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Live blog: Lincolnshire Police stop 27 drivers in close pass op, Lance Armstrong stars in bizarre Black Friday promo, Stig Broeckx back riding a bike after recovery from crash that left him in coma + more
All the news from the site and beyond as we start a new week
Mon, Nov 19, 2018 15:57
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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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Latest Comments
mitsky 9 minutes ago
Shirley "Spalding Business Improvement District" should face some sort of reprimand for bring a meritless case (ie without evidence), thus wasting the local authority's time and potentially taxpayer funds that could be used elsewhere? It might certainly help prevent others doing the same in the future.
Paul J 19 minutes ago
Heartbreaking for Michael Mullins' family. Deepest condolences to them.
BroomBroomBroom 28 minutes ago
This case has me seriously thinking about whether I should be riding on the road at all. There are safer ways to travel and to keep fit, and I have two small children at home who need me.
mitsky 48 minutes ago
From https://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/news/26690352.driver-sentenced-murder-michael-mullins/ “Richardson has a significant history of driving offences, the court has heard. In April 2011, he was arrested for careless driving and failing to stop or report an accident. He lost control of a vehicle and fled the scene. In July 2012, driving with excess alcohol and driving while disqualified, he once again fled the scene on foot. May 2013: driving while disqualified and without insurance. He gave officers a false name and date of birth; he was suspected of driving with excess alcohol. November 2014: driving with excess alcohol, dangerous driving, failing to stop and no insurance. He tried to drive away from police and fled at speed before crashing into a vehicle and fleeing on foot. He was found to be over the limit. In February 2023, he was convicted of driving without a licence and no insurance. He was stopped, checked, and gave false details to the officer. He remains on bail for affray, ABH, and possession of cocaine in December 2024, and that case is currently listed for trial.” Will there be a review of why he was allowed to remain outside of prison, thus him believing his behaviours were not serious enough to stop now ending up with him killing someone? At what point in a case like this where someone has a list of previous driving offences does the law say “enough is enough, licence revoked, full stop, do anything again end up behind bars for a long time”…? Each instance of his previous dangerous driving would have been a straight fail on a driving test. Yet he was allowed to continue without any significant punishment or deterrent to future offending. If the law had done something more then this murder could have been avoided. But cyclists.
C3a 49 minutes ago
Condolences to Mr Mullins' family. Reading through this article it is beginning to sound like there were opportunities to take Mr Richardson off the road sooner; so many lenient sentences for repeated instances of substandard driving and lawbreaking. The sentences were likely within the rules; perhaps the rules need to change.
mitsky 1 hour ago
@M20MAMIL Thanks. "Richardson has a significant history of driving offences, the court has heard. In April 2011, he was arrested for careless driving and failing to stop or report an accident. He lost control of a vehicle and fled the scene. In July 2012, driving with excess alcohol and driving while disqualified, he once again fled the scene on foot. May 2013: driving while disqualified and without insurance. He gave officers a false name and date of birth; he was suspected of driving with excess alcohol. November 2014: driving with excess alcohol, dangerous driving, failing to stop and no insurance. He tried to drive away from police and fled at speed before crashing into a vehicle and fleeing on foot. He was found to be over the limit. In February 2023, he was convicted of driving without a licence and no insurance. He was stopped, checked, and gave false details to the officer. He remains on bail for affray, ABH, and possession of cocaine in December 2024, and that case is currently listed for trial." Will there be a review of why he was allowed to remain outside of prison, thus him believing his behaviours were not serious enough to stop now ending up with him killing someone? At what point in a case like this where someone has a list of previous driving offences does the law say "enough is enough, licence revoked, full stop, do anything again end up behind bars for a long time"...? Each instance of his previous dangerous driving would have been a straight fail on a driving test. Yet he was allowed to continue without any significant punishment or deterrent to future offending. If the law had done something more then this murder could have been avoided. But cyclists.
Rendel Harris 1 hour ago
@OldTom Good. Nothing much to add to that except to say well done that judge, glad that she acknowledged just how serious the offence was. I hope it might be some tiny crumb of comfort to the Mullins family to know that justice has been properly served. One thing that the case does highlight is that the drink-driving laws are far too soft, this guy had four drink-driving offences on his record including one of drink-driving when disqualified, and given his behaviour and driving at the time of the offence one wouldn't be surprised if he was over the limit then as well, no way of knowing of course. Personally I'd be happy to see drink-driving incur a lifetime ban for a first offence, but I suppose that would be "war on the motorist". At a minimum it should be a five year ban for a first offence and lifetime for a second, if someone has such a problem with alcohol that they are incapable of stopping themselves driving drunk, even when they've previously been banned for it, they clearly are not a fit person to hold a licence to drive on the public highway. Quite possibly it wouldn't have deterred this individual anyway but it might deter some at least.
OldTom 2 hours ago
@M20MAMIL Minimum 25 years. Up from an offence minimum of 15 years due to aggravating factors.
Boopop 3 hours ago
I appreciate Road.cc covering this, thanks, but claiming Critical Mass (in London or anywhere else) has organisers is a misunderstanding of what CM is. There are no organisers. Some people may take what you might call a "leading role", but that can easily be ignored if the majority on the ride decide they do not agree. Clearly in this instance there was a strong enough feeling amongst the riders that this was worthwhile doing. There are no organisers, just people on the ride.
M20MAMIL 3 hours ago
Live updates from the court for sentencing in the Michael Mullins case, by the local newspaper . Lots of previous motoring convictions. https://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/news/26690352.driver-sentenced-murder-michael-mullins/
14 thoughts on “Live blog: Lincolnshire Police stop 27 drivers in close pass op, Lance Armstrong stars in bizarre Black Friday promo, Stig Broeckx back riding a bike after recovery from crash that left him in coma + more”
I was wondering what the well
I was wondering what the well dressed cycle tourist of the 1950s would be wearing for when I finally go out on my 1956 Raleigh Trent restoration project
I saw that Jeremy Vine thing
I saw that Jeremy Vine thing when it went out on C5. It wasn’t just the woman in the clip who was giving cyclists both barrels, it was that effin’ numpty to her left (shown in a brief cutaway in this clip) that was also spouting utter shite as well.
I think if I were feeling emotionally vulnerable due to the regular abuse and dangerous/reckless/careless driving we have to endure, this particular ‘psychotherapist’ (not sure why the ‘…’ have been added?) will not be on my list of people to call on!
Fair play to Dan Snow and Jeremy Vine for giving the cyclists perspective, and especially JV for basically laughing in her face!
So, in 1951 even adults
So, in 1951 even adults dressed like they were auditioning for The Famous Five…?
brooksby wrote:
It was an absolutely spiffing time, old chap! Out for a ride with your cheese and pickle sandwiches and homemade lemonade supplied by Joanna the housekeeper tucked inside your Carradice saddle bag, knees to the breeze in your khaki shorts.
Stop for a picnic, overhear some wrong ‘uns up to no good, foil their dastardly plans and still be back home for afternoon tea!
CygnusX1 wrote:
And if my recollection is correct, you can tell they are “wrong ‘uns” because they are dark skinned or gypsies.
lashings of ginger beer
the little onion wrote:
‘swarthy’ is the correct word, featuring frequently in Biggles books, as I recall. ‘Swarthy Turk’ was the expression. I blame Capt. W E Johns for Brexit.
Those socks would definitely
Those socks would definitely fail the UCI regulations though!
Not exactly surprised that
Not exactly surprised that Lucy Beresford hates cyclists – she’s a regular on LBC. Subscribing to the cult of car worship is mandatory for all LBC employees (who aren’t James O’Brien). Probably there’s a clause in their contracts about it.
Bizarre or not the Armstrong
Bizarre or not the Armstrong advert did make me laugh. He’s still a massive tool though.
So Lucy Beresford’s opening
So Lucy Beresford’s opening gambit is that cyclists are all narcissists who act as if there’s nobody else on the roads…? IME that’s way more likely to be the people in the boxes – are they all narcissists too, Lucy??
If ever there was someone in
If ever there was someone in need of a psychotherapist, it’s Lucy Beresford. Does anyone out there know where we can find a real one? Any professional pychotherapist who bases their diagnosis on the mode of transport is clearly not qualified to do anything other than empty the bins.
Has Viviani got a really
Has Viviani got a really weird forearm?
peted76 wrote:
If you’d just spent the past six evenings hand-slinging your partner at 60kph every couple of minutes, you’d be looking a bit “Stretch Armstrong” too… 😉
Grounds for a complaint? If
Grounds for a complaint? If I find the time in between posting on here and doing up the house, I might just do it.
UK Council for Psychotherapy
Ethical Principles and Code of Professional Conduct
2.1
The psychotherapist undertakes to actively consider issues of diversity and equalities as these affect all aspects of their work. The psychotherapist accepts no one is immune from the experience of prejudice and acknowledges the need for a continuing process of self
-enquiry and professional development.
2.2
The psychotherapist undertakes not to allow prejudice about a client’s sex, age, colour, race, disability, sexuality, social, economic or immigration status, lifestyle, religious or cultural beliefs to adversely affect the way they relate to the client.
2.3
The psychotherapist undertakes not to engage in any behaviour that is abusive or detrimental to any client or colleague based on the above factors.