Nottingham Hit-And-Run Cyclist Speaks Of 'injustice'

[mikey4444]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-35486855

I can't understand this. There is clear evidence that this cyclist was run down, and yet the Police say that "it cannot prove who was driving the hire vehicle"

I can understand why the cyclist is feeling a tad let down by British Justice !

[anotheoldgit]

Some blame the Daily Mail for misleading headlines!!!

When I first read this I thought that a cyclist had knocked someone down and then sped away.

[andy-hughes]

This case appears cut and dried from the article supplied -

the police can prove who hired the car, but that does not prove that the hirer was the driver - so they have no basis for a prosecution.

I can understand the cyclist feeling aggrieved, but that does not say that justice was not served - clearly it was.

[mikey4444]

Andy...don't agree. What if the cyclist had been killed ?

As I have already said, all you need do in incidents like this, is too keep denying it and the Police will eventually go away.

[andy-hughes]

mikey - //Andy...don't agree. What if the cyclist had been killed ?

As I have already said, all you need do in incidents like this, is too keep denying it and the Police will eventually go away. //

The law does not work on 'what ifs' - so the possibility of what might of happened - but didn't is not relevant here.

If the cyclist had been killed, then far more exhaustive enquiries would have been made.

The simple fact is, in order to prosecute successfully, the police must be able to prove the identity of the driver of the car - they were unable to do so.

I sympathise entirely with the frustration felt by the cyclist, but the law must be applied fairly in order to function - and it has been in this case.

[bhg481]

If you watch the video you can't even see how many people there are in the car and, from memory, there is no time or date on the video, so it would be very difficult to prove "beyond reasonable doubt" who was driving at the time.
I haven't seen my car for a week; it's been sitting in my garage. Just supposing someone had got into my garage, stolen the car, had an accident and then replaced the car. The police would ask me who had been driving (only myself and my wife insured) and I wouldn't have a clue. Should I be assumed guilty?

[TWR]

If look at the position of the car just forward than the car wash ( Blue Sign) there are 3>>5 Lamp Posts, above one there is a traffic Survey Camera, If the cyclist asked for the tape that was on that Camera ( the lamp post will have been numbered) & I'm sure that area being a busy Junction there will have been more cameras, I wold have thought these would have picked out the driver!!!

[bhg481]

Good point TWR and there is time/date on the video. I've just checked.

[TWR]

There is NO WAY I would have excepted the courts Decision on the Judgement, I would have appealed & involved the press.

[Old_Geezer]

One would only know who was supposed to be driving not who was driving.
Whether willingly withholding that information should have penalties equivalent to being responsible for the accident is a different matter. (In which case the problem would be proving it was willingly withheld rather than simply unknown.)

I can understand that the cyclist would feel disappointed; but it is good that they have now posted the video online to highlight the dangers that cyclists face. Cyclists don't seem to realise what they do is dangerous, and that common sense indicates that they ought not risk it. Many are not so lucky when involved in an accident.

[ChillDoubt]

But that wasn't an accident OG, that was a criminal and deliberate act, meant to maim and injure. So tens of thousands of cyclists the length and breadth of the country are meant to just stop riding, are they? For some it's their only mode of transport.

[TWR]

O.G. the police use Cameras to ID Driver that they suspect of Drink Driving, this could have been done in this instance & has been done in the police favour, I was once on the M1 many years back, a tyre blew on the trailer, I was on the hard Shoulder awaiting the Tyre Service, I noticed this car pull on the hard shoulder & the looking at the front of his car, he then set off & pulled in the front of my HGV & said that the Tyre that blew on my trailer had damaged his car ( Happens often to HGV Driver) I said can you prove it, he said no, he jumped back in his car and set off, that are of the Motorway has cameras, & I would have used these in my defence. that cyclist should have demanded this regards the Cameras in that area.