Paul - move if I've posted to a wrong forum...
Bolton Paper last Thursday...
Paul Keveney reports.
A 21 year old lost control of his car on Stoneclough Road, Kearley area of Bolton and a 46 year old mother of two was killed.
The driver pleaded guilty to "undue care and attention" and received a 12 month ban from driving.
Per the story . the 46 year old was thrown 20 feet and landed down an embankment after being hit by the Fiesta at 11.40 am on January 5 this year.
The driver lost control coming out of an S bend which locals say is a blackspot.
Zoe Salter prosecuting claimed that the young driver entered the right hand bend.. lost control.. mounted the pavement on the near side and hit the pedestrian.
Witnesses say they heard the squeal and screech of brakes as the driver tried to regain control. He suffered some minor injuries.
Kim Morton - defending said her client admitted driving at 35 mph in the 30 mph zone... and could not get control of the car which began to swerve and there may have been diesel on the road which caused the car to skid. She said her client was very very remorseful and has suffered such trauma that he cannot face getting into a car of even going to work since this incident. He has been driving for four years - clean licence and no drink or drugs found in his system.
The bench told the defendant that he was not being prosecuted for dangerous driving and that their guidelines state fine and points on licence. The magistrate went on to say that they were using deiscretion and decided to ban for 12 months with a £300 fine and costs of £35.
Stoneclough Road has seen 17 accidents and 27 injuries within a three year period.
it has no speed camera. It is not lucrative enough
The family is considering a civil case against the driver. I think they should await the decision of the insurance company and then take legal advice based on this.
As I could not picture this event .. I asked my sister to go take some photos. She did but she misinterpreted the scene. To her .. she thought he must have hit on the downhill past the Kearsley station as
my sister in e-mail to me wrote:
I drove down this road first in my own BMW and then in the old Cavalier. I noted that I had to feather the brake to keep it at a constant 30 mph.
I then cycled down Stoneclough from the A666 lights and found the bike was "running away with me and I had to ride the rear brake to keep it steady.
As you come under the railway bridge - there's a VAS or Smiley Sid sign which appears to flash up 30 mph if you are at 35 mph. We tested this 8 times in each car.
On the opposite side of the road near the bus stop on the opposite side as you drive down this hill - there are a lot of floral tributes to the deceased. I felt I was intruding on her shrine so I did not take a photo .. but crossed myself, prayed for her - and left a rose for her.
I cannot see how he lost it on that climb if he hit her after negotiating the bend. I did it on my bike and it was some gradient. I then drove all the way to Ringley and turned back ....bend is OK at 35 mph as I took the S bends at this speed -even though absolutely illegal to test the bend. It was at the time England was playing and no traffic on it. However, have to say I felt more comfy at 28 mph on this S -bend series but I felt it only fair to test and despite the "diesel claim" - I just cannot see how he "lost it here" I suspect his speed was well in excess of 35 mph given the distance from the bend and where the collision occurred - if he was travelling from Bury to Kearsley.
If he hit her on the downhill from the lights - I can see how that may have happened.
Have taken a couple of photos and uploaded for you to post up Ted. I think the mags were right to ban and fine. I think it would have been worse if he had just been fined and given half a dozen points.
I do appreciate that the lady's family want to see the key thrown away and want revenge .. but the ban was a good call here. Could have been a lot "softer" and we have to think about the guy as well. He's suffering the effects too and I know it seems unfair from a grieving point of view when grief is "raw" - we have been there with you Ted..... but you are right. That guy will suffer the same life sentence of guilt.
My sister goes off on some personal issues here....
It is difficult - we see the situation from the grieving relative's point of view but we have to remember that a young man feels very guilty too.
However, my sister's photos do leave some odd question marks on this.
Photo One ... this is the down hill towards Bury. My sister seriously thought the incident occurred as he came down the hill based on skid marks near the scene.
Tree opposite the slow sign and road work patch marks the tree in which he collided. Beyond - the last of the S bends ...
View of the S bend where he "allegedly lost it" The bus stop you can perhaps just about make out on the uphill is where this incident occurred. My sister did not want to photograph the shrine and intrude on the famikly grief but she left a flower for her and a prayer.
I think he was in excess of 35 mph to be honest .. and maybe he did get off lightly. But was not there ..
You can see perhaps just from these photos why we have some doubts as to 35 mph. We think he must have been a lot faster ...
Edited to fix quotes
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.. perhaps a little girl's Nana would be tucking into a turkey and tinsel meal with her on Monday.
