"boulder" writes:

as the outcomes are so unequal, I doubt that motorists will. Motorists
are likely to just note that the initial cause of the accident was the
action of the cyclist.

But as a motorist, and a cyclist....that must be most of us
surely???.....they would be correct in blaming the
cyclist IMHO.

When I saw it on the news last night, I was amazed the girl had been treated
so harshly...her
crime was using a mobile whilst driving....3 points and 60 quid fine.

She may not have hit the
cyclist had she not been texting, but surely you cant ignore, completely,
the law breaking cyclist....had he stopped, as he
should, he's still alive.

Lessons for me as a cycling/driver !

If you kill someone when you're doing something potentially dangerous
then that has consequences. Road traffic law is hardly unique in this
respect.