Welsh mtber kills a man by cycling into him.

Apologies for the daily fail link but someone sent it to me and it is relevant as the chap was/is a mountain biker.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3070290/Cyclist-killed-pensioner-crashing-doing-25mph-narrow-country-lane-dark-rainy-night.html

A pensioner died when he was struck by a cyclist doing 25mph along a poorly-lit country lane, an inquest heard.

Gwyn Lloyd Jones, 67, died four days after his was knocked down by Richard Eakins’s bike as he walked along the narrow road just yards from his home in Cilcennin, near Lampeter, Wales.

According to the GPS device on his bike, the cyclist, 25, was travelling at 25mph at the time of the collision on November 7, last year.

Cyclist Richard Eakins, 25, (pictured) struck pensioner Gwyn Lloyd Jones while travelling at 25mph along a poorly-lit country lane, an inquest heard. The 67-year-old died four days later
At an inquest into Mr Jones’s death, Ceredigion coroner Peter Brunton issued a warning to other cyclists over the dangers of riding at high speed.

Police have confirmed that no charges would be brought against Mr Eakins, but Mr Brunton said there had been ‘significant breaches’ of the Highway Code and he had never come across a case like it.

‘There is no doubt that it was a substantial speed for a pushbike bearing in mind the atrocious conditions,’ Mr Brunton told Aberystwyth Coroner’s Court.

Summing up the evidence and recording a verdict of misadventure, Mr Brunton said: ‘I have never encountered a case like this before.

‘This case highlights the dangers of bikes riding at high speed.’

The inquest was told the collision happened as Mr Eakins was cycling back to Ciliau Aeron after finishing work at Summit Cycles in Aberystwyth, at around 7.25pm.

Mr Jones had been walking home from after having dinner at with his daughter, Cara Buswell, who lives nearby.

Police have confirmed that no charges would be brought against Mr Eakins (pictured), but Mr Brunton said there had been ‘significant breaches’ of the Highway Code and he had never come across a case like it
He was left with ‘excruciatingly painful and ultimately fatal injuries’, the inquest heard.

The hearing was also told that despite his severe injuries, Mr Jones was then left waiting outside Bronglais Hospital in an ambulance for around 50 minutes as the A&E department was ‘full’.

A post-mortem found Mr Jones died of two fractures to the left side of the skull and ‘severe’ chest injuries, including 11 fractured ribs.

GPS statistics from the bike showed Mr Eakins was travelling at 25.1mph on impact with Mr Jones.

The inquest was also told that the narrow lane was just 3.3m wide and had no footpaths – ‘forcing pedestrians to be in the carriageway’ – and that the area has ‘poor’ street lighting.

The hearing was also told that despite his severe injuries, Mr Jones was then left waiting outside Bronglais Hospital (pictured) in an ambulance for around 50 minutes as the A&E department was ‘full’
It had also been raining heavily on that November evening.

The inquest heard that Mr Eakins had turned the bar-mounted headlight on the bike off after its battery was running down, but did have a bright headtorch that was ‘fully working’ and ‘very bright’.

A collision between a cyclist and a pedestrian does not have to be reported. The crash was reported to police three days after the incident, but the inquest was told that this delay had compromised the investigation.

Mr Brunton said Mr Eakins ‘should have been travelling at a reasonable speed for the conditions’ and found that the the ‘poor street lighting and the excessive speed for the circumstances’ caused the collision.

‘Had they [the breaches of the Highway Code] not occurred it could well have meant that the collision would not have occurred,’ the coroner said.

I bet cars were gong faster

I wonder how significant the wait outside A&E was.. Obviously way longer than the 1st hour of a life threatening injury…

Should have gone to jail. Was riding too fast for the conditions. Too many cyclists get off with this these days !

Edit – Cloud A&E is irrelevant, the cyclist was in the wrong

Cycling Weekly if you don’t want the DM

It is very sad, but I’d not say 25mph was fast, especially not compared to a car. It sounds more like bad luck that the victim fell in such a way that it caused fatal injuries than anything else.

I wonder what the significant breaches were. The light was not technically correct to the letter of law but sounds like it was plenty bright enough. Not speeding (even if such a law applied to cyclists). If it was a proper mountain bike then tyres, brakes etc likely to be in order.

Poor fella, cyclist must feel awful too.

Sad that there seems to be no such thing as an ‘accident’ nowadays, there always has to be blame attributed.

Oh Dear. RIP Mr Jones, a sad end.

The hearing was also told that despite his severe injuries, Mr Jones was then left waiting outside Bronglais Hospital in an ambulance for around 50 minutes as the A&E department was ‘full’.

Initially was pissed about this but as he got 4 days before passing, it may not have seemed life threatening.
Just a terribly sad occurrence. 🙁

DOn’t think you’d break 11 ribs falling over. Like all of things that people like to try and see in black and white there’s plenty of grey in this, ultimately though unless it was a suicidal lunge under the wheels by the pedestrian the cyclists got to take his slice of the responsibility

What a terrible story for everyone involved.

The hearing was also told that despite his severe injuries, Mr Jones was then left waiting outside Bronglais Hospital (pictured) in an ambulance for around 50 minutes as the A&E department was ‘full’
It had also been raining heavily on that November evening.

The four hour wait gets another victim…

Tragic and fortunately, rare event.

Whatever the vehicle, the golden rule is that your speed should be such that you can stop in the distance you see to be clear.

However, I do object to the automatic suggestion that 25 mph is excessive on a bike. Non cyclists seem to seem them as 10 mph machines.

DOn’t think you’d break 11 ribs falling over.

❓
He was hit by a bike and rider, with all of the sticky out bits that bikes have. Where do you think he got broken ribs from?

Form the impact with the bike, not falling over (was a response to munrobikers post – should have specified)

RIP Sir. I’ve ridden down steep roads quickly on my mountain bike but always cover both brakes and always with good visibility (light/no tight bends).

I question why he wasn’t charged? Did the cyclist have lights? If bright night lights maybe but also- if it was a tight twisting lane when the deceased was hit then its negligence. Why no charge?

So he broke most of his ribs on both sides of his chest. Hmm – there’s something not right about that story.

Very sad. 3.3m seems pretty wide. Certainly wide enough for a pedestrian and a cyclist.

What’s the stopping distance, do you reckon at 25mp/h for a bicycle? I’d have guessed far shorter than the thinking (reaction) time.

Terrible news. RIP.

The light was not technically correct to the letter of law but sounds like it was plenty bright enough.

bright enough to be seen by others? Or bright enough to see where you are going on a badly lit lane? Consequences tend to suggest not the latter.

Comments from the coroner are kinda annoying tho Mr Brunton said: ‘I have never encountered a case like this before. You may not have encountered them but I’ve read about plenty like them, of course they normally involve drivers and excessive speed in bad conditions.

Genuinely surprised at no charges (wouldn’t have been surprised if had been a driver). If coroner says he was going too fast for the conditions…..

Too many cyclists get off with this these days !

got some figures? genuinely interested.

Hora – Because it’s probably just a tragic accident.

Also, I would counter that hitting the ground was more likely to break bones than a bicycle.

RIP Sir. I’ve ridden down steep roads quickly on my mountain bike but always cover both brakes and always with good visibility (light/no tight bends).

I question why he wasn’t charged? Did the cyclist have lights? If bright night lights maybe but also- if it was a tight twisting lane when the deceased was hit then its negligence. Why no charge?

Have you even read the piece above? I’d like to see you charged, for terminal gobshitery.

bright enough to be seen by others? Or bright enough to see where you are going on a badly lit lane? Consequences tend to suggest not the latter.

My comment was in respect to the highway code breaches mentioned. Obviously speculation but I would expect a head torch worn by a mountain biker to be significantly brighter than that required by law.

Whatever, we’re speculating – end result is the bloke’s dead and we know f all abut the circumstances. Shame the mail feel the need to make capital out of it but then they’re miles hunts every day of the week.

Was the pedestrian wearing a helmet or hi-viz?

It mentions highway code breaches but it doesn’t say by whom. The highway code also give advice to pedestrians. However, people often don’t distinguish between must do and should do from the highway code.

While in no way trying to avoid blame put at the door of the cyclist, it does sound like the sort of lane where pedestrians should carry a torch – maybe should is the wrong word as in implies compulsion – would be wise to is maybe better. Of course they might have been and it has just not been mentioned or it might have made no difference in this case. I live on a similar lane and it can feel dicey on a dark night.

As to the 25mph, I think I’d need to see a streetview of the location to feel better informed. I’m assuming on an mtb the speed was a least in part gravity induced.

Shame the mail feel the need to make capital out of it

Tragic case and a stark reminder that we’re not always the most vulnerable road users out there. Seems like a pretty straight report of an inquest to me though. Unless the damning comments from the coroner have been misreported, of course.

Love how the cyclists nationality is the first word in the headline. How often is that the case when it’s “English”?

I guess we don’t know enough about the conditions but 25mph isnt exactly slow, I suspect the cyclist knew the road well and rarely saw peds on it.

Whatever the vehicle, the golden rule is that your speed should be such that you can stop in the distance you see to be clear.

You’ve never met a ninja dog-walker, then? Dark clothes, back to the traffic, maybe listening to their music… No idea if it was the case here, too, but sometimes pedestrians certainly share their part of the blame.

A freak accident. Very unlucky that the rider had had to turn his lights off due to low battery, otherwise he may have seen the pedestrian.
Good call by the judge in the case IMO.

25mph was clearly too fast for the conditions, given that there was an accident. Road bike brakes can be next to useless in heavy rain, so stopping distance can be rather long.

Hopefuly more of us will bear that in mind now.

The cyclist was clearly (IMO) going too fast for the conditions and his vehicle (bike). Cycles have very poor braking relative to cars or motorbikes plus the lights are rubbish by comparison.

As he wasn’t breaking the speed limit its tough for him to be convicted

This incident was the subject of a radio interview this morning, the guy representing one of the cycling bodies was pretty hopeless in answering the interviewers tough questions. On the interview it was revealed the cyclist said he was experienced and capable of riding at 50 mph. He also spoke of his expensive light.

Ok lights off and 25mph? Sorry and he wasn’t charged?

On the interview it was revealed the cyclist said he was experienced and capable of riding at 50 mph

On the descent down from Snake to Glossop this weekend I was behind a cyclist doing 50mph. I marvelled at his balls but on the many bends wondered what would happen if a car driver tried overtaking another coming the other way and how he’d cope/react.

Such a terrible thing.

But then again I’ve seen some cyclists hurtling down footpaths and bridleways used by walkers and in the latter case horses during busy periods of the day and have to question if these cyclists use some sort of common sense in such areas.
Just adds to the vilification of cyclists and/or mtb’ers.

I think there is probable case to be answered by the cyclist, his main light failed and he was relying on his helmet light (which we do not know was bright enough or not). Seeing as he rode into someone it looks very much like it was not bright enough. The whole scenario should be tested through a prosecution IMO.

This seems very much like the “blinded by the low sun” excuse given by drivers for not slowing down to a safe speed for the conditions, which is a crime far too often allowed by the legal system.

…A collision between a cyclist and a pedestrian does not have to be reported.

Didn’t realise that, if it’s true….

Very sad. 3.3m seems pretty wide. Certainly wide enough for a pedestrian and a cyclist.

What’s the stopping distance, do you reckon at 25mp/h for a bicycle? I’d have guessed far shorter than the thinking (reaction) time.

GPS statistics from the bike showed Mr Eakins was travelling at 25.1mph on impact with Mr Jones

Quite a lot on unknown facts in this but 25.1mph at impact suggests the cyclists didn’t brake because he hadn’t seen the pedestrian (too fast for the conditions) or had already scrubbed off speed prior to impact so going much faster prior to braking.

3.3m isn’t a great deal of space. The man walking would need at least 1m. If the cyclist was hugging the inside of the road to get more speed on left hand bend he would have very little margin for error if he meets a pedestrian like he did.

Tragic loss for the family of the victim and the cyclist who now has to live with what happened.

This thread makes interesting reading, wibble fish stunted pelican.
I winder what percentage read that?
The cyclist turned his lights off now, WTF?

As he wasn’t breaking the speed limit its tough for him to be convicted

Balls. That’s the attitude that lets so many other drivers “get away” with killing people. The limit is an absolute limit no matter the conditions, but you should also take the conditions into account and adjust your driving/riding. If you drive at 29mph down a foggy snow covered 30mph road, slide, hit and kill some innocent party you deserve to be prosecuted for careless/dangerous driving.

It is very sad for both, the pedestrian that is no longer alive and for the cyclist who has to live with the guilt of killing someone for the rest of his life, I can imgagine, despite no jail time that that is sentence enough.

I often ride down rural lanes very fast but I do usually have a cree bright light on my handlebars though. Thinking about it I probably only look out for cars and wouldn’t expect to see a pedestrian, who would have been walking on what is my left side of the road, as the highway code suggests.

https://www.gov.uk/rules-pedestrians-1-to-35/general-guidance-1-to-6