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Leeds cyclist killed and driver in intensive care after late-night crash

Police appeal for witnesses and ask people not to share graphic video footage online

A cyclist has been killed in Leeds following an incident late on Monday evening that also left the driver of one of the cars involved in intensive care. Police are appealing for witnesses, and have also called upon people not to share “very graphic video footage” of the incident that has been circulating on social media.

The victim, a 33-year-old male, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, which happened on the A65 Kirkstall Road shortly before 11.30pm on Monday evening opposite well-known local bike shop Woodrup Cycles.

The road is a major arterial route into Leeds city centre from the north west and has a speed limit of 30 miles an hour.

The 22-year-old driver of a Volkswagen Golf involved in the collision that overturned and crashed into two shops, causing “significant damage,” was taken to hospital where his condition was described as “serious but stable” by West Yorkshire Police.

Two other men, aged 23 and 36, who were in a Volkswagen Passat have been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and have been released on police bail.

Detective Chief Inspector Stuart Spencer said yesterday: "This is clearly a very serious incident that has resulted in a man's death and we are carrying out extensive enquiries to establish the full circumstances.

"We have already spoken to some witnesses but we are still keen to hear from anyone who witnessed the incident or who saw the movements of either the two cars or the cyclist in the time leading up to the collision."

Anyone who has information regarding the incident is requested to contact West Yorkshire Police on 101 quoting log number 1843 of November 14.

Sergeant Ann Drury added: "We are aware of very graphic video footage taken by bystanders at the fatal road traffic collision in Kirkstall Road, Leeds, on Monday night, that is being shared on social media.

"We would ask that those who have posted such footage and those who are considering sharing it further think very carefully about the impact this will have on the family of the man who died and to show them suitable respect at what is clearly a very difficult time."

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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23 comments

Avatar
FatBoyW | 8 years ago
0 likes

Thing is with crackle and popping, this seems to be built in more and more and at such low speeds. Jaguar f type 'roars' into life when started. Back fires in the queues out of Jag's factory! Saw a Aston Martin 177 crawling up to the back of a traffic queue sounded like an F1 car of the 80s! Amazing to be able to do this but why on earth do you want to be an Asbo cos you bought an expensive car? Pretty pathetic imho 

anyway back on point if you are caught street racing, car should be seized and if offence proved crushed, as well as driving ban of course. Btw if caught driving when banned this should also be the case.

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CygnusX1 replied to FatBoyW | 8 years ago
1 like

FatBoyW wrote:

anyway back on point if you are caught street racing, car should be seized and if offence proved crushed, as well as driving ban of course. Btw if caught driving when banned this should also be the case.

If caught driving whilst banned, your car should be crushed with offender in it - that should stop repeat offenders.

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tritecommentbot | 8 years ago
5 likes

I'm with Chris on this. People are too insulated from gore and reality. They buzz you within inches on your bike at 60 because they don't have a vivid idea of what happens when it goes wrong. 

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ChrisB200SX | 8 years ago
3 likes

Maybe use the graphic videos in a road danger reduction campaign? Might stop people behaving like this if they see what can happen. Maybe show the driver receiving justice too?

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srchar | 8 years ago
4 likes

The road outside my house now resembles a racetrack any time after 10pm.

Morons in very fast Audis and Mercs (though interestingly, not BMWs anymore) ragging their cars around without a care for anyone else who may happen to be using the roads. Or trying to sleep, given the current fashion for manufactured exhaust burps, pops and crackles.

It's a good job their cars have ESP and traction control, because I bet they'd last ten seconds driving like that in a fast RWD car of 15 years ago. Unfortunately, the electronic safety net makes them think that they are driving gods and also means that, when they're going fast enough to have an off, the results are catastrophic.

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Metaphor | 8 years ago
3 likes

Shame on those local authorities (they know who they are) who have allowed the situation to get to this point.

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jerome | 8 years ago
0 likes

Can this be called an accident? Why don't they identify the social accounts, raid the phones and fetch the full videos?

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mrchrispy | 8 years ago
3 likes

doesnt  need to be planned for these c**ts in audis and golfs to have a street race, the f**kers will do it anywhere.

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Gourmet Shot | 8 years ago
0 likes

There's some speed cameras on this road and its usually horrendously busy anyway, so i'm slightly perplexed as to why this would be chosen to street race in the first place.

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rliu | 8 years ago
4 likes

Further proof that the roads are a lawless world of bandits now with the severe cuts to traffic police patrols. A lot of the most psychopathic GTA influenced drivers are well aware of this, as they will have gotten away with breaking traffic laws repeatedly and never been caught out on it. Write to your MPs everyone who is appalled by this story.

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MikeOnABike | 8 years ago
3 likes

String all the bastard participants up by the neck until dead. All those watching should be given 20 years hard labour. Let's start getting some real JUSTICE in this country. 

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Housecathst replied to MikeOnABike | 8 years ago
2 likes

MikeOnABike wrote:

String all the bastard participants up by the neck until dead. All those watching should be given 20 years hard labour. Let's start getting some real JUSTICE in this country. 

or in all likelihood, just give them a £200 fine. 

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sponican | 8 years ago
5 likes

No, surely a normal person would hand the footage to the police rather than sharing it on social media or deleting it to protect te guily.

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Jimbomitch | 8 years ago
3 likes

If that is the case, Hootsy, then surely a normal person would delete the footage once they knew there were serious injuries and/or fatalities, not upload to whatever social media site for the horrendous possibility of relatives finding out about the incident in which their loved ones were hurt.

As I said, maybe I'm an old man from a different era..................I hope not.

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Hootsy replied to Jimbomitch | 8 years ago
3 likes

Jimbomitch wrote:

If that is the case, Hootsy, then surely a normal person would delete the footage once they knew there were serious injuries and/or fatalities, not upload to whatever social media site for the horrendous possibility of relatives finding out about the incident in which their loved ones were hurt.

As I said, maybe I'm an old man from a different era..................I hope not.

I would say that a normal person would hand the evidence to police, rather than delete it or upload it, by my point was that the event was already being filmed as it unfolded, rather than passers-by seeing the incident, then turning on their cameras, instead of going to help. That's not to say that many people wouldn't start filming, rather then helping, unfortunately...

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Jimbomitch | 8 years ago
7 likes

Am I just a grumpy old man, but what sort of people film this sort of thing rather than helping out? I despair.

 

RIP John

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brooksby replied to Jimbomitch | 8 years ago
3 likes

Jimbomitch wrote:

Am I just a grumpy old man, but what sort of people film this sort of thing rather than helping out? I despair.

Presumably the same people who slow right down to see if they can see anything, when there's been an accident on the motorway.

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Hootsy replied to Jimbomitch | 8 years ago
1 like

Jimbomitch wrote:

Am I just a grumpy old man, but what sort of people film this sort of thing rather than helping out? I despair.

I heard reports that the cars were involved in a street race, so I assume it had been pre-planned and people had gone along to watch and film, rather than random passers-by filming it.

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burtthebike replied to Hootsy | 8 years ago
2 likes

Hootsy wrote:

I heard reports that the cars were involved in a street race, so I assume it had been pre-planned and people had gone along to watch and film, rather than random passers-by filming it.

Whilst I do not wish to detract from the seriousness of this tragic incident, anyone who uses the word "pre-planned" should be removed from the gene pool until they learn to speak English.

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Hootsy replied to burtthebike | 8 years ago
5 likes

burtthebike wrote:

Hootsy wrote:

I heard reports that the cars were involved in a street race, so I assume it had been pre-planned and people had gone along to watch and film, rather than random passers-by filming it.

Whilst I do not wish to detract from the seriousness of this tragic incident, anyone who uses the word "pre-planned" should be removed from the gene pool until they learn to speak English.

https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/pre-plan

You need to chillax.  3

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burtthebike replied to Hootsy | 8 years ago
0 likes

Hootsy wrote:

I heard reports that the cars were involved in a street race, so I assume it had been pre-planned and people had gone along to watch and film, rather than random passers-by filming it.

Whilst I do not wish to detract from the seriousness of this tragic incident, anyone who uses the word "pre-planned" should be removed from the gene pool until they learn to speak English.

[/quote]

https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/pre-plan

You need to chillax.  3

[/quote]

Just because something is in an online dictionary, doesn't make it sensible or accurate.

The definition given is "Plan in advance:" as if there is some other kind of planning: there isn't.  You can only plan something in advance.  You cannot plan something in the past, you have to plan it in advance.  Planning is by definition done in advance.

At the very  least "pre-planning" is tautology, at worst, sloppy, ignorant and stupid.  It certainly isn't English.

Perhaps I am being pedantic, but I prefer that to being sloppy, ignorant and stupid.

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ClubSmed replied to Jimbomitch | 8 years ago
3 likes

Jimbomitch wrote:

Am I just a grumpy old man, but what sort of people film this sort of thing rather than helping out? I despair.

 

I have not seen this footage so I cannot comment on it specifically but my general thoughts on your statement are:

 

1) It only takes 1 or 2 people who are close by to assist, the rest if they try to help will actually be getting in the way. I say this as someone who was with the St John's Ambulance for decades and have experienced the too many cooks scenario with people trying to assist at the scene of an accident

2) Filming and posting such things on social media should actually help as it can educate people as to the consequence of their actions

3) If the people filming should not have been there in the first place then uploading it to social media anonymously might be the only way it will find its way to the police where it can do a lot of good.

 

Just my thoughts

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