Per CW this week.
Elain Barrow (Chelmer CC) was awarded £18 K damages at Chelmsford County Court last month. The payment was compensation for facial injuries sustained in a time trial involving Jason White (JD Cycles)
Barrow claims White rode into her from behind at 40 mph during a time trial in Southend in 2005
He denied this - claiming she veered into him.
On the day - Barrow and one other heard him aplogise to her and say he had run into her.
He insists that what was said in shocked heat of moment was not an admission of guilt...
In this civil case - a witness was the deciding factor. However, this witness did not appear at the earlier disciplinary before the Cycling Time Trials Committee in which White was charged with "dangerous cycling" [size=9] yep - it happens within the sport [/i] and was let off because of "insufficient evidence"
Paul Smith, committee member, (a different Paul Smith) resigned in protest at this decision on the basis that the committee was told to let off as the guy would win on appeal. He was also angry that the woman got a raw deal and was made out to be the bad rider in this case despite the fact as this Mr Smith said
Quote:
If you rear end someone - you are to blame
This meant that he was allowed to contunue riding in competion The witness had been invited to this hearing .. but he only receive notice to attend two days before and no one thought to get a written witness statement from him
White's comment on this verdict further infuriated Barrow
White wrote:
Barrow's lack of experience caused the collision. Unfortunately, in a civil courtis a bit different because you have people who have no idea what bike riding is all about So I'm afraid it went in her favour
She says she was riding along.. the road curved to the left and was then straight. She was riding 2-3 feet out when she heard the sounbd of a disc wheel approaching from behind
Barrow wrote:
Then BANG! He hit from behind. I went up in the air.. my bike to the left into the gutter. I was wearing a helmet . .but my head flipped back and I heard a crack. I lost a lot of teeht. My lip ws cut and bleeding profusely.
A kind man who saw jason ride into me came over to help. I am not sure if the police were called. I reported it to the police a week later.. and heard nothing ..
The CTT said no witness came forward at the disciplinary and it boiled down to her word against his. There was no real proof.
Barrow (54)has not raced since because of this injury London East Ttt have not commented to CW.,
Hmmm..
It seems you can cause a serious injury at speed on a bicycle. OK .. a race situation. Put transpose this to everday commuting by the same folk out there now. Most fit people can get to those speeds on a decent bike too.
Not at all anti-cycling - but ..
I think cycling as main commuting means will be just as heavily legislated as driving. I think I prefer the status quo somehow
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