Horserider off.
I work with horses, so 'knocking a horse rider off' has far different consequences than if I was knocked from my bike. The horse would have probably been in pain and suffering until the vet arrived. Unless the injuries to the horse were very minor, the animal would have to probably be put down. The rider may have suffered injuries from falling (it's a long way to fall from a horse) and if the horse had fallen on top of them the rider may have faced crush injuries which sometimes results in limb amputation. Whatever happened the rider probably lost a kind caring and faithful companion, and a companion with which they shared unique bond, which may have been established over many years. It's one thing for me to be knocked from my bike, its something completely different if someone ran one of my pets over. There's no such thing as 'being knocked of a horse"
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Ride-sleep-repeat
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Re: Negligence

Post by Ride-sleep-repeat »

cycle tramp wrote: 9 May 2021, 3:00pm
Ride-sleep-repeat wrote: 8 May 2021, 12:30pm Patrol type programmes and a Traffic cop,in Gloucestershire IIRC,was called to an accident where the elderly driver had knocked a Horserider off.
I work with horses, so 'knocking a horse rider off' has far different consequences than if I was knocked from my bike. The horse would have probably been in pain and suffering until the vet arrived. Unless the injuries to the horse were very minor, the animal would have to probably be put down. The rider may have suffered injuries from falling (it's a long way to fall from a horse) and if the horse had fallen on top of them the rider may have faced crush injuries which sometimes results in limb amputation. Whatever happened the driver probably lost a kind caring and faithful companion, and a companion with which they shared unique bond. It's one thing for me to be knocked from my bike, its something completely different if someone ran one of my pets over. There's no such thing as 'being knocked of a horse"
I'm sorry if my wording is not correct.I have little to do with horses other than meeting them on the road or trails.I was just,from memory,repeating what I had heard on the TV programme.They may or may not have actually used the phrase 'knocked off a horse'.To the layman that's probably the most obvious term to use.
cycle tramp
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Re: Negligence

Post by cycle tramp »

Ride-sleep-repeat wrote: 9 May 2021, 3:07pm
I'm sorry if my wording is not correct.I have little to do with horses other than meeting them on the road or trails.I was just,from memory,repeating what I had heard on the TV programme.They may or may not have actually used the phrase 'knocked off a horse'.To the layman that's probably the most obvious term to use.
No worries, I suspect it was the narrator of the piece who said that. The trouble with that sort of phrase is that it lends itself to road users thinking that if they hit a horse with their car after which both the rider and horse will get up again- and that doesn't happen (although sometimes the horse will fall onto the car). Hence the whole pass wide, pass slow message
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fastpedaller
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Re: Negligence

Post by fastpedaller »

cycle tramp wrote: 9 May 2021, 2:02pm the sudden change from car ownership to using public transport impractical (anecdotally the small hammett in which several of my family members live is 3 miles away from the county town of Taunton) despite this there is now no bus service from that village to Taunton, nor even the park and ride service at the edge of Taunton).
But if the eyesight is poor the use of public transport is difficult.......
As a young teen my long sight was getting worse, so I squinted - Until it got so bad that when the bus came I couldn't identify the number and get my hand out in time for it to stop! My sitting in the front row in the class wasn't an indication of my passion for the subject either :lol:
Tangled Metal
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Re: Negligence

Post by Tangled Metal »

arnsider wrote: 9 May 2021, 7:32am One of the most recent rides I did with the person in question involved a descent of the long hill into Brigsteer from Kendal.
He raced to the front of the pack and let go, hell for leather. His faith in his hydraulic brakes is naive.
I took that in my old road bike 10 years ago. I never used that bike again. My rim brakes faded such that my hands were white from squeezing the brakes so hard yet I still accelerated away. There's a sharp bend on it and I was very scared going round it but fortunately it eased off so I could slow for it. At the bottom I ran on for quite some way I was going so fast. I needed the left turn towards Levens but no chance of making it at that speed.

Foolishly I touched the wheel rim at the front and burnt my finger badly. I also realised there was an issue with the steering. I got a new bike and stopped using that old road bike. Still got it though. It was my first bike bought myself. £450 at 17 yo.

Put bluntly that brigsteer road is very steep and not one to take if you've got any doubts about the quality of your brakes.
Tangled Metal
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Re: Negligence

Post by Tangled Metal »

A family friend had a startled horse write his car off but the horse was put down in the field next to the incident despite being walked into the field through a nearby gate. The friend was bothered by that despite not being the cause of the horses demise.

It was a two seater sports car with the roof down and music blaring out that overtook him just before he was about to slowly pull out and around the horse and rider. It was a dangerous move because our friend was actually makingn the move out and you could not really see what could be ahead. The horse spooked and kicked out at his age door basically wrecking the side of the car. But it was damage to the horse that was the real tragedy.

I make a big deal about radio off and driving past slowly with low revs since hearing about that. It was either the radio or the high revving of the car that caused the horse to spook.
arnsider
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Re: Negligence

Post by arnsider »

I put the Brigsteer incident in as a measure of this persons stupidity. Not only does he ride with impaired eyesight for which we suspect a prescription is in place, but he compounds the foolishness by behaviour that is frankly suicidal. Such is the conceit of some people.
Cyril Haearn
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Re: Negligence

Post by Cyril Haearn »

Could you try giving him a good talking to?
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mattheus
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Re: Negligence

Post by mattheus »

Cyril Haearn wrote: 8 May 2021, 12:45pm Seems obvious that legislation is needed, no need for misplaced caution or sympathy with elderly drivers

Could it be thematised in a police series on TV?
On CH5 May17th

New Hard-hitting Documentary
"Elderly Drivers: Scourge of the Streets?"
thirdcrank
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Re: Negligence

Post by thirdcrank »

Perhaps the OP's reckless cycling chum is the sort of rider who prompts opposition to presumed liability
mattheus
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Re: Negligence

Post by mattheus »

thirdcrank wrote: 11 May 2021, 9:42am Perhaps the OP's reckless cycling chum is the sort of rider who prompts opposition to presumed liability
Hmmm ... maybe. 99% of opponents are simply ignorant of the facts about it.

(don't forget it's only "Presumed" so he can still be held liable - or prosecuted for - any damage he causes! )
arnsider
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Re: Negligence

Post by arnsider »

The Braking efficiency of a cycle varies, but it's logical that on steep gradients, your braking distance is much longer and you are not going to stop in an emergency.
It might look fun on the TDF when the top riders just let go on the big drops, but for mere mortals on roads open to traffic, it is ridiculous to be hurtling down with abandon.
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