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Cyclist critical after Peebles A72 crash

(19 posts)
  • Started 9 years ago by kaputnik
  • Latest reply from crowriver

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  1. kaputnik
    Moderator

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-29800623
    An elderly cyclist is in a critical condition in hospital after a crash on the A72 near Peebles.

    Police are appealing for witnesses to the collision which involved his bicycle and a Volvo car.

    The accident happened on the Peebles to Glentress Road near to Eshiels Mill at about 18:00 on Monday.

    The cyclist suffered serious injuries and was transferred to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. The road was closed for six hours for investigations.

    Another day in Scotland. Another cycling tragedy. Another A-road. Another year of government inaction forecast.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  2. ARobComp
    Member

    Such a shame. There is an offroad cycle path between the two towns but it might not go to where you want it to go to. Also I';ve never cycled it in the dark/winter and it might not be feasible.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  3. crowriver
    Member

    Terrible.

    There is a back road which I use 'twixt Peebles and Innerleithen, passes through Traquair. Recommended and part of the official on-road cycling route too. Difficult to avoid A72 west of Peebles unless you really, really, like climbing hills. Even then have to use A72 on last wee stretch near the castle.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  4. amir
    Member

    +1 terrible. We should be safe on A roads whether there are facilities or not.

    The cycle path is good enough with lights but the first bit is a bit windy/lumpy before it straightens - there's also still a bit with gravelly stuff rather than asphalt. The bit east of Cardrona is great.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  5. slowcoach
    Member

    Sad to hear this. Let's hope they pull through.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  6. Nelly
    Member

    "There is a back road which I use 'twixt Peebles and Innerleithen, passes through Traquair"

    Yep, B7062. My preferred route and much calmer alternative route - although we dont know if it is in any way convenient to the victims start end point.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  7. slowcoach
    Member

    Good as the railway path is, it doesn't go everywhere, and we need to be safe on other roads to get to and from anywhere else. Too often, rather than a help to travelling, A-roads (or rather the motorists on them) are a barrier for walking and cycling.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  8. slowcoach
    Member

    The Peeblesshire News reports that the cyclist was still critical yesterday, and names him as Carl Lane, Peebles Cycling Club's President. It says he is from Eshiels so the railway path and the B7026 are probably further away than the A72.
    The Peeblesshire also reports that he broke his neck cycling at Glentress 5 years ago but returned to cycling after that.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  9. slowcoach
    Member

    Sad update - Carl died on 22 April having been in hospital since he was injured in October.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  10. slowcoach
    Member

    "Man in court over Peebles cyclist death" Brief report - driver charged with causing death by careless driving - no plea or declaration

    Posted 8 years ago #

  11. Roibeard
    Member

    The "no plea or declaration" appears to be just part of the normal procedure - I think it is due to the case being referred to a higher court.

    Robert

    Posted 8 years ago #

  12. slowcoach
    Member

    "after a trial at Selkirk Sheriff Court, Sheriff Valerie Johnston found him guilty" (of causing death by careless driving)

    "Stewart was fined £650 and had five penalty points endorsed on his licence."

    Peeblesshire News 19.11.16

    Posted 7 years ago #

  13. neddie
    Member

    Whilst it is a start that they've increased the penalties for "causing death by dangerous driving", the real problem is that too often judges/juries/magistrates go for "causing death by careless driving", which carries a much lower penalty.

    £650 and had five penalty points is an absolutely disgustingly trivial penalty.

    (I imagine £650 is peanuts for someone who can afford to run/buy a Volvo XC90)

    Posted 7 years ago #

  14. Dave
    Member

    The labels attached to the offences are a bit of a distraction and I wish they could be changed. This guy has been found guilty of a homicide. "Careless" and "dangerous" have unhelpful meanings, if it's easier, consider he was convicted of a 2nd degree vehicular homicide and not a 1st degree one.

    I agree the penalties seem ludicrously small. £650 for a life, when dog fouling can get you up to a £1000 fine. However, it's progress that people are being convicted of vehicular homicides at all. So much of the time the police or the judicial system just shrug it away. The wrong kind of light, or whatever.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  15. Frenchy
    Member

    I thought causing death by careless driving carried a mandatory driving ban.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  16. Cyclingmollie
    Member

    Careless driving, dangerous driving, being convicted of being a dangerous driver or a careless driver or a homicidal driver or indeed a murderous driver, whatever, these are all terms which will follow William Stewart of Innerleithen for a long time on Google.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  17. Murun Buchstansangur
    Member

    English & Welsh data, but even by the already very lenient sentencing for this offence, that is a shocker.

    http://www.roadpeace.org/resources/RoadPeace_briefing_5_November_2014.pdf

    An an aside, I know of someone convicted quite a few years ago of careless driving on a motorway for underpassing a bus. Noone injured, no vehicles damaged. They got 9 points.

    What price a life?

    Posted 7 years ago #

  18. Frenchy
    Member

    I checked the "Charging and Prosecution" booklet made by RoadJustice and the CTC. The table in it says that Causing Death by Careless Driving has an obligatory one year driving ban. Is this a Scotland/England and Wales difference?

    Posted 7 years ago #

  19. crowriver
    Member

    I think what we have in this case is that the (part-time) Sheriff must have decided the offense fell into the category of "Careless of inconsiderate driving arising from momentary inattention with no aggravating factors". Sentencing guideline currently is a starting point of "Community order (medium)".

    I am unaware of any mitigating factors - if they exist they have not been reported in the press - but this sentence still seems rather lenient even compared to the guidelines.

    Posted 7 years ago #

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