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“First realisation” driver had of cyclist’s presence was when he hit his windscreenJustice (Lonpicman, Wikimedia Commons)

“First realisation” driver had of cyclist’s presence was when he hit his windscreen

No suggestion of dangerous driving
by Alex Bowden
Tue, Mar 14, 2017 16:09
33

A North Yorkshire motorist has been fined £510 but kept his licence following a collision in which he failed to see a cyclist on December 1 last year. Stephen Blackmore pleaded guilty to driving without due care at Teesside Magistrates’ Court. The cyclist was initially left in critical condition before later stabilising.

Gazette Live reports that a 50-year-old cyclist in a high-vis jacket was riding on the A174 eastbound towards the coast at around 6.30am when the collision took place.

Alan Davison, prosecuting, said: “The weather was not brilliant when the complainant was riding his bike. At that point, there are three lanes. The left-hand lane is a dedicated lane which goes off towards Acklam, the two outer lanes are the A174 itself.

“Mr Blackmore was driving a Volkswagen Golf on the inside lane. There was a bus in the central lane. The bus driver saw the cyclist. The witnesses were wondering what he was doing on that bit of the road.”

Davison said that Blackmore came up the inside, into the Acklam lane and the cyclist moved to the left. He added that the driver behind had then seen, “an explosion of debris.”

Davison said the “first realisation” Blackmore had of the cyclist’s presence was when he hit his windscreen.

Cycling UK calls for clearer guidelines on careless and dangerous driving

The cyclist was taken to James Cook University Hospital with serious abdominal injuries. His current condition – including whether he sustained long-term injuries – is not known.

In mitigation, Callum Terry said: “He simply didn’t see the cyclist. It is fair to say it has had a significant effect on him. He was off work for seven weeks and diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder.”

Judge Kate Meek said: “Yes, the cyclist was there to be seen but he had positioned himself in a way that was problematic.

“The fault is yours so far as the accident is concerned and I know that is something that weighs heavily on you. There is no suggestion by anyone that your driving was dangerous.”

As well as the fine, Blackmore was ordered to pay £85 costs and £51 charges, and eight penalty points were added to his licence.

North Yorkshire
Careless driving
Stephen Blackmore
Alex Bowden

Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.

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33 comments

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. . replied to brooksby | 7 years ago
1 like

brooksby wrote:

as a competent driver aren't you supposed to take that into consideration and drive accordingly?

I recall an incident about 20 years ago that scares me to this day.  I (as car driver) was turning left onto a fast A-road at a T-junction with short acceleration lanes.  I looked right twice and both times saw nobody.  Only once I'd pulled out did I see the cyclist who was on A-road travelling from my right.  I came very close to hitting him.  (Not sure if he took some avoiding action or it was pure luck that I missed him)

I then realised that both times I had looked he had been behind the A-pillar, and our relative speeds/angles (him going straight and me turning onto the acceleration lane) kept him hidden.   I don't know what more I could have reasonably done.

Avatar
Jimmy Ray Will replied to . . | 7 years ago
2 likes

. . wrote:

brooksby wrote:

as a competent driver aren't you supposed to take that into consideration and drive accordingly?

I recall an incident about 20 years ago that scares me to this day.  I (as car driver) was turning left onto a fast A-road at a T-junction with short acceleration lanes.  I looked right twice and both times saw nobody.  Only once I'd pulled out did I see the cyclist who was on A-road travelling from my right.  I came very close to hitting him.  (Not sure if he took some avoiding action or it was pure luck that I missed him)

I then realised that both times I had looked he had been behind the A-pillar, and our relative speeds/angles (him going straight and me turning onto the acceleration lane) kept him hidden.   I don't know what more I could have reasonably done.

Moved your head... 

Specifically, move your head from its static driving position, forward so that you gain vision of what is behind the A-frame.  If something is travelling in your blind spot, moving forward will ensure that they do not remain hidden when you move your head.

If that makes sense. 

 

Avatar
tarquin_foxglove replied to . . | 7 years ago
1 like

. . wrote:

I don't know what more I could have reasonably done.

Moved your head?

 

Quote:

Make a point of looking next to the windscreen pillars. Better still, lean forward slightly as you look right and left so that you are looking around the door pillars. Be aware that the pillar nearest to you blocks more of your vision. Fighter pilots say ‘Move your head – or you’re dead’. 

Source:
http://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/raf-pilot-teach-cyclists/

 

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