SafeSpeedv2 wrote:
Do let me know how that goes when you hear more. I must go and take a look , be nice to take my bike on the Nevis range anyway ! Need to get fit !
Why must you "take a look"?
Quote:
Result from the inquest:
http://road.cc/content/news/17677-jason ... rely-blameJason MacIntyre Fatal Accident Inquiry finds van driver entirely to blame
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By tony_farrelly - Posted on 20 May 2010
Also on road.cc
Sherrif considers decision in Jason MacIntyre Fatal Accident Inquiry
A fatal accident inquiry in to the death of top Scottish time trialliist Jason MacIntyre
has found that the driver of the van that hit him was entirely to blame for the collision.
However in comments that may perturb some cyclists Sheriff Douglas Small who conducted the inquiry also recommended that all cyclists should wear helmets and high viz clothing when on public roads – even though he admitted that neither would have saved Jason MacIntyre who was not wearing a helmet at the time of his death.
"Although Jason's death could not have been avoided by him wearing a helmet at the time of the accident, all cyclists, including those in training, should wear a helmet when on public roads," the sheriff said in his findings.
However Sheriff Small apportioned no blame to Mr MacIntyre's clothing in deciding who was at fault. Highland Council had argued that death was a "tragic accident" that might have been avoided had Jason MacIntyre been wearing high visibility clothing.
"I am of the opinion that no cause, apart from the failure on the part of Mr MacTaggart to see Mr MacIntyre, can be identified.
"I am satisfied that Mr MacTaggart's failure arose as a consequence of him not keeping a proper look-out of the road ahead of him when he turned across Mr MacIntyre's path," he said.
In a statement responding to the findings of the inquiry Jason's widow, Caroline said:
“No helmet in the world would have saved Jason, and I believe he was perfectly visible, and McTaggart would not have seen him, whatever he was wearing.”
“I am really pleased that the Sheriff took on board our arguments that there should be a traffic island on the mouth of the junction to stop drivers cutting the corner at the spot where Jason died.”
Jason MacIntyre's death not only deprived Caroline of a husband, but their twin daughters of a father - they were eight years old at the time of his death, Caroline MacIntyre said that is was for their sakes that she had pressed for this inquiry.
“I wanted to be able to face my daughters when they grow up and tell them hand on heart that I left no stone unturned in finding out how their daddy died, and I feel I have done that.
“I am really glad I fought so hard for this Inquiry even though I have to accept that I lost a wonderful husband and a loving father just because of another driver’s complete carelessness and lack of concentration.”
Caroline MacIntyre will now carry on her legal fight against Highland Council and Mr McTaggart at the Court of Session in Edinburgh where she is seeking £500,000 in compensation.
Jason MacIntyre was killed in January 2008 towards the end of a training ride on the outskirts of Fort William when a Highlands Council Van driven by Robert McTaggart turned in to him. McTaggart was subsequently fined £500 and banned from driving for six months after pleading guilty of a charge of careless driving.
Commenting on the Sherrif's remarks regarding helemets CTC Campaigns Coordinator Debra Rolfe said:
“Despite the Sheriff’s acknowledgement that a helmet would not have made any difference in saving Jason McIntyre’s life, he still mentioned that cyclists should wear helmets and hi-viz. CTC is dismayed that the Sheriff’s comments appeared to accuse Jason of playing some part in his death. The only danger in this case came not from what Jason was or was not wearing, but from a driver who pleaded guilty to careless driving. CTC campaigns for the judicial system to take bad driving seriously to make our roads safer for everyone. In order to get a better understanding of what happens to drivers who are involved in crashes with cyclists, CTC is collating data about bad driving for the Stop SMIDSY campaign. We urge every cyclist to take part. You can find out more at
http://www.stop-smidsy.org.uk.”
It should be noted that the CTC now accept that COAST training and re-training is a way forward in the battle to keep the roads safe.
Also this link
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/crim ... -1.1029367Quote:
Widow and sheriff clash over cycling champion’s death
Caroline MacIntyre says she lost a wonderful husband when Jason was killed
David Ross, Highland Correspondent
Share 0 comments 21 May 2010
The death of British cycling champion Jason MacIntyre might have been avoided had he been wearing high-visibility clothing as all cyclists should, a sheriff has said.
However, the cyclist’s widow refused to accept this finding and remains convinced the driver who killed her husband would still not have seen him.
Caroline MacIntyre was speaking yesterday after the publication of the report from the fatal accident inquiry before Sheriff Douglas Small into her husband’s death in January 2008.
Her husband was out training in the hope of being selected for the 2012 Olympics, when he hit the back of a Highland Council van that turned across the A82 close to Fort William.
He died from head injuries, aged 34.
I wanted to be able to face my daughters when they grow up and tell them hand on heart that I left no stone unturned in finding out how their daddy died, and I feel I have done that. Caroline MacIntyre
The Highland Council driver, Robert McTaggart, was fined £500 and suspended from driving for six months after pleading guilty to careless driving. The punishment was condemned by MacIntyre’s family.
Mrs MacIntyre, 34, was determined that the Crown Office should hold a fatal accident inquiry, arguing that her husband was engaged in his occupation at the time of his death. She saw it as vital that she and her twin 11-year-old daughters Chloe and Morgan knew exactly what happened that day.
Mrs MacIntyre is a full-time carer for Morgan who is a kidney transplant patient, is registered blind and has severe lung damage.
She said yesterday that she welcomed some of Sheriff Small’s findings, and in particular his recommendation that the council consider a feasibility study into building a traffic island at the spot where he died.
This would slow down traffic turning off the A82 allowing drivers more time to view the road ahead.
She said: “I am really glad I fought so hard for this inquiry even though I have to accept that I lost a wonderful husband and a loving father just because of another driver’s complete carelessness and lack of concentration.
“I wanted to be able to face my daughters when they grow up and tell them hand on heart that I left no stone unturned in finding out how their daddy died, and I feel I have done that.
“I am really pleased that the sheriff took on board our arguments that there should be a traffic island on the mouth of the junction to stop drivers cutting the corner at the spot where Jason died.”
Although Sheriff Small found that Jason MacIntyre’s death could not have been avoided by him wearing a helmet, he recommended that all cyclists, including cyclists in training, should wear a helmet when on public roads.
However the sheriff also found: “The death might have been avoided if Jason MacIntyre had been wearing high-visibility clothing.”
He, therefore, recommended that all cyclists wear some form of high-visibility clothing on public roads.
However, Mrs MacIntyre said: “I can see why he made the recommendation that all cyclists wear high-visibility clothing and helmets, but the evidence was very clear that no helmet in the world would have saved Jason, and I believe he was perfectly visible, and McTaggart would not have seen him, whatever he was wearing.”
Mrs MacIntyre is pursuing a damages claim against Highland Council for £500,000, as the family lost its main earner. The council is contesting the claim, on the grounds that it is excessive.
Yesterday, a council spokeswoman said Sheriff Small’s findings would be studied carefully.
.This report from the Herald is probably the more objective of the two and I note that the sheriff also calls for road engineering at this site to prevent motorists cutting a corner. I would agree that both article focus too strongly on the clothing/helmet issue which are probably immaterial to the outcome as the driver cut a corner and clearly did not
lookI still do not understand why Claire needs to go and look. It makes her come across as ghoulish rubber necker. After all - apart from campaigning against speed cameras - she does not have the qualifications of a RTC investigator and as far as we can establish - her advanced skill equate to a HPC course which may offer candidates a fair grasp of how to handle and understand a car - they do not maketh aan RTC investigator
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there is another at Strathpeffer known as the Strathpuffer - they seem to do loads of laps even into the night. I have some great little lights for my bike with twin lights - but I must find where I put the batteries ! be fun to do some night riding! But maybe on a more gentle track than those one's though!
