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#BRAZIL: Football legend Pele was moved to a ‘special care’ unit at a Sao Paulo hospital.
#RIP: Crime writer PD James died. She was 94.
#PHIL HUGHES: And Cricket Ireland paid tribute to Australian star Phil Hughes, who died after being hit by a ball.
The Obama daughters weren’t really buying into their dad’s whole ‘turkey pardoning’ business last night…
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Love the Brits, they have some sense of accountability
@Gareth Cooney: unless one of them shoots a child in Belfast
@Gareth Cooney: __ Tell that to the residents of Grenfell Tower.
@George Hogan: no need to, they will get their answers when the investigation is complete and heads will roll down to HMPS
We on the other hand would carry out a tribunal of inquiry to discover that nobody is accountable because we operate under light touch regulation and the employment contracts of those in charge states ” not my fault, nothing to do with me” clause 26
@George Hogan:
Didn’t realise the Grenfell Tower investigation was completed. Can you tell us all what the findings were??
@Gareth Cooney:
“…heads will roll down to HMPS”.
Actually, if the Grenfell investigation leads to a prosecution, it would only be on a charge of corporate manslaughter, which is made only against an organisation, e.g. the Council, and thus not lead to a custodial sentence.
@George Hogan: do you not want there to be an investigation into Grenfell Tower? Why not?
@Gareth Cooney: @avanalaff ___The residents, who survived that awful tragedy, are fully aware of the lack of accountability that attached to those with responsibility for the maintenance of Grenfell Tower. The attached makes for deplorable reading which centre on lack of accountability.
@Cecilia Byrne: I am at a loss to understand how you inferred from my comment, a wish not to see an investigation into the Grenfell Tower fire take place?!? As has been reported, time and time again, the residents continually complained about safety issues in the block only to be met with a barrage of excuses and spin-chilling inaction. It’s a pity there was no accountability before the needless death of dozens of residents.
@Gareth Cooney: why would heads roll at HMPS? What does the Prison Service have to do with it?
@Gareth Cooney: if you love them that much why don’t you just go and live among them
Mad cyclists in Dublin I hope you’re all reading this story.Angry men and women cyclists need to change their attitude.
@gerry fallon: how many people are killed here by reckless driving compared to reckless cycling?
@Dermot Lane: Ergo, reckless cycling is OK?
@Richard: no Richard I didn’t say that.
@Dermot Lane:
There’s this notion that the part of the group you are in on the road are saints and all other groups are devils. The truth is there are terrible drivers, cyclists and pedestrians. But you don’t get serious injury from someone walking into you. All road deaths this year in this country involve a motorist, we need to gain a level of respect for each other on the road. Since we are morally unable to do this we need to be forced to do it, by means of fines, removal of road privileges, etc. Video evidence should be allowed to catch culprits, and the law should bear heavily upon them. The roads in Ireland are insane, I have incidents nearly daily. Completely unacceptable.
@Dermot Lane:
So what were you bringing it up for?
@Avina Laaf: because ALL road users need to change their attitude not just cyclists.
@John Smith: I couldn’t agree more.
@John Smith: I agree but for when I was out walking on the footpath and I never heard the cyclist who came up behind me. Very unlike that any cyclist gets caught because how could you catch them?
@Gillian Weir Scully: They can and do fine cyclists for this but I have never heard of a pedestrian being done for walking in a cycle lane. Fine everyone and enforce all rules
@Dermot Lane: at least the great power that is the uk deals with both reckless fronts. cycling and driving. unlike here where all you get is a slap on the fooking wist and on your back doing it again
@gerry fallon: Angry men and women drivers also need to change their attitude. I can guarantee not one non-cycling driver here knows that it is a legal requirement to indicate when overtaking a cyclist. I also guarantee not one non-cycling driver here knows that, legally, cycling two abreast is permitted and that it is safer than cycling in single file. Also, technically, a cyclist should not be in the hard shoulder. So, if you see a hard shoulder and the cyclist is on the main road, that cyclist is obeying the law. Why do so many drivers think that it’s ok for them to break red lights and not for cyclists? Why do so many drivers drive down streets while looking into the phones on their laps? Everyone should stop finger-pointing and examine their own behaviour on roads.
@Gillian Weir Scully: well, while on the road legally I was shoved off my bike by a pedestrian. I was also knocked off my bike by a motorist who failed to use his indicator and then swung in in front of me. But, unlike you brandishing all in one category of road user, I blame that individual pedestrian (not all pedestrians) and individual driver (not all drivers). Everyone needs to show more respect on the road, including the cyclist that hit you and the pedestrian and the motorist that hit me.
@Brian Ó Dálaigh: What does a motorist do on a 10-km winding stretch of country road with a continuous white line when unable to pass cyclists legally cycling two abreast and making no allowance for the driver? Just settle down and drive at 20 kmh for a half an hour?
@Nick Caffrey: now you have it
@Nick Caffrey: yep, same as if it was a tractor in front if you. Pain in the hole, but that’s just the way it goes.
@Nick Caffrey: nick you can overtake two cyclists if there is a solid white line. It’s not illegal.
@Nick Caffrey: My experience, Nick, is if the cyclists in your scenario were to go single file the driver would drive far too close to the cyclists while overtaking, in most cases nearly knocking them over and in some cases actually doing so. So, yes, we legally cycle two abreast because we value our lives over your convenience. Unless you want us to die just so you can get to your destination a little quicker?
From what I recall reading about this case this guy was obnoxious and had no sense of accountability or indeed remorse after killing somebody.
I hope his 18 months (or whatever he actually serves) drags in.
@Ace:
The judge referred to that in court.
Well Ace, one should look to properly reported facts, before “recalling” and making judgments!! The convicted man’s comments were made shortly after the “accident” and before it was apparent the injured woman had life-threating injuries -not that he wished her bodily harm, but said it was her own fault. And one should see the point – she crossed the road illegally.
This case will, I am sure, be appealed against both conviction and sentence, and will be quashed by a higher court.
A justice system should not be used as a tool of vengeance!!
Mike
It’s a pity cops don’t go after motorists the same way they went after this guy. They used an archaic law to try and get a manslaughter conviction against him. Even the prosecution agreed the victim stepped out in front of him, what he was prosecuted for was not having front brakes on a bike that is not designed to be used on the roads. How often do you see motorists charged with manslaughter? Hardly ever. Not defending this guy in the least, he seems to be a total w@nker, but there are double standards going on here.
@Jimmyjoe Wallace:
Drivers get prosecuted for manslaughter all the time.
@Richard Wright: community service and a 2 year driving ban Richard which is a hefty enough ban compared to similar cases of drunk driving
@Richard Wright:
Show me a case of a drink driver who hit and killed someone and got away with community service.
It was an appropriate conviction and the sentence was appropriate, if perhaps light. There is a duty of safety. The cyclist was irresponsible and wrong. He had no front brake on what was a track bike.
On the other hand, and more frequently so, cyclists are killed by negligent drivers. A cyclist is a human being, just as a pedestrian is, and so deserve equal legal recognition and protection.
11 cyclists have been killed this year so far in Ireland, more than twice the number killed in all of last year. Will any of the motorists involved be prosecuted or convicted?
@Fiona deFreyne: how do you know all the motorists involved are guilty? Maybe some of the cyclists were at fault and the unfortunate motorists has to live with that for the rest of their life
@Boeing Lover: Fiona asked would ANY of the motorists be prosecuted. Maybe all the ‘unfortunate motorists’ were victims of suicidal cyclists.
#notallmotorists
@Boeing Lover: Statistically speaking (look it up) in the vast majority of incidents, between a cyclist and a motorised vehicle, the motorist is the one at fault. SMIDSY (Sorry Mate I Didn’t See You) is a well known / used term in the cycling community due to the high proportion of incidents where motorists failed to observe a cyclist and either hit them or resulted in a very near miss, usually ending in hearing this term! Motorists (myself included) have a duty of care to use their mobile weapons with care, responsibility and consideration for other road users. Don’t get me wrong, there are bad road users in all areas; cyclist, motorists and pedestrians. But all to often the brush comes out and tars all cyclists in a negative light due to a very visible minority. What needs to happen in Ireland is the introduction of a Strict Liability law like in the Netherlands.
@John Boy: more cyclists have pulled out in front of me causing me to swerve or perform a harsh brake manoeuvre than there is days in the year but not once have I nearly killed or caused an incident with a cyclists or motorcyclists. I’ll let my experience be the judge or you SMIDSY
@Boeing Lover: Like I said, there are bad road users in all categories. You’ve had cyclists pull out in front of you, I’ve had motorists bully and intimidate me with their weapons or pass dangerously close. Stupidity comes in many forms on the roads, we all need to be more considerate of each other.
Most cars weigh over a ton. Based on momentum, the kinetic forces are massive, with the death of a cyclist being highly probable.
When I drive, and being aware of the potential extra lethality of a car impact on a child, elderly person, blind person, potentially deaf person or a physically disabled person, I exercise extra care, as do the vast majority of motorists.
Should particular care be taken by motorists in encountering cyclists, who are extremely vulnerable or is just a case of eat dirt with your from teeth if the cyclist can get out of the way of the motorist fast enough.
In the circumstances of accidents between motorists and cyclists, the cyclist is injured or killed, regardless of blame. The motorist is uninjured.
In at least 3 of the 11 fatalities this year, it is highly improbable that the cyclists were responsible for their own deaths. Most took place in broad daylight in circumstances of excellent visibility with 3 fatalities of the hard edge of roadways and 2 on cycle paths. In one accident, the cyclist was likely at least substantially contributorily negligent. Overall, safe and responsible cycling is no guarantee of safety although it mitigates the risk.
Cyclists can break all the red lights they want, I’m going to be grand in my car if they hit me. Prepare to pay my car damage costs, while you lay in a cast on a hospital bed.
@neuromancer: That’s a great attitude to have towards other road users, I feel safer already…
@neuromancer: You may also be fine if you are at fault and they are obeying the rules. What is your point so? See cars breaking lights as often as pedestrians and cyclists.
@neuromancer: you sound like a nice person….hope things work out for you.
Tragic death, very sad story altogether. As a cyclist who commutes cross city daily, I urge people to stop walking on roads and sidestepping off the path, into the cycle lanes. Not everyone does it, but on George’s St and Dame St it happens all the time. What happens if I hit someone? Spilled Milk.. I’ve a proper bike with brakes, lights, etc but it happens ALL THE TIME. It’s so frustrating and it’s dangerous. My handlebar caught a lady on the elbow at this a few months ago, she was ok but it could be far worse.
A lot of idiots in Dublin city center cycling on the footpath as if they are in the Tour de France. Only a matter of time before there is a serious accident. I say this as someone who cycles to work everyday.
@Bobby McLoughlin: what has that got to do with the story? This happened on the road.
@Bobby McLoughlin: this guy wasn’t on the footpath, the unfortunate lady stepped onto the road in front of him. He was prosecuted because his bike was a track bike and didn’t have legally required front brakes.
@Bobby McLoughlin: it has to do with cyclists cycling dangerously. It is only a matter of time before a pedestrian is hit by a cyclist cycling on a footpath in Dublin.
@Bobby McLoughlin: Where as a pedestrian walking into a cycle lane has already result in a cyclists death and no change has been made
@Richard Wright: me confused? Your comment makes no sense.
@Richard Wright: there’s many a cycle lane on footpaths …
He was cycling an illegal fixie track bike ‘cos it looked cool. Also he claimed that
“In no way whatsoever was this my fault.”
He later claimed on an internet forum for fixie enthusiasts how he twice warned Mrs Briggs to “get the f*** outta my way”.
Driver killed a cyclist and seriously injured another after drinking 2 G+Ts in wexford.
Did not even stop.
Received a suspended sentence.
http://www.wexfordpeople.ie/news/woman-lost-life-after-being-struck-by-jeep-29845064.html
@Paul Kelly: because it was a motorist and cyclist.
Fuxed wheel bikes are used by currier all over europe but especially in dublin abd london. They do though have front and back brakes.
You cyclists who insist on cycling on footpaths take note . Mountjoy awaits you .
@Paul Maguire: this didn’t happen on a footpath, she walked out in front of him when he was cycling on the road.
seems fair.
Accidents happen sometimes through gross error of judgement …… the problem with this idiot was his arrogance and total disregard for what he did. He is a sociopath….. if say he makes his mother proud.
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