Kennydies Posted February 29, 2008 Share Posted February 29, 2008 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hamp ... 270751.stm In the article the cyclist had gone through a red light, even is she had not been using the mobile phone "close to the time of the incident" would she have been able to prevent hitting him I see so many cyclist going through red lights at busy junction and wont be long til I see one get run over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Posted February 29, 2008 Share Posted February 29, 2008 Tricky one. Cyclist jumped a red light and wasn't wearing a helmet but equally she shouldn't have been texting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M13KYF Posted February 29, 2008 Share Posted February 29, 2008 serves her right I say. It makes me feel uncomfortable when someone behind me is on the phone. More people are using the phones in there cars now than last year. It is on the increase and firmer action needs to be taken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sylvester Posted February 29, 2008 Share Posted February 29, 2008 More background... 45 in a 30 limit and killing someone should get prison regardless of mobile phone use imo - especially for a proven repeat offender. Noted in above police statement they did not say she was using mobile at the time of accident - just near to the time.. guess can't prove to the second..... From Yahoo A speeding driver has been jailed for four years after she hit and killed a teenage cyclist while sending a text message. Hotel manager Kiera Coultas, 25, was replying to a message on her mobile phone when she hit scaffolder Jordan Wickington, 19. The teenager, who was not wearing a cycle helmet, stopped at the traffic lights momentarily and went through them on red. Coultas admitted her BMW was doing 45mph in a 30mph limit when she drove across a junction in Southampton shortly after 7am on February 7 last year Coultas, who has a four-year-old daughter, did not see him because she was replying to a text message from her estranged husband, Southampton Crown Court heard. Mr Wickington, from Metley Abbey, Hampshire, died in hospital later that day. The court heard Coultas, from Hythe, in Hampshire, has received three fixed penalty tickets for speeding - two of the offences were committed on a road leading to the junction. She denied one count of dangerous driving but was found guilty by a jury. Judge Jeremy Burford QC sentenced her to four years in jail and disqualified her from driving for five years. He said: "The serious part of your conduct was that you were sending a text on your mobile phone having just received one." He added: "It occurred at precisely the worst time because you failed to see the cyclist who was crossing the road having gone through the red light and travelling as you were at 45mph you hit him and he suffered injuries from which he later died." He accepted the "shock and remorse" and "severe symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder" Coultas has suffered since the crash. Mr Burford said she would have to take an extended driving test following the five-year ban. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stanski Posted February 29, 2008 Share Posted February 29, 2008 Unfortunately the number of people you see everyday on the motorway texting or speaking on the mobile - this resting the elbow on the windowsill with a cupped hand over the ear does'nt hide anything! You can spot someone texting if your behind them or faffing about with their satnav by the erratic driving style and doing 60 in the outside lane with no idea of whats around them . They should get firm with these sentences - a friend and his wife were badly injured by a girl messing about trying to get a Cd out of her glovebox - leaning over and smacked head on into them on the opposite side of the road - they both had a lot of surgery afterwards and are still suffering today 6 years later! No excuses!! Mobiles Satnavs and worst those bleedin DVD displays (in the front!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted February 29, 2008 Share Posted February 29, 2008 Jailed for four years because the dozy cyclist decided they should jump a red light? Bloody madness IMHO. Yes, there's no way that she should have been doing 45mph in a 30, and that's inexcusable. I'm going to go out on a limb here on the limited info I've got and say that in this case the speed was the primary contributing factor (along with the daft cyclist) and not the use of the phone. It's not big and it's not clever, but now the media are highlighting this case as a phone one, and not a speeding car/stupid cyclist one. Put it in context: How many drivers have we seen recently jailed for killing someone else who was driving legally/walking on the pavement, when they were drunk? There's been a few, and they've all got less than 4 years (some had no jail at all). If I'm honest, the judge should've (may have?) used this to highlight road safety for cyclists as well. Probably not a popular viewpoint my one, but that's how I see it. No doubt the driver was in the wrong, but not 4 years in the wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polarbear Posted February 29, 2008 Share Posted February 29, 2008 serves her right I say. It makes me feel uncomfortable when someone behind me is on the phone. More people are using the phones in there cars now than last year. It is on the increase and firmer action needs to be taken +1 ban the driver and fine the cyclist Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobby Posted February 29, 2008 Share Posted February 29, 2008 I might sound a bit rude...but this is what i feel about the whole fiasco. proven facts...i think... 1. cyclist jumped a red light. 2. cyclist wihtout safety equipment. 2. motorist speeding. the motorist should be fined,banned or whatever for speeding. but the death wasnt her fault. The death happened cos the cyclist was irresponsible and thought he could get away with anything cos he is a cyclist and the law alwasy favours cyclists and pedestrians over motorists. in the end everybody lost. the cyclist lost his life. the motorist also lost her life...5 yr ban and prison term..ur life is over when u come out....unless u have some hell of a personality and character to get back on ur feet again. I think the law needs to be firm on all sides...the fact that the motorist was using a phone wasnt prooved.and therefore her speeding only contributed to an aggravated injury...the injury as such was caused due to a reckless cyclist. awaiting a lot of stick for this one !!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GC350z Posted February 29, 2008 Share Posted February 29, 2008 I’m sure the actual details haven’t been reported correctly for example yahoo reported she was texting at the time yet above Sylvester wrote that police said it was near to the time. An uncle is a judge here and when we’ve talked about cases that were reported in the press I’ve found that they only report what they consider to be the best bits regardless of how circumstantial leaving people thinking the defendant has to be guilty. I would expect this case to come up again in appeal fairly quickly with a good defence lawyer and either the sentence reduced or quashed. I’d also expect it not to be reported in the press. Either way using a phone especially texting while driving is just stupid. Speeding in a 30 zone is also asking for it. By speeding I mean doing 45mph. A little over 30 is ok but not way over. I think 4 years is a bit harsh. I would prefer to see some kind of lesser punishment other then jail (perhaps an anklet) plus a lifetime ban on driving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M13KYF Posted February 29, 2008 Share Posted February 29, 2008 4 years may be a bit harsh seeing as she has a daughter but try saying that to the parents of the guy who was killed. It's a difficult one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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