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[Travel] Teacher who was staring at her phone and hit by a cyclist win compensation.



U

Uter

Well-known member
Aug 5, 2008
1,474
The land of chocolate
Sussex Nomad said:
That is only a modern way for taxing, the reason it was originally called road tax was to fund the upkeep of roads, until the Govt's found it a cash cow for everything but roads.
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A cash cow that also has to cover:

Cost to the NHS of treating people injured in RTAs.
Cost to the NHS of treating people suffering ill health from pollution.
Cost to the state of disability benefits/loss of tax revenue from those rendered unable to work due to injuries from RTAs.
Cost of traffic police.
Cost of ill health due to a sedentary lifestyle.
etc etc.

It doesn't follow that because government spending on road maintenance/improvements is less than VED tax revenue then it is a net contributor to the government's coffers. It's far too a simplistic way of looking at it. There are a lot of other things to consider, some of which are harder to quantify than others. Some measures even have it as a net subsidy to motorists, but of course you never hear about a "war on non-motorists".
 




GT49er

GT49er

Well-known member
Feb 1, 2009
46,711
Gloucester
hans kraay fan club said:
If my reading of the events is anything like the reality though, then absolutely I WOULD apportion blame to any vehicle driver in the cyclist's position. If they are travelling too fast to react / stop, for the circumstances, then undoubtedly they shoulder some of the blame. I can't believe that is in question. :shrug:
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If the pedestrian steps out without warning straight in front of them? Not guilty - see the example (involving a motorcycle) earlier on this thread.
 


P

Palacefinder General

Well-known member
Apr 5, 2019
2,594
Hopefully privately owned vehicles will eventually become a thing of the past, a 24 hour tram, or similar system running along what are now A, B and C roads, all side roads within walking distance of the nearest tram stop turned into something more eco friendly, like tree and shrub lined avenues. Privately owned vehicles are an unnecessary luxury the planet could do without. A suitable alternative to trade vans and lorries would also obviously be needed.
 


GT49er

GT49er

Well-known member
Feb 1, 2009
46,711
Gloucester
Palacefinder General said:
Hopefully privately owned vehicles will eventually become a thing of the past, a 24 hour tram, or similar system running along what are now A, B and C roads, all side roads within walking distance of the nearest tram stop turned into something more eco friendly, like tree and shrub lined avenues. Privately owned vehicles are an unnecessary luxury the planet could do without.
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Good luck when you want to move house then, carrying all your furniture from the main road along those leafy green pathways that used to be side roads! Best not need a fire-engine or an ambulance either..................
 






B

Billy the Fish

Technocrat
Oct 18, 2005
17,494
Haywards Heath
Springal said:
Surprised people are struggling with this. Just because a pedestrian does something, does not absolve someone in a car or on a bike of blame. Otherwise next time someone crosses the road causing me to slow down to change direction I might as well just keep going and plough through them. After all it is their fault right?
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Is the correct answer. In my driving lessons the instructor made me drive through the town centre at <10mph in case anyone stepped out.

Some absolutely idiotic comments at the start of this thread! Look at the time and location - Garden designer Mr Hazeldean was returning from work in central London to his then home in Archway when he collided with Ms Brushett as she crossed the busy junction of King William Street and Cannon Street, at the north end of London Bridge, at 5pm on July 20, 2015.

That crossing would've been rammed full of pedestrians at that time. Any vehicle or bike shouldn't just race though crowded areas without moderating their speed to suit the conditions.
 


P

Palacefinder General

Well-known member
Apr 5, 2019
2,594
GT49er said:
Good luck when you want to move house then, carrying all your furniture from the main road along those leafy green pathways that used to be side roads! Best not need a fire-engine or an ambulance either..................
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Nicely removing the last line of my post that suggested certain alternative solutions would be required! And moving house! :lolol:
 


Creaky

Creaky

Well-known member
Mar 26, 2013
3,842
Hookwood - Nr Horley
The only ones likely to come out of this as winners are the lawyers.

The pedestrian will get the damages awarded less the lawyer’s fees - the cyclist will pay the full amount plus court costs.

The judge said the blame was 50/50 - if the cyclist counter claims then presumably he will get damages awarded less the lawyer’s fees - the pedestrian will pay the full amount plus court fees.

Waste of time and money!

It costs less than £2 a week for “third party” insurance for each of our horses, with cover up to £3million - for peace of mind how much would 3rd party insurance for a cyclist or pedestrian cost?
 




Stat Brother

Stat Brother

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
73,646
West west west Sussex
Perhaps it would have been nice if the judge had made a token gesture of 49/51.

You just can't walk across a road staring at your phone.

But that said you can't ride a bike and not expect such a knobend at a packed pedestrian crossing.
 










schmunk

schmunk

"Members"
Jan 19, 2018
9,480
Mid mid mid Sussex
Creaky said:
It costs less than £2 a week for “third party” insurance for each of our horses, with cover up to £3million
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Horse-with-Hands-on-a-Bike.jpg
 


N

N17

New member
Jun 21, 2011
557
Interesting thread. I have crossed that particular road thousands of times and it is extremely busy in rush hour.

I don't look at my phone when I am walking to and from work and only have my headphones in on the way in as the traffic is very light at that time in the morning but never on the way back.

My default is that all motorists, cyclists and pedestrians are maniacs/have a death wish and act accordingly.
 






Ninja Elephant

Ninja Elephant

Doctor Elephant
Feb 16, 2009
18,855
So, if cyclists need to be prepared for the stupidity of pedestrians, presumably the judge would say that cyclists should be afforded a more prominent road position. In order to avoid clattering careless pedestrians, a cyclist would need to be further into the road to increase ability to prevent an accident the pedestrian is causing. Which then has the knock on effect of more motorists being held up because it would be harder to pass, etc.

Daft and obviously wrong ruling. I would guess at some significant bias from the bench on this one.
 










Super Steve Earle

Super Steve Earle

Well-known member
Feb 23, 2009
8,347
North of Brighton
I don't like cyclists or teachers but if the judge has ruled 50/50 responsibility and the teacher only gets 50% of compensation, does the cyclist get the other 50%? Can he sue her now she has been adjudged 50% culpable in court?
 


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