Charlie Aliston jailed for for 18 months
Back in September the jailing of Charlie Alliston for killing a pedestrian through cycling dangerously provoked huge media coverage. Not for one moment defending Alliston but the number of pedestrians killed by cyclists in 2016 was very few compared to the number of pedestrians and cyclists killed due to collisions with motors vehicles of all types.
(3rd November 2017)
Here are three motorists jailed for dangerous driving just this last week – one pedestrian killed, one cyclist killed and one cyclist left with a broken spine. You have to search through the news to find them. There is no media storm over these three examples of dangerous and in two cases of lethal driving.
Commented on in this opinion piece:The light sentencing of a 'road rage' driver is sadly all too familiar to cyclists
We now have the technology to make our roads safer for all users – enforcing rules on speeding, stopping at traffic lights, not driving thoughtlessly and recklessly etc. Sadly the political will is not there as this story on speed cameras in the Guardian today illustrates:
Three motorists jailed for dangerous driving this week but only half of Britain's speed cameras are active!
We walk our dog on a trail where cyclists hurtle at speed down steep slopes with blind bends where they can collide with walkers, their dogs, pushchairs, horses and children. They don't give a toss, all they think is that this is an excellent trail for a cycling workout unhampered by traffic, knowing full well that other uses are equally entitled to amble along. They simply expect everyone else to leap out of the way and into the ditch as they silently bully their way through. It's not a cycling racetrack but they treat it like one.
ReplyDeleteWe are more than ever a "me first" nation and showing consideration for others is never on one of the things on the published lists of what we should all do before we're 40/50/60 or whatever.
All those who cause harm of any kind to another person through wilful action or negligence should be punished prooerly and in proportion to the harm done, but the saddest part is not that the law is feeble but that so many people no longer care about anyone other than themselves.
Jean. I agree that there are cyclists as thoughtless as motorists – often they may give little thought to cyclists when driving their cars. My point is that dangerous driving does not receive the same media attention and scrutiny as dangerous cycling. I want to see traffic laws properly enforced across all forms of transport.
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