Mountain bikers died after car left road

Evolution in action!

Mike


http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.u...med_for_crash/

Mountain bikers died after car left road

7:25pm Tuesday 15th September 2009
By Lindsey Moore »

Driver error has been blamed for the car crash which claimed the lives
of two world-class downhill mountain bike riders.

Skipton Coroner’s Court today heard Saltaire-based Tom Rodgers, 21,
and his best friend, 18-year-old Ben Ineson, died instantly when their
Peugeot 306 hit a tree at the side of the A65 near Long Preston on
Wednesday, January 14.

Investigating officer Graham McCullouch said Tom, who was the driver
and had owned the car for just two weeks, took the bend too fast and
lost control of the vehicle which struck the tree on the passenger
side before ending up in a nearby field. No other vehicle was involved
and driving conditions were reasonable.

The best pals, who met at Settle College, both suffered fractured
skulls and severe brain injuries.

Before recording a verdict of accidental death on the men, coroner
Geoff Fell said: “Tom was doing less than 60mph but even so he was
driving faster than he should have been doing and made an error of
judgement.”

Tom, of Langcliffe, worked for All Terrain Cycles for four years at
Cross Hills, near Keighley, and after its move to Salts Mill. He was
the 2007 Senior English Downhill Champion.

Ben, formerly of Selside, near Settle, was the top tanked British
junior in his sport.

Speaking after the inquest Ben's mother Sally, 52, said donations
collected at his funeral would be used to pay for a trophy she and her
husband Mick planned to present to the junior winner of the Scottish
Downhill Mountain Bike Championship on Sunday.

The mother-of-four said: “Ben was just so full of life and lived for
every moment. He had 18 years of playtime and was a world-class
mountain bike rider. We really miss him.”

Tom's parents, who are teachers, live abroad and did not attend the
inquest.

As the sages have remarked

the empty drum makes the most noise

and this one has the biggest void of all.

JP wrote:
As the sages have remarked

the empty drum makes the most noise

and this one has the biggest void of all.

Self flagellation?