"Complete incompetence": Reaction to police statement defending caution handed to road rage assault driver; Josh Quigley smashes day one of cycling distance record attempt; Tour de France film; Richmond Park crash driver fined + more on the live blog

aegisdesign wrote:

So it presumably has Nissan's single e-pedal system where the brake pedal and accelerator are combined. I've not driven one but this doesn't seem to square with the explanation that the driver mistakenly hit the wrong pedal.

All the e-pedal does is provide a function like strong engine braking. You just take your foot off the accelerator pedal and it will slow to a complete halt (no creeping like an auto). There is still a brake pedal and you still need to use it to stop quickly.

This vehicle will also have AEB emergency braking, which includes cyclist detection using the camera and radar. However, the camera and radar both point forward and the angles might have meant the cyclist was out of the field of view. Also, the AEB system for cyclists/peds is only active at speeds above 10kph and below 40kph. I suspect if you floor the accelerator, it will override any emergency braking anyway (it tends to do for speed limiters and cruise control).

brooksby wrote:

 

Clearly that car had some pretty f-ing amazing acceleration! 

The speed required for that level of damage would have been pretty phenomenal. Lets assume:

• Speed at collision with bike 5mph (2.2m/s)
• 35mph at point of impact. (15.6m/s) *
• Acceleration 0-60 = 10s, or 2.7ms-2 *
• Acceleration  is linear 
• I'm not accounting for it being downhill.

that would mean that the driver must have had their foot pressed to the metal for over 5 seconds after a collision, and would have been careening out of control for about 45m

Are there really no collision investigators in the police?

I think that the twunt was already speeding, and the rider was lucky to get away with the injuries they did. And that the police prioritised a nice cuppa over a proper investigation.

*Assumption detail break down

• 35mph at point of impact. (15.6m/s) ( just to make it easy , but looking at the damage that might be an understatement...)
• Acceleration 0-60 = 10s, or 2.7ms-2 (hard to say the model but assume a juke, but this is relatively fast. The micra is about 16s. In addition,  top acceleration would be unlikely. Slower acceleration makes this situation look even worse for the driver)

As someone pointed out, it was a Nissan Leaf, so 0-60 in 7.8 seconds. Remember when that used to be high performance car speeds? It is another reason why Leccy cars need to be looked at closely because they perform so differently. Tesla for example decide to sell their car on 2 seconds 0-60 if you buy the optional extra Ludricous boost. Ludricous for the Governing authorities to allow that option on the road. 

AlsoSomniloquism wrote:

As someone pointed out, it was a Nissan Leaf, so 0-60 in 7.8 seconds. Remember when that used to be high performance car speeds? It is another reason why Leccy cars need to be looked at closely because they perform so differently. Tesla for example decide to sell their car on 2 seconds 0-60 if you buy the optional extra Ludricous boost. Ludricous for the Governing authorities to allow that option on the road. 

My brain is too frazzled to do the calcs again, but yes, facking ridiculous that a car is designed to allow this outcome

Captain Badger wrote:

there really no collision investigators in the police?

Not required in this case as the whole thing was captured on the drivers dashcam. It would be pretty evident from that - may have even had a GPS speed logged on it. It's a shame they've not published the video.

I'm astounded that they've been handed their licence back and the fine seems really low. Getting the brake and accelerator mixed up is not a mitigation, it's a massive red flag that you should stop driving!

HoarseMann wrote:

Captain Badger wrote:

there really no collision investigators in the police?

Not required in this case as the whole thing was captured on the drivers dashcam. It would be pretty evident from that - may have even had a GPS speed logged on it. It's a shame they've not published the video.

I'm astounded that they've been handed their licence back and the fine seems really low. Getting the brake and accelerator mixed up is not a mitigation, it's a massive red flag that you should stop driving!

I'd say that dashcam footage is one strand of evidence at investigators' disposal. Investigation and summary is still required.

Agree with you on the judgement. What was the point?

Maybe Ren or other regular park users can confirm on what metal barriers he hit as none are showing on Streetview as of August 2020. But the Police explanation of "pulling out of the junction with Ham Cross" makes me think it was this one and if it was, the car ended up next to the tree / pond on the left so not far to do that amount of damage or building up speed to do it. And if he did, those barriers are not exactly safe then. 

AlsoSomniloquism wrote:

Maybe Ren or other regular park users can confirm on what metal barriers he hit as none are showing on Streetview as of August 2020. But the Police explanation of "pulling out of the junction with Ham Cross" makes me think it was this one and if it was, the car ended up next to the tree / pond on the left so not far to do that amount of damage or building up speed to do it. And if he did, those barriers are not exactly safe then. 

I'm guessing that it's these railings Queen's Rd
https://maps.app.goo.gl/adcn4VMg3XF4yvBy5

There are a couple of photos in the original police Twitter post with railings that look like them https://mobile.twitter.com/MPSRoyal_Parks/status/1362347460845318147?ref...

WTF, that is a long way to be careening out of control at 30-40mph. Just dumb luck no other person was in the road at the time. 

Should someone who doesn't know which pedal is the accelerator and which is the brake be allowed to drive?

And to add - many of us have also had insult added to injury (literally) by the police failing to respond adequately to obvious incidence of gross incompetence or acts of violence by other road users.

I'm not sure why the Police have ignored the driving offences*. Even if they've closed the assault case they can surely pursue these.

* I think I know why they've ignored the driving offences but I'm happy to give them benefit of doubt.

I suspect your statement is very valid and could evidence unconcious bias in the system so if a cyclist either hits the motorist and causes an injury (black eye) or if they hit the car creating damage, or not, what would be the consequences and do they lead to harsher sentences ? Here it is aggrevated as the motorist starts the incident by waiting for the group to catch up before seeking an arguement and then becoming violent. I suspect a higher sentence is warranted (to show equality with other similar types of crime), though a caution does give the person a criminal record. I hope all the victims take the person to court for civil damages, if only to allow his seconds of rage to last as years of penance and payment with court proceedings and higher insurance costs.

Well also - aggravated assault is not common assault - so they're also wrong considering this as a common assault in the first place.