The mother of a 16-year-old cyclist, who was knocked off his bike while riding in a new cycle lane by a motorist allegedly watching Netflix at the time, has called for CCTV cameras to be installed along the road to make it safer for cyclists and easier to track down law-breaking drivers.
The teenager was riding home from school on a cycle lane on Magdalen Road in St Leonard’s, a residential area of Exeter, last Tuesday at around 4.40pm when he was struck by a driver at the junction with Denmark Road.
Following the collision, the “shocked” boy was taken to hospital as a precaution, where a chest X-ray confirmed that he had not broken any bones.
The road in question was reopened at the end of May following a four-month enhancement scheme which extended and made permanent the one-way system for motorists, two-way cycle lane, and widened footways introduced on a temporary basis during the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to Devon County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highway Management, Stuart Hughes, the now permanent changes have “created a nicer environment for walkers and cyclists”, making “walking and cycling a more attractive option” for locals.
However, the mother of the teenager struck last week by an allegedly distracted motorist while using the new cycle lane believes that more needs to be done by the council – including installing CCTV cameras – to protect people riding their bikes on the road.
“The lady in the car was watching Netflix. She just said sorry and she went,” the 16-year-old’s mum told Devon Live.
“My son was in shock so he didn’t take a photo. He was lucky; he didn’t have any injuries and nothing was broken. He was checked over in hospital and then we came back home.
“He is fine but a camera should be there. It would have been great to find the person but unfortunately, there was no camera on the road so we can’t do anything and my son didn’t want to go to the police.
“It is a waste of time if we don’t have any proof apart from a hospital health check and X-ray.”
> Van driver who killed cyclist was distracted by Instagram and Facebook, court hears
Both Devon County Council and Exeter City Council responded to the mum’s calls for action by confirming that no cameras are located on Magdalen Road, and that there are currently no plans to install any.
“We’re sorry to hear of this collision but glad that the young man wasn’t seriously injured,” a Devon County Council spokesperson said. “Unfortunately, there are no CCTV cameras in this area and we would not typically install them on our infrastructure projects. We would advise that this collision should be reported to the police.”
28 thoughts on ““The lady in the car was watching Netflix”: Mum calls for CCTV cameras to protect cyclists after teenage son struck by ‘distracted’ hit-and-run driver in bike lane”
Vigilante CCTV cameras?
Vigilante CCTV cameras?
Only if they confront the
Only if they confront the motorists, or put the footage on the net. If they just quietly pass it on to the police that’s fine and not spying or snitching.
Have I got that right?
chrisonatrike wrote:
Those CCTV cameras just go looking for trouble!
I’m waitin until the price
I’m waiting until the price comes down another order of magnitude to deploy a few dozen of my own. I’m going to use them to tackle a far more important problem first, though: who is not picking up their dog’s poo from the multi-use path?
I will then collect it for a year, and return it to them all at once one night.
andystow wrote:
I’m not sure you’ve thought this through. Where are you going to keep a year’s worth of dog poo?
hawkinspeter wrote:
A trash compactor bag stashed in the undergrowth near the trail. I’m fairly sure nobody will steal it.
andystow wrote:
I don’t suppose you could tell me more exactly where that dog poo is?
https://bornforpets.com/2021/03/15/do-squirrels-eat-dog-poop/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GkTahVmK28
I don’t suppose you could
Only if the dog’s been munching hazelnuts.
Daclu Trelub wrote:
What has a hazelnut in every bite?
andystow wrote:
“Merry Christmas”
hawkinspeter wrote:
*Dreams about Vigilante CCTV cameras;
Automatic turret reducing vehicles whose driver is breaking the law to scrap metal sounds like an excellent way to improve road safety, with some drones to clean up wreckage for recycling.
Weird comment from the mother
Weird comment from the mother. I believe even the Rozzers take failing to stop at the scene of an accident involving a minor worth following up.
Indeed, it should be reported
Indeed, it should be reported as the Council correctly advised. Maybe one is pessimistic about the likely follow up but there won’t be any if it’s not reported in the first place!
My reading of the article was
My reading of the article was that without cameras, and with her son too shocked to get his phone out, there was no evidence of even the type of vehicel involved, and so Mum felt there was little point in pursuing it.
Yes, I understand that, but
Yes, I understand that, but report it anyway. (a) you don’t know what they might dig up, and (b) even if it’s nothing it still goes down as a problem that they need to fix.
Quote:
ohhh “collision” not “accident” – small wins.
Looking at the photo, I can’t
Looking at the photo, I can’t understand why the planters are placed to divide the bi-directional cycle lane, and not the cycle lanes from the cars?
Cameras are all very well but don’t prevent incidents like this from happening. Physical barriers would do a better job.
Oh come on! Everyone knows
Oh come on! Everyone knows that painted white lines provide complete protection from two tonnes of motor vehicle! 😉
alchemilla wrote:
Maybe both are needed. I suspect that if the divider were in the centre of the road only, drivers would see a nice wide lane that just happens to have funny markings on it.
alchemilla wrote:
They aren’t. The road is one way to cyclists only in the direction of the arrow, and cyclists coming the other way are in the same lane as the allowed motortraffic. The planters are to seperate the one way cycle lane and pedestrian spread from the pavement.
Yep, as AlsoSomniloquism says
Yep, as AlsoSomniloquism says, the bit between the kerb and the planters is an extension of the pavement for pedestrians. The other side of the planters is a cyclist contra-flow. Cyclists travelling in the same direction as the motorised traffic share that lane with them.
I was driving along the A3
I was driving along the A3 recently. A car in front was weaving across the three-lane road. It was in the middle lane but kept entering the lanes on either side. I overtook (giving a wide berth). The woman driver was staring at her phone held in front of her.
I have had a few near misses
I have had a few near misses on my bike by cars ignoring a no-entry sign. At the other end it’s a two-way side road, and the one-way section comes after a cul-de-sac junction. It’s only a 50m stretch of road but there is no room for 2-way traffic. Yet people use it to cut out a busier junction where traffic often builds up.
I have pointed to the signs on both sides of the exit and massive NO ENTRY paint lines on the floor only to get shrugged at or the finger flip as I have to dive onto the pavement to avoid being hit.
I’ve seen drivers watching TV
I’ve seen drivers watching TV screens while behind the wheel and it is frightening that some people think this is ok. Once I was driving my son back from uni in our car and he picked up my phone, found a performer he liked to watch on YouTube and then stuck it on the mount on the dashboard, saying he knew I liked watching the person. I told him in no uncertain terms to switch it off, and why he should do….
Riding on the top deck of a
Riding on the top deck of a bus near Chislehurst recently I could see down into the cab of a very substantial lorry heading into London; the driver had an iPad balanced on the steering wheel held with his thumbs with a football match playing. Unfortunately he had moved away before I could get my phone out and video him, otherwise would definitely have reported. As I recall, there have been a significant number of fatal crashes involving lorry drivers watching TV on the move; many responsible haulage companies now have CCTV in the cab and using a phone or other device is an instant dismissal offence, perhaps it’s time that became a legal requirement, like a tachometer.
Riding the upper deck of a
Riding the upper deck of a coach on the motorway I was shocked (not just “internet” shocked) at how many lorry drivers are on their devices. Their strategy is to keep half an eye on the HGV in front on the basis that they will be watching the road. Beggars belief.
This is why police go out on
This is why police go out on specially equipped lorries.
One force used buses or tells officers if they use a bus to look out for phone drivers.
Grass! Snitch !
Going by how many I saw,
Going by how many I saw, there’s little fear of being caught.