Taxi driver left female cyclist bloodied and confused on side of road

monument · 12-12-2013 08:59PM #1

http://irishcycle.com/2013/12/11/gardai-refuse-to-fine-driver-who-hit-cyclist-says-mother/

According to the mother of a female cyclist, who was left bloodied and confused in shock on the side of the road, Gardai have chosen not prosecute or fine the taxi driver who crashed into her daughter because his car was not travelling at speed and that the collision was a “misjudgement”.

zenno · 12-12-2013 09:01PM

According to the mother of a female cyclist

There's the problem there. Her mother wasn't there but assumes this to be the case, there's more to it than that.

monument · 12-12-2013 09:03PM

zenno wrote: »

There's the problem there. Her mother wasn't there but assumes this to be the case, there's more to it than that.

I've talked to a witness since, so we'll take her on her word.

monument · 12-12-2013 09:25PM

Posts by others deleted.

Mod warning: We're talking about a person getting hit and injured by a car -- off topic, joke-like, disruptive or otherwise trolling posting won't be tolerated.

Csalem · 12-12-2013 10:05PM

This was the first topic on Liveline yesterday with the mother of the cyclist talking to Joe Duffy:
http://www.rte.ie/radio1/liveline/programmes/2013/1211/492246-liveline-wednesday-11-december-2013/?clipid=1375574

mitosis · 12-12-2013 10:09PM

Is the injured party a minor?

returnNull · 12-12-2013 10:14PM

I get the impression it was the cyclists fault and the gardai decided not to charge the driver.If the taxi driver had the time to give his details he would of noticed if the cyclist was hurt.

monument · 12-12-2013 10:52PM

returnNull wrote: »

I get the impression it was the cyclists fault and the gardai decided not to charge the driver.

How do you get such an impression?

returnNull · 12-12-2013 10:56PM

monument wrote: »

How do you get such an impression?

By the fact they didnt charge the driver.

EDIT:actually I cant say the cyclist was at fault.I'll take that back.

Bogger77 · 12-12-2013 11:00PM

monument wrote: »

I've talked to a witness since, so we'll take her on her word.

(bolding by me)

if the witness has something to say, let them say it to the Gardai, I won't be taking any random anonymous persons word for it.

Gatling · 12-12-2013 11:06PM

One thing I've noticed when it comes to cyclist's and other road user's when there's an accident or near accident its always the other road users fault ,
What's was the extent of the girl involved injuries and was she wearing suitable protection does anybody know

John_C · 12-12-2013 11:30PM

The lesson here is that cyclists probably shouldn't leave space for vehicles to overtake in the same lane. If you've got taxis and buses trying to squeeze past these type of accidents are inevitable.

monument · 13-12-2013 12:19AM

Bogger77 wrote: »

(bolding by me)

if the witness has something to say, let them say it to the Gardai, I won't be taking any random anonymous persons word for it.

We're not talking about a random person on the internet. The mother is named, and she went on national radio to outline the issue.

If the Gardai want anything corrected they can contact RTE and/or IrishCycle.com.

Gatling wrote: »

One thing I've noticed when it comes to cyclist's and other road user's when there's an accident or near accident its always the other road users fault ,

I've noticed lots of victim blaming. But the research often seems to back the idea that motorists are more often to blame:

Fewer say otherwise, but most I've found which differ from blaming motorists puts it at 50/50:

Cyclists, drivers equally to blame for crashes in Minneapolis

Jawgap · 13-12-2013 12:35AM

Gatling wrote: »

One thing I've noticed when it comes to cyclist's and other road user's when there's an accident or near accident its always the other road users fault ,
What's was the extent of the girl involved injuries and was she wearing suitable protection does anybody know

What suitable protection would you expect a cyclist to be wearing for a spin in Dublin?

Plus it wasn't an "accident" -it was a collision.

Tea drinker · 13-12-2013 12:45AM

Jawgap wrote: »

What suitable protection would you expect a cyclist to be wearing for a spin in Dublin?

Plus it wasn't an "accident" -it was a collision.

an accidental collision I believe? My guess is the suitable attire is documented on the road safety site:
Never cycle in the dark without adequate lighting – white for front, red for rear
Always wear luminous clothing such as hi-vis vests, fluorscent armbands and reflective belts so that other road users can see you
http://www.rsa.ie/en/RSA/Pedestrians-and-Cyclists/Cycling-safety/

nice that they misspelled fluorescent.

Gatling · 13-12-2013 01:25AM

Jawgap wrote: »

What suitable protection would you expect a cyclist to be wearing for a spin in Dublin?

Plus it wasn't an "accident" -it was a collision.

Helmet for a start actually ,

An accident / collision one of the same the cyclists wasn't exactly targeted on purpose apparently,

Monument I wasn't blaming anybody personally I dont believe we have the full facts ,
Did the withness make an official statement or actually withness the full accident or came across the accident

AlekSmart · 13-12-2013 02:50AM

returnNull wrote: »

I get the impression it was the cyclists fault and the gardai decided not to charge the driver.If the taxi driver had the time to give his details he would of noticed if the cyclist was hurt.

Oddly enough I'd be very surprised at the Gardai managing to take ANY action against this particular Taxi Driver,given their inability to take any action whatever against the Taxidrivers double parking ON the Grafton Street/Suffolk st/Pedestrian Crossing....a situation now made immeasurably more dangerous by the wilder eyed,fare blinded cratúrs hanging U-Turns,again ON the Pedestrian Crossing....RSA,NTA,Gardai ??? nah,..nobody appears to be responsible for enforcing the Road Traffic Act,or indeed common safety related sense on these individuals...

Perhaps unsurprisingly,this dangerous codology,since it was tolerated initially,has now become the norm.

The Location is under constant CCTV surveillance,including Garda specific cameras,yet nothing whatever is done....

Commissioner Cullinane can agonise all he likes about the various woes,engulfing his force,but if he cannot recognize the importance of this HIGHLY visible daily "Blind Eyeing" of the Taxi industry's most anti-social members,then he,and the Minister for Justice,really should consider the decision to extend his tenure as Commissioner.

So,with this in mind,the title of the OP's thread might well be, perhaps ...

Taxi driver left female cyclist bloodied and confused on side of road-is anybody surprised ?

Jawgap · 13-12-2013 07:30AM

Tea drinker wrote: »

an accidental collision I believe? My guess is the suitable attire is documented on the road safety site:
Never cycle in the dark without adequate lighting – white for front, red for rear
Always wear luminous clothing such as hi-vis vests, fluorscent armbands and reflective belts so that other road users can see you
http://www.rsa.ie/en/RSA/Pedestrians-and-Cyclists/Cycling-safety/

nice that they misspelled fluorescent.

The Guards have stopped describing collisions as accidents or accidental because there's nothing accidental about them. Someone was at fault, either because they were reckless, or because it was intentional.

Where is it said the collision took place in lighting conditions that required lights to be on? Also hi-viz is hugely overrated as a visibility aid.

As for helmets (I wear one) - again useless in falls at speeds over 20km/hr and in situations where you get whacked by a tonne of metal. They also increase the potential for rotational injuries.

Finally, apart from the lights, none of what was suggested as suitable gear is compulsory.

Greenmachine · 13-12-2013 07:41AM

Hope the cyclist was okay. Like others have said we don't have the full fact. The driver did stop thankfully and gave his details. We have no idea how long he waited with the cyclist, or what conversation they shared. Non prosecution does not necessarily mean that she would not have a case to claim against the drivers insurance.

steamengine · 13-12-2013 01:50PM

Gatling wrote: »

One thing I've noticed when it comes to cyclist's and other road user's when there's an accident or near accident its always the other road users fault ,
What's was the extent of the girl involved injuries and was she wearing suitable protection does anybody know

She fell on her head and didn't hurt herself as she was wearing a helmet.

.........a quote from the liveline show yesterday. However that is not the full story, so it is best to listen to the interview in its entirety. Other cyclist related incidents are discussed also in the same show. I agree there is too much of blaming the other guy and it solves nothing at the end of the day.

If one gets pitched off a bike for whatever reason, one doesn't often have a choice as to which part of one's body will strike the concrete or tarmac first and that is where a helmet is extremely useful as it will provide the necessary cushion IMO.

Mrs OBumble · 13-12-2013 01:57PM

steamengine wrote: »

...and that is where a helmet is extremely useful as it will provide the necessary cushion IMO.

And because damanged hands, legs, collar bones etc can generally be fixed a lots more successfully than damanged heads and their contents.

Back on topic:

1) Why is the cyclists's gender of any consequence?

2) What age are they, that they need to have mammy speaking up for them?

monument · 13-12-2013 02:01PM

Greenmachine wrote: »

Hope the cyclist was okay. Like others have said we don't have the full fact. The driver did stop thankfully and gave his details. We have no idea how long he waited with the cyclist, or what conversation they shared. Non prosecution does not necessarily mean that she would not have a case to claim against the drivers insurance.

A witness said he was more interested in getting back to the client in the back of the taxi and that fits in with what the mother said.

In any case he did the very minimum -- he did not call for police or medical help. In some other countries he'd be at risk of being charged with leaving a collision.

jimmycrackcorm · 13-12-2013 02:25PM

What exactly is the point of this thread? Last year I got knocked down while cycling on a roundabout by someone who didn't look as they entered on my left. There was no prosecution or fine, nor was I expecting one. So why does this girls mother feel there should be?

monument · 13-12-2013 02:26PM

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

2) What age are they, that they need to have mammy speaking up for them?

Very early 20s if I recall from Liveliness correctly. She's a student.

The mother -- who also cycles -- seems rightly worried about the idea that a driver is getting off without so much as a fine after hitting somebody.

Can parents only speak out when their children can't speak for them self?

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

Last year I got knocked down while cycling on a roundabout by someone who didn't look as they entered on my left. There was no prosecution or fine, nor was I expecting one. So why does this girls mother feel there should be?

Because her daughter was hit by a car and left bleeding and bruised. Is that not enough?

If we're not going to find people for hitting and injuring others, should we do away with fines for speeding and breaking red lights?

monument · 13-12-2013 02:36PM

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

What exactly is the point of this thread?

Please note the charter.

GT_TDI_150 · 13-12-2013 02:37PM

I though if a motorised vehicle hits a pedestrian / cyclist that they were automatically at fault no matter what the circumstances.

Is the repomsability lie not on the the diver of the the drive to the conditions of the road and in such a manner that they can avoid the unexpected?

PS: I'm not saying that cyclists etc can just go mad and do what they want there is rules for all road users to abide by, eg cyclists can not run red light, cars are meant to leave a minimum distance when over taking cyclists, cyclists can not use footpaths, ...?

Viper_JB · 13-12-2013 02:46PM

"but he said the taxi driver could not be fined for dangerous driving as he was not driving fast"

Surely that can't be correct, I see people drive dangerously more often at slower speeds then higher speeds....

galwaycyclist · 13-12-2013 02:54PM

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

What exactly is the point of this thread? Last year I got knocked down while cycling on a roundabout by someone who didn't look as they entered on my left. There was no prosecution or fine, nor was I expecting one. So why does this girls mother feel there should be?

Thats a very straightforward collision type. I would have expected that the driver would be prosecuted without any further question.

ghogie91 · 13-12-2013 03:00PM

Has anyone got specifics of the collision?

Google map screen shots or anything? I am interested to see where the cyclist was hit, on what road and directions both parties were travelling in

monument · 13-12-2013 03:03PM

ghogie91 wrote: »

Has anyone got specifics of the collision?

Google map screen shots or anything? I am interested to see where the cyclist was hit, on what road and directions both parties were travelling in

Rock Road near Blackrock College, I do not have the exact location or direction but the cycle lane inside a narrow bus lane is fairly typical for along that section.

Wicklowrider · 13-12-2013 03:07PM

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

What exactly is the point of this thread? Last year I got knocked down while cycling on a roundabout by someone who didn't look as they entered on my left. There was no prosecution or fine, nor was I expecting one. So why does this girls mother feel there should be?

I had a very similar incident and was taken away in an ambulance.
5 weeks later at the same roundabout the same motorist came with INCHES of hitting me a 2nd time. This time I found the Gardai who attended the 1st incident and hounded them until the motorist was charged with careless driving. Motorist was fined and had to pay for solicitor and spend a day in court - so its reasonable to assume they learnt something. Because I did nothing about the first incident I left myself and other road users open to danger - a lesson I have learned and won't forget.

Taxi driver left female cyclist bloodied and confused on side of road

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