Parents of girl hit by a cyclist count their blessings

The cyclist was not blamed for the girl's injuries.

QUOTE:
"She said: "A lot of corners around the road are blind corners. *****Parking on the road obscures the view***** (EMPHASIS MINE), especially at school pick-up time.

"Jessica was just standing with a group of kids and I think what she did was just step forward (into the road).

"It was horrible and there was a lot of children who witnessed it. I think some of them have been really upset by it.

"I know there's a lot of parents at the school who have been concerned about the situation.

"Something's got to give because ***** if it had been a car I dread to think what would have happened*****."(EMPHASIS MINE)

The issue was brought up at a full council meeting on Wednesday, by Ossett ward councillor Lynn Masterman, who asked for the local authority to "intervene".

She said: "In the past we've requested a crossing for Church Street, near Holy Trinity.

"Unfortunately a few weeks ago, a little girl was knocked over by a cyclist. She had really bad facial injuries.

"If it had been a car she could have been killed." APPLAUSE
ENDS

She will be more careful in the future and will learn from the experience, hopefully.

https://www.wakefieldexpress.co.uk/n...hool-1-9503747

On 20/12/2018 20:16, wrote:

The cyclist was not blamed for the girl's injuries.

QUOTE:
"She said: "A lot of corners around the road are blind corners. *****Parking on the road obscures the view***** (EMPHASIS MINE), especially at school pick-up time.

In that case, all road-users are supposed to slow to a speed from which
they can *stop* *within* *the* *distance* *they* *can* *see* *to* *be*
*clear*. [emphasis mine]

That includes, and certainly does not exclude, cyclists.

No-one - not even a cyclist - has any sort of legal right to proceed any
faster than that and needing an excuse ("it was a blind corner")
indicates fault, not lack of blame.

Oddly enough, I have never rounded a corner or bend so fast that I could
not stop if my way happened to be obstructed, whether by a pedestrian or
anything else. But that cyclist has.

"Jessica was just standing with a group of kids and I think what she did was just step forward (into the road).

"It was horrible and there was a lot of children who witnessed it. I think some of them have been really upset by it.

"I know there's a lot of parents at the school who have been concerned about the situation.

"Something's got to give because ***** if it had been a car I dread to think what would have happened*****."(EMPHASIS MINE)

But it wasn't a car driver who came around that bend too fast to stop,
was it?

it was a *cyclist*. [emphasis mine]

The issue was brought up at a full council meeting on Wednesday, by Ossett ward councillor Lynn Masterman, who asked for the local authority to "intervene".

She said: "In the past we've requested a crossing for Church Street, near Holy Trinity.

"Unfortunately a few weeks ago, a little girl was knocked over by a cyclist. She had really bad facial injuries.

"If it had been a car she could have been killed." APPLAUSE
ENDS

There's no point in putting a crossing near a blind bend if cyclists are
still going to hurtle round it too fast to be able to stop in time. Not
even if they were prepared to respect the rights of pedestrians when
they could actually see them (and as we all know, that's not something
which can be guaranteed).

She will be more careful in the future and will learn from the experience, hopefully.

It wasn't her fault.

As described (and taking into account the proffered excuse), it was the
cyclist's fault.

https://www.wakefieldexpress.co.uk/n...hool-1-9503747

Was the girl who suffered really bad facial injuries struck by a car or
by a bicycle?

On 21/12/2018 01:28, JNugent wrote:

Oddly enough, I have never rounded a corner or bend so fast that I could
not stop if my way happened to be obstructed, whether by a pedestrian or
anything else.
How do you know?

On 21/12/2018 09:01, TMS320 wrote:

On 21/12/2018 01:28, JNugent wrote:

Oddly enough, I have never rounded a corner or bend so fast that I
could not stop if my way happened to be obstructed, whether by a
pedestrian or anything else.

How do you know?

What are you talking about?

I ask on the assumption that you know what you are talking about. I
accept that that might not be a safe assumption.

On Friday, December 21, 2018 at 2:20:32 PM UTC, JNugent wrote:
On 21/12/2018 09:01, TMS320 wrote:

On 21/12/2018 01:28, JNugent wrote:

Oddly enough, I have never rounded a corner or bend so fast that I
could not stop if my way happened to be obstructed, whether by a
pedestrian or anything else.

How do you know?

What are you talking about?


Just because it hasn't happened in the past doesn't mean it wont happen in the future.

On 21/12/2018 14:22, Simon Jester wrote:
On Friday, December 21, 2018 at 2:20:32 PM UTC, JNugent wrote:
On 21/12/2018 09:01, TMS320 wrote:

On 21/12/2018 01:28, JNugent wrote:

Oddly enough, I have never rounded a corner or bend so fast that I
could not stop if my way happened to be obstructed, whether by a
pedestrian or anything else.

How do you know?

What are you talking about?


Just because it hasn't happened in the past doesn't mean it wont happen in the future.

I'd be prepared to put a bet on it not happening between today and a
given date in the future. Or at least, I would if the arrangements could
be acceptable.

On 21/12/2018 14:20, JNugent wrote:
On 21/12/2018 09:01, TMS320 wrote:
On 21/12/2018 01:28, JNugent wrote:

Oddly enough, I have never rounded a corner or bend so fast that I
could not stop if my way happened to be obstructed, whether by a
pedestrian or anything else.

How do you know?

What are you talking about?

I ask on the assumption that you know what you are talking about. I
accept that that might not be a safe assumption.

Ask yourself what you're talking about. It's not my (or anybody else's)
problem when you can't understand your own words.

Perhaps you were trying to say something along the lines of "I have
never rounded a corner or bend and crashed"? Something quite different
to your statement above.

Well, my version happens to be the experience of most people and nobody
needs driving or cycling lessons from you.

On 21/12/2018 17:24, TMS320 wrote:
On 21/12/2018 14:20, JNugent wrote:
On 21/12/2018 09:01, TMS320 wrote:
On 21/12/2018 01:28, JNugent wrote:

Oddly enough, I have never rounded a corner or bend so fast that I
could not stop if my way happened to be obstructed, whether by a
pedestrian or anything else.

How do you know?

What are you talking about?

I ask on the assumption that you know what you are talking about. I
accept that that might not be a safe assumption.

Ask yourself what you're talking about.

No, I was asking you what you were talking about.

It's not my (or anybody else's)
problem when you can't understand your own words.

???

Perhaps you were trying to say something along the lines of "I have
never rounded a corner or bend and crashed"? Something quite different
to your statement above.

That applies as well.

But it does not undermine or in any way countermand what I actually
said. My practice is always to drive at no more than a speed from which
I can stop within the distance I can see to be clear.

Well, my version happens to be the experience of most people and nobody
needs driving or cycling lessons from you.

That cyclist in the news story could have dome with being told to ride
at no greater speed than the one which permits him to stop within the
distance he can see to be clear. But perhaps it's wrong to assume that
he would be able to stop within any reasonable distance at all. After
all, he wouldn't be the first cyclist to have no brakes fitted to his
bike, would he?

On Thursday, December 20, 2018 at 8:16:24 PM UTC, wrote:
The cyclist was not blamed for the girl's injuries.

QUOTE:
"She said: "A lot of corners around the road are blind corners. *****Parking on the road obscures the view***** (EMPHASIS MINE), especially at school pick-up time.

"Jessica was just standing with a group of kids and I think what she did was *****just step forward***** (EMPHASIS MINE) (into the road).

When I was at school we were taught by Tufty?? "Look right, look left, look right again. If all clear, quick march!"

I believe it was replaced soon after by the Green Cross Code, which stated the same thing, more or less." LOOK before crossing the roads! Maybe that school needs a visit from the local plod to give a playtime talk?

On Friday, December 21, 2018 at 8:46:07 AM UTC, wrote:
On Thursday, December 20, 2018 at 8:16:24 PM UTC, wrote:
The cyclist was not blamed for the girl's injuries.

QUOTE:
"She said: "A lot of corners around the road are blind corners. *****Parking on the road obscures the view***** (EMPHASIS MINE), especially at school pick-up time.

"Jessica was just standing with a group of kids and I think what she did was *****just step forward***** (EMPHASIS MINE) (into the road).

When I was at school we were taught by Tufty?? "Look right, look left, look right again. If all clear, quick march!"

I believe it was replaced soon after by the Green Cross Code, which stated the same thing, more or less." LOOK before crossing the roads! Maybe that school needs a visit from the local plod to give a playtime talk?

That said, I did hit and kill a hen pheasant near Thixendale last week, even though I was driving at 20mph. It ran out from the undergrowth and I even though I slammed on my brakes, I could not stop in time. Still, at least it did not get shot by a hunting party in nearby Leavening!