CTC and British Cycling heavily critical of legal system over £35 fine for collision that caused cyclist's death

If the CPS are not capable of bringing successful prosecutions (custodial sentences) against irresponsible drivers who kill, whether they meant to or not then surely there is a way of stopping them from driving again.
The sentences and fines handed out by judges are woefully inadequate and in most cases, insulting to the families of the victims.
Surely a 5, 10, 15 year or life ban on driving is a better deterrent than, at most a 3-6 month suspended sentence at the tax payers expense!
This can't carry on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ARGH - WTFk!!!! I agree with everyone's comments posted here - the law as it applies to cycling is an UTTER DISGRACE.

So sorry, JN, to hear about your brother. So very sad. Drivers are in charge of 2 tons of killing machine - against a crap or incompetent driver no cyclist has any sort of chance.

Drivers MUST take full responsibility for what they do when they get behind the wheel - and the law must exact full retribution when they fail in their duty to other road users.

Here was a chance to send out a proper signal to aberrant drivers - and the law failed us - yet again.

He should have been fined a minimum of £5000, banned from driving for at least 2 years, have to retake his test after that time and given a suspended sentence that if he ever caused damage, hurt, or death to any other cyclist at any other time he would receive a lifetime ban from driving and serve a prison sentence.

Sadly, nothing the law can do can bring Tom back. No amount of "sorries" or remorse, guilt or bad feeling can repair the damage the taxi driver has done. Not ever. The law has to make some sort of reparation for Tom's sake, for JN's brother's sake and for every cyclist that has died because of driver carelessness - or more likely - driver stupidity, wanton disregard and callous recklessness.

Christ, I've just been fined more for speeding!!! A big fat £95. Fair enough. But I didn't get close to wounding, scaring or killing anybody!!!!

For Christ's sake - let's get the Law to send out a signal that The Sun has to report that goes A LONG WAY to making the roads safer for people who simply can't afford to ride in taxis!!!! And who don't want to drive cars.

But of course you and I know that won't happen. Politicians, Government and the Law makers? A bunch of ball scratchers whose only useful action is to fill their pockets to the brim. People who only ever use their voting hand productively to wipe their own arses!

Tom's life should not be allowed to end here.

Nothing has changed in 45yrs since my moped was stolen. The two kids who took it were each fined £35.
In the same court, the same week, a driver of a car with "virtually useless" brakes knocked down and killed a man on a pedestrian crossing. He was fined £20.

Nothing changes. The law values property higher then human life.

Write to your MP and all you get is a standard reply from a list of stock bland replies.

JnCrocket , please tell me where in the UK Road Rules , are there provisions , to allow a 95yo , to be allowed to relicence ? The Justice , passing sentence , must have been sleepwalking ! Talk about being unaware of reality !

Agree with Stumpy :
" Can i just point out that whilst i regularly go on record on this forum supporting the Police i cannot abide sloppy, poor and basically half hearted / incompetent efforts by forces to bring a person to justice".

Agree with Mr Chrispy , when ALL write , each time , the MPs , will eventually become cognicent , awake from their slumbers and ACT , if only from a need to diminish their mail : http://www.writetothem.com/

GBP 35 is the fine that cyclists pay for running a Stop Sign , so , is a " Student's Life " , so worthless ? Even the fuel for the Funeral Hearse , cost more than that !

Thank goodness i don't ride in Solihull !

Is anyone else a trifle bemused that principal sponsors of the 'British Cycling' campaign include Fiat and Sky (Both very keen on the Car Culture and very hostile about cycling)?

Very sad when someone causes the death of another human being. I do not presume to know what circumstances caused the accident; but, the sentence for causing someones loss of life should be as severe as possible; and not just a derisory fine with a slap on the wrist.

The Law in the UK is becoming a joke; and a money making arsehole organisation of complete INJUSTICE.

seriously guys - its this fries your noodle then write to your MP about it!! It doesn't have to be war and peace, its doesn't even have to be in fancy 'MP speak', just get something down and send it to them.

www.writetothem.com
pop in your postcode and click on your MP, fill in the form and letter part and click send. You get an email confirmation, just click the linky and its done!!

Its free, its quick and its what they are there for.

I sent one on the 18th about this very story, written reply cam yesterday.

I think the problem is that deaths caused by careless / reckless behaviour by motorists are somehow seen as less worthy of justice than deaths caused by careless / reckless behaviour in other aspects of life. It doesn't just apply to cyclists but other motorists and pedestrians.

Look up the case of the nurse Grace Adeleye in December. She was found guilty of "manslaughter by gross neglect" because she botched a circumcision.

Isn't there a case to take road deaths out of road laws and align them with the kind of charges brought above? For example, a crime of 'Causing death by reckless or careless behaviour' and be able to apply it to any kind of death, where it may be an appropriate charge?

I don't see the difference between causing someone's death by careless use of a knife, a gun, vs careless use of a car.

Can i just point out that whilst i regularly go on record on this forum supporting the Police i cannot abide sloppy, poor and basically half hearted / incompetent efforts by forces to bring a person to justice.

Whilst i'm outraged about the whole affair, which i clearly put across in the original topic, can i just say that the Police present the evidence to the cps and they and only they decide on the charge.

If the original request was for death by careless / dangerous the cps can and usually do knock down the charge to a lesser one so that they are assured of a conviction.

The Police can appeal the decision to the cps but generally it will stay the same.

So whilst i completely agree with the general disgust of the forum users, ctc and others the blame should be directed towards the cps firstly and if it comes out that the Police applied for the charge which the driver appeared at court with then serious questions must be asked why they did this and not a more serious offence.

I hoenstly don't see, how when a cyclist/pedestrian is killed on the road that it can't be manslaughter or Murder, as they've both had the same outcome.

Why are the lawmakers so silent on this topic? There doesn't appear to be any national discussion about it.

A very unsatisfactory outcome which justifies a review of the decisions made by the CPS. Reminds me of how the terms of reference for the HIllsborough inquiry were 'rigged' to deflect attention away from the police.

The cycling silk's blog on this is worth a read.

This makes me soo angry. My brother was killed in 2011 by an 85 year old man who shouldn't have been on the road in the first place. All he got was a 6 month suspended sentence and a 10 year driving ban (effectively got off with nothing), when is the British justice system going to take cyclists deaths seriously, because it is effectively manslaughter when careless driving is involved.

WTH...WTH...What the fuck!?!? how the hell can this be tolerated???

How about we all get a sense of utter f*cking outrage about this?

Does'my the CTC have the Cyclists Defence Fund?

How about the CTC and British Cycling get together and finance appeals against such lenient sentencing and they could also fund private prosecutions of offenders (where families/those involved want it). I'll chuck a tenner into the kitty no problem.