From: JMS jmsmith2010 on
On 20 Jul 2010 20:31:16 GMT, Adrian <toomany2cvs(a)gmail.com> wrote:

>Tom Crispin <kije.remove(a)this.bit.freeuk.com.munge> gurgled happily,
>sounding much like they were saying:
>
>> Sadly, in 2009, there was the first child cyclist fatality in London
>> since 2004. A young lad was killed by a policeman driving a fast moving
>> police car, with lights but no siren, as the child was cycling across a
>> pedestrian crossing.
>
>It would probably be inappropriate to ask why somebody was cycling across
>a pedestrian crossing, wouldn't it?
>
>I'm not sure it's relevant, either. The only relevant fact is that
>somebody using a pedestrian crossing was not observing traffic properly.
>On it's own, that should not result in a fatality. The police driver was
>clearly not prepared for the crossing to be in use. As usual,
>contributory fuckwittery on the part of both those involved.
>
>Nor do I see the fact it was a child as being particularly relevant - if
>the child wasn't old enough to properly understand the rules of the road,
>then it's a failure of the parents to properly supervise their child.


There are many here who promote the idea of 5 and 6 year olds cycling
to school unaccompanied - because it is quite safe.


--
Many cyclists are proving the need for registration by their contempt for the Highway Code and laws.

The answer:
All cyclists over 16 to take compulsory test, have compulsory insurance, and be registered.
Registration number to be clearly visible on the back of mandatory hi-viz vest.
Habitual law breakers' cycles confiscated and crushed.
(With thanks to KeithT for the idea)

From: Brian Watson on

"Tom Crispin" <kije.remove(a)this.bit.freeuk.com.munge> wrote in message
news:0a4c46tvgirbk2ujbnagl6nj62ai7mafmi(a)4ax.com...
> Perhaps you feel that motorists have a similar expectation
> of coming across children on both, i.e. not places where young people
> should be.

Well, I am mostly a motorist and I think that, at the speeds ALL road users
travel, we ALL "back odds" in terms of anticipating different hazards that
do/might occur.

--
Brian
"Fight like the Devil, die like a gentleman."
www.imagebus.co.uk/shop


From: Just zis Guy, you know? on
On 20 Jul 2010 20:31:16 GMT, Adrian <toomany2cvs(a)gmail.com> wrote:

>> Sadly, in 2009, there was the first child cyclist fatality in London
>> since 2004. A young lad was killed by a policeman driving a fast moving
>> police car, with lights but no siren, as the child was cycling across a
>> pedestrian crossing.
>
>It would probably be inappropriate to ask why somebody was cycling across
>a pedestrian crossing, wouldn't it?

I don't know if it was a toucan crossing, I do know that it was a
child.

Guy
--
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk/
The usenet price promise: all opinions offered in newsgroups are guaranteed
to be worth the price paid.
From: Derek C on
On Jul 20, 7:52 pm, Tony Raven <tra...(a)gotadsl.co.uk> wrote:
>
>
> Somehow the minor fact that cyclist fatalities fell by 10% seems to have
> been overlooked.  I can't think why on earth that would be.
>
> Tony
>
Possibly because a greater percentage of cyclists now wear cycle
helmets.

Derek
From: Derek C on
On Jul 20, 9:06 pm, n...(a)cam.ac.uk wrote:
> In article <oavb46tdkbonfdonmrj32b0h5uv5r5b...(a)4ax.com>,
> Tom Crispin  <kije.rem...(a)this.bit.freeuk.com.munge> wrote:
>
> >On Tue, 20 Jul 2010 19:52:37 +0100, Tony Raven <tra...(a)gotadsl.co.uk>
> >wrote:
>
> >>Somehow the minor fact that cyclist fatalities fell by 10% seems to have
> >>been overlooked.  I can't think why on earth that would be.
>
> >Not according to the Guardian's headline:
> >"Sharp rise in number of cyclists killed on roads"
> >http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/nov/05/cycling-deaths-department-of...
>
> You are looking at different data.
>
> Regards,
> Nick Maclaren.

The Guardian article only looked at the first quarter of the year
2009, when both cyclist deaths and KSIs had increased over the
previous year's first quarter, KSIs by 19%. This was put down by the
CTC as being due to a large influx of new and inexperienced cyclists
coming onto the road, and possibly an increase in risky cycling
behaviour such as red light jumping. Maybe the worst cyclists
eliminated themselves by Darwinian selection, or became more
experienced and competent, as the year progressed, so the total annual
figures for 2009 where less bad.