Cyclist Cop Dies

[guerney]

Phones really need to become self-driving: answer themselves, do their own texting, watch their own vids etc.

Carmarthenshire death crash driver will 'never forgive myself'

Simon Draper is accused of using Facebook moments before Sgt Lynwen Thomas was killed.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Nealh]

Another family bewreathed due to a dangerous driver , these people will never learn.

Also just this week another faimily left bewreathed, Lucy John (35) a female triathelete in wales was mown down by a car and killed whilst out riding.
'Warrior princess' athlete killed in crash while riding her bike - Wales Online

 

[guerney]

At 60mph they miss 26.8 metres for every second their eyes are on their phones, not the road.

 

[AntonyC]

They'd better hope that traffic will follow the path they expect, because a second later oncoming vehicles will be 12 car lengths closer. Once the driver's looking again they'll close another 8 lengths before s/he can begin to react.
(The Highway Code bases its distances on a thinking time of just under 0.7 seconds; vehicles moving at 60mph in both directions.)

 

[matthewslack]

All very well saying 'I'll never forgive myself' afterwards, but these accidents are rarely the first or only time the driver has not paid attention.

Just like close passes, the majority of incidents pass with no actual physical harm, and there is no effective mechanism for nipping those bad behaviours in the bud, as the police do not have the resources to deal with them.

 

[richtea99]

'it was "asking a lot" for drivers to realise there was a "bike on a trunk road at night". '

If the cyclist didn't have a rear light, then agreed - otherwise absolutely not. That detail is missing as far as I can tell, but I'd hazard a guess that a policeman would have their lights on at night.

In other words, as usual, it's 'blame the cyclist.'

 

[guerney]

'it was "asking a lot" for drivers to realise there was a "bike on a trunk road at night". '

If the cyclist didn't have a rear light, then agreed - otherwise absolutely not.

Bollocks. Were the driver's headlights switched off?

In other words, as usual, it's 'blame the cyclist.'

This fashion is all the rage.

 

[Nealh]

Victim blaming is often used by the defence to try and make their client look good.

Such as the police women cyclist, the defence using an expert police witness to state that a single red bike light is not enough to be seen. Yet she was riding legally as the law states a rear single red light is required.
As pointed out on another forum , the cyclist was riding as per the law requirements and was killed by an unattentative driver. Hence they use the weapon of vicim blaming to make their client look good.

 

[guerney]

But what will be his punishment? I hope he gets violently rear ended to death in prison, after falling down several flights of stairs on the way there

Simon Draper guilty of police officer death crash in St Clears

Driver scrolling social media killed cyclist police officer

Simon Draper used several apps just before his van hit police sergeant Lynwen Thomas off her bike.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[guerney]

“YOU are doing whatever you can to take the blame away from yourself by using your son.”

Hughes: “You are making it up as you go along and you are not telling the truth.”

Draper: “No.”

Hughes: “You were on your mobile phone.”

Van driver accused of blaming one-year-old son for crash that killed policewoman

“YOU are doing whatever you can to take the blame away from yourself by using your son.”

www.westerntelegraph.co.uk

"Lynwen's bicycle was moved by Draper to the side of the road with the mangled rear tyre found 50 metres away."

 

[Nealh]

He is clearly guilty of careless driving, it's whether the prosecution can prove dangerous driving. I believe multiple SM sights were open at the time of the crash on his hand held device and they seem to back up he wasn't concentrating fully.
At the time of the impact he was distracted and not looking at the road I beleive also it sounds like two or three statements all contradict each other.

Issue is what ever sentence is served it won't be long enough or bring back a mother or wife to the family.

 

[Nealh]

Unbelievable some one can be on multiple sites on a phone and still think they are in full control.
Glad the jury saw thru his lies and he has been found guilty of the most serious offence.

 

[guerney]

"Ashley Croaker, a passenger in a car on the A40, told police she saw a van going over the solid white line on the left hand side of the carriageway "several times" and that the driver looked distracted. "

Van driver guilty of causing death of cyclist by dangerous driving

Lynwen Thomas, an off-duty sergeant with Dyfed-Powys Police, died in the crash in February last year

www.walesonline.co.uk

 

[guerney]

I'm starting to think that mounting a 1800LM headlight with heat-resistant red acetate behind the lens, to the rear rack somehow, set to it's terrifying flashing mode, might be a wise move after all...

"Tania Morgan, a civilian member of staff with Dyfed-Powys Police, who overtook a cyclist - now known to be the deceased - and saw the bike had an "extremely bright" and "very, very obvious" red light on the back. "

Van driver 'distracted by Facebook' when he killed cyclist

Simon Draper denies he was using his phone when he knocked down and killed cyclist Lynwen Thomas - telling police that his 13-month-old son had the device at the time

www.walesonline.co.uk

 

[guerney]

"At 18.40 Apple Music is launched playing Coldplay.

"At 18.41.48 Instagram is launched. At 18.42.55 Instagram usage ends.

"At 18.42.57 Facebook is launched by way of the app switcher. You have to double-click the home button in quick succession and swipe. Seventeen seconds later the van comes into collision with the bike."

"The jury wanted to re-watch three videos.
First video was dashcam footage from a car behind Draper's van at the time of the collision. The footage showed Drapers van in the left hand lane before a flash of light indicates the point where the van came into collision with Ms Thomas' bike.
It was estimated Draper was going at between 58mph and 62mph and Ms Thomas 17mph at point of impact."

Van driver 'distracted by Facebook' when he killed cyclist

Simon Draper denies he was using his phone when he knocked down and killed cyclist Lynwen Thomas - telling police that his 13-month-old son had the device at the time

www.walesonline.co.uk

 

[Nealh]

Sadly no matter how well a cyclist is lit up, it isn't enough.
Only takes one morton not to be concentrating fully to kill said cyclist.
This is just one case of many that occur, it will be next year now before the facts appear of the recent killing of the 'Warrior Princess', yet another case for the welsh courts to proceed over.

 

[soundwave]

i dont even listen to music when im on my bike as need to listen to what is around me or ill just crash let alone use fb and all that crap as well.

i dont even look at the kiox display or scroll through any of it ass all i need to see is what is left % wise but id not ride up that road in the day let alone at night even with my lights.

ppls main priority is those bloody phones and how no one has not been killed up town so far buy a scooter ect i do not know or it has not been reported.

 

[guerney]

Sadly no matter how well a cyclist is lit up, it isn't enough.
Only takes one morton not to be concentrating fully to kill siad cyclist.

IMV the Police shouldn't object to red rear bicycle lights flashing brightly enough to be alarmingly visible to driving Facebook user cretins inside their vehicles, but they would. This 1800LM light with an added red acetate sheet behind the lens, would look quite blinding flashing red on the back of a bike - I daren't have it on flashing mode for long at night... apart from briefly at roundabouts and while approaching worrying intersections:

1800LM 6 LED MTB Bicycle Motorcycle Light Bike Front Headlight DC 12V-80V AY | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 1800LM 6 LED MTB Bicycle Motorcycle Light Bike Front Headlight DC 12V-80V AY at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[guerney]

i dont even listen to music when im on my bike as need to listen to what is around me or ill just crash let alone use fb and all that crap as well.

I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw a guy cycling along the pavement with both hands on his phone, he wasn't even looking ahead. I've also seen a cyclist on the road going downhill, using both hands to eat chips. Marvelled at their balance each time.

 

[StuartsProjects]

"At 18.40 Apple Music is launched playing Coldplay.

"At 18.41.48 Instagram is launched. At 18.42.55 Instagram usage ends.

"At 18.42.57 Facebook is launched by way of the app switcher. You have to double-click the home button in quick succession and swipe. Seventeen seconds later the van comes into collision with the bike."

"The jury wanted to re-watch three videos.
First video was dashcam footage from a car behind Draper's van at the time of the collision. The footage showed Drapers van in the left hand lane before a flash of light indicates the point where the van came into collision with Ms Thomas' bike.
It was estimated Draper was going at between 58mph and 62mph and Ms Thomas 17mph at point of impact."

The dexterity of the 13 month old who, allegadly, selected all this stuff is stunning.

The give away is the choice of music, would a 13 month even have heard of Coldplay ?