This is turning into a massacre out there… :0(

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-26184164

Wonder what the courts will do with the driver if they’re convicted? # jaded

Doesn’t say whether it was the BMW or the Police car which hit and killed them – assuming a pursuit at the moment as iPPC involved 😥

Very sad.

IPCC is std in any FATAC that the police have had any connection with.

This must be devastating for the families …

This is terrible.

Pardon my ignorance, but what is a “police probe car”?

BBC article (esp headline) seems badly written/cut and paste error, if we assume the other 2 linked articles are correct (ie cops called to a disturbance at a house, BMW does runner & hits cyclists)

a bit more :

A spokesman for Thames Valley Police said: ” The BMW, which was travelling on the A329 Purley Rise, subsequently collided with two cyclists, who both died at the scene.

“Specialist officers are currently in the process of informing and supporting their next of kin.”

The BMW’s driver was injured and taken to the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading. A man was later arrested in connection with the incident.

The force has referred the incident to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

if the police already wanted the **** for something else, maybe he will actually be sent down, though the sun may of got in his eyes

Tragic thoughts are with the families and friends.

However it won’t be too long before someone “blames” the cyclists.

I’m waiting to arrive at a cafe one day with a sign saying “No Dogs, No Romanians, No Cyclists.”

The BMW’s driver was injured

Clearly not badly enough…

I read this to mean the cops were chasing the bmw who subsequently hit / killed to cyclists. right? saying ‘connected with the incident’ makes it sound like a cop might have been driving the bmw.

That may be the case, but even that is far from explicit. Quite clear that it wasn’t a police driver who killed the cyclists.

Pursuit now looks very likely …

Two cyclists were killed when they were struck by a car in a village during a suspected police pursuit.

It followed a police call-out to a “fear-for-welfare” incident in Purley Rise, Purley on Thames, West Berkshire, at about 21:00 GMT on Thursday.

Officers became aware of a black BMW convertible related to the call that struck the cyclists, both of whom died at the scene. A man was later arrested.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission has been informed.

‘Absolutely shocked’
Nearby residents have told the BBC they heard a loud bang, with police on the scene almost immediately.

A police spokesman said officers were supporting next of kin.

The road was closed between the junctions of Westbury Lane and Sherwood Rise during investigations.

Bill Ayling, a councillor on Purley on Thames Parish Council, said he was “absolutely shocked” to hear of the deaths.

He added: “I know the road very well. It is well lit at night and it’s up on a hill.”

Parish council chairman Rick Jones said: “It’s a shock. It’s a very quiet village normally.”

Anyone who witnessed the collision or saw the BMW beforehand is asked to contact police.

This is horrible 🙁

hopefully the aggravating circumstances, doing a runner from the police by the sounds of it, mean he gets a permanent ban and a prison sentence.

horrific.
I want to see some justice but I fear we all know the true outcome.
if he’s just robbed a house then he’ll probably get longer for that then killing 2 people with a car.

/cries

more details emerging – 7 kids lots their dads – its worse than horrible

This is why being even involved in a police chase in a car should carry a very very serious penalty. ie Police ask you to stop, you don’t = 15 years in jail.
Currently we have crazy situations where people are involved in a chase (often not the for first time) and then are given things like driving bans for it? I mean WTF!

horrible story.

I only hope justice is done.

Shocking. Just up the road from me here, a road I ride almost every time I go out on my bike.

They’re named now in the local paper:
http://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/news/reading/articles/2014/02/14/97737-updated-scenes-of-horror-as-two-cyclists–both-reading-borough-council-workers—die-in-purley-rise-last-night/

29 year old dad of two, 39 year old dad of five. Both “keen cyclists” who worked for the council

Down the road from me too, and horrible to think it could happen to you innocently riding along…there’s got to be a more serious charge than death by dangerous driving for this?

Apparently the BMW rolled on top of them the driver murdering scrote had to be cut out.

here’s got to be a more serious charge than death by dangerous driving for this?

Maximum penalty for Death By Dangerous Driving is 14 years prison and disqualified for life.

I think it would have to go to manslaughter to have more serious sentencing available.

http://www.cps.gov.uk/news/fact_sheets/dangerous_driving/

Hmmm…shame the maximum sentence is very rarely given for death by dangerous driving though.

Currently we have crazy situations where people are involved in a chase (often not the for first time) and then are given things like driving bans for it?

I’m not a massive fan of them but the few various “cops in cars” seem to have car crime (no licence/insurance/failing to stop) sometimes with a chase, drivers always seem to get a piffling fine and maybe points, don’t think I’ve seen one that resulted in a ban.

don’t think I’ve seen one that resulted in a ban.

They do sometimes, but it usually goes something like “Darren was found guilty of driving while disqualified, with no insurance or MOT, and was banned from driving for two years.”

As if that’s going to make any difference at all. 🙁

As long as the driver used the SMIDSY defence, together with low sun routine then should get off.

It’s plain wrong, wrong, wrong and any decent human being should feel that! Thoughts to family who are without loved ones.

First of all, commiserations to the families concerned in this tragedy. However, Lucien has a good point:

As long as the driver used the SMIDSY defence, together with low sun routine then should get off.

It’s plain wrong, wrong, wrong and any decent human being should feel that! Thoughts to family who are without loved ones

Given that juries are supposedly made up of a random cross section of our society (as opposed to cyclists, who aren’t) I have a feeling that most jurors would be unwilling to convict a fellow motorist if there was any doubt – “there but for the grace of God go I” would weigh heavily on their minds, I think.

I really would like to think I was wrong on this though!

Utterly shocked by this is not even close..This is very local to me and a friend had just informed me about the news before i saw this thread. I know close friends of the victims.

My thoughts are with the families and friends effected.

Such a tragic waste of two lives. So many innocent people devastated as a result.

The twitter scum are already apportioning blame to the deceased for ‘cycling in bad weather’.
One stupid woman – who claims to be a professional journalist – has already gone down this route, she copped a series of rants from me.

The twitter scum are already apportioning blame to the deceased for ‘cycling in bad weather’.
One stupid woman – who claims to be a professional journalist – has already gone down this route, she copped a series of rants from me.

So why is it ok to DRIVE in bad weather? how often is it low sun, or rain, or fog, or some other crap. I guess the solution is to ban cars in anything other than ideal conditions, say midday on jun 24th, as long as it isn’t too sunny or too cloudy.

It appears it isn’t the first this POS,Alexander Farrar Walters has been in trouble!
Hoax bomb call a few days after the twin towers.
Forgery.
Today.
Hopefully they’ll leave him in jail to rot this time, probably not though :/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-27047171

10 years 3 months.

Doesn’t feel like long enough given his crime and the history he has.

Walters was sentenced to 10 years and three months for dangerous driving and aggravated vehicle taking.

So nothing relating to death by dangerous driving or manslaughter…

Not long enough really.

[Quote]Walters was sentenced to 10 years and three months for dangerous driving and aggravated vehicle taking.[/Quote]

Is that just the reported being brief or should that be “causing death by dangerous driving” as well as “Causing death by careless driving when under the influence of drink or drugs” and “Causing death by driving while unlicensed, disqualified or uninsured” because all could apply… Right?

Ten years is bugger all when you look at the impact his actions have had…