Woman fighting for life after 'e-bike' hit-and-run in east London

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
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I reckon there's a case for wanton and furious cycling.
I can't see why. The cyclist ahead of him and nearer to the kerb was proceeding at a more leisurely pace and he was only gaining on them slowly. Maybe 20 mph, but since when is that a dangerous speed for a bicycle? It's the norm in London commuting these days and far inside the speed limit.

The little bit of warning he had was only really enough for reaction time rather than any effective braking loss of speed.

Would a vehicle driver be prosecuted if a pedestrian ran into them in this way without warning? Not on the evidence of similar incidents around here, even when the pedestrian has been walking into a bus or truck it doesn't happen.
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Gubbins

Esteemed Pedelecer
I can't see why. The cyclist ahead of him and nearer to the kerb was proceeding at a more leisurely pace and he was only gaining on them slowly. Maybe 20 mph, but since when is that a dangerous speed for a bicycle? It's the norm in London commuting these days and far inside the speed limit.

The little bit of warning he had was only really enough for reaction time rather than any effective braking loss of speed.

Would a vehicle driver be prosecuted if a pedestrian ran into them in this way without warning? Not on the evidence of similar incidents around here, even when the pedestrian has been walking into a bus or truck it doesn't happen.
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Unless of course the car drove away.. which turns a simple accident into a hit and run.
 

TedG

Esteemed Pedelecer
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Gubbins.
Don't really want to start up "our" problems again but if you read the thread you will see that the use of e-bikes here carries a host of regulations, some of them totally against what I will accept.
Insurance, public liability or otherwise is the least of our problems.

My point was that an accident here whilst riding an illegal bike would be no different to driving a car without insurance, registration or licence.
 

anotherkiwi

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Jan 26, 2015
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A guy just did the exact same thing to me minutes ago - running out and crossing where he shouldn't have been. He saw me coming and correctly estimated my speed and stopped running dead in his tracks to avoid me. I was doing about 27 km/h and well leaned over coming out of a roundabout. Night falling, him in dark clothes I noticed him at the last minute and had started braking but we passed within inches of each other...

Never say "it won't happen to me".
 
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soundwave

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May 23, 2015
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no wonder it is not on live leak that crash was rubbish lol and it is fake news.

silly cow runs out in to the middle of the road without looking and gets ran over buy a ebike.

what a surprise :rolleyes:
 

Trevormonty

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jul 18, 2016
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Shock does strange things to ones reasoning power, as said, people often wander of from accident scenes when injured.
It almost looks as though the woman tries to commit suicide by cyclist, the way she accelerates. It will be a grave miscarriage of justice if this chap gets charged with anything other than failing to report an accident.
She was looking (more of glance) for cars not bikes, which is typical of most road users.

The more visible (light, fluro clothing) you make yourself better chance you will been seen, by other road users in their quick glance for on coming cars.

With pedestrians its best to think of them as headless chickens, then you won't be surprised by their actions.
 

Gubbins

Esteemed Pedelecer
Gubbins.
Don't really want to start up "our" problems again but if you read the thread you will see that the use of e-bikes here carries a host of regulations, some of them totally against what I will accept.
Insurance, public liability or otherwise is the least of our problems.

My point was that an accident here whilst riding an illegal bike would be no different to driving a car without insurance, registration or licence.
As far as I can see there is no regulation. I went and bought an ebike and I ride it where and when I choose! No one at the shop said anything about anything.. it's a bike and quoting eu regs and laws means nothing.
I bought a new car and wasn't allowed to drive it away without first showing my licence and insurance.
And, the dongle drum has been beaten loud and long but it seems that it's only us that hears it., is that paranoia?
In my case I have theft insurance that includes public liability but if I didnt have the theft i think I would buy PL anyway.
 
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TZC

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Feb 4, 2014
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no wonder it is not on live leak that crash was rubbish lol and it is fake news.

silly cow runs out in to the middle of the road without looking and gets ran over buy a ebike.

what a surprise :rolleyes:
Yah, silly old bird tested her luck crossin the street and lost. I don't see any wreckless furious driving (bikes) on this one. Ofiicial. I agree with soundwave. This deserves a mention
 
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Ajax

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Feb 2, 2008
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Now the video shows how clearly she was at fault and the cyclist's speed reasonable, the police will have little option but to drop the "Furious driving charge". I doubt they could make it stick.

It's just a pity he ran off without reporting an accident leading to third party injury, since that is a serious offence.
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The cctv also show the lights were green, and that the concused rider panicked after being confronted by members of the public. There's also the quesion of who made off with his bike, assuming that wasn't the rider.
 
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RobF

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Sep 22, 2012
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The cctv also show the lights were green, and that the concused rider panicked after being confronted by members of the public. There's also the quesion of who made off with his bike, assuming that wasn't the rider.
The man seen making off with the bike is the same man the police issued a still of who they wanted to interview.

Reasonable assumption it's the rider, but an assumption nonetheless.

The various quotes from passers-by about this happening on a crossing and the second cyclist being involved were clearly inaccurate.

That's not journalistic licence, it's an example of how people's recollection of an extraordinary event can be wrong.

The brain seems to fill in stuff it thinks is most likely to have happened.

'I saw the woman on the crossing', after all, how many times do you see a woman sprint out into busy traffic?

For the rider, it's all about consequences - rightly or wrongly.

Charlie Alliston was only charged with anything in relation to his cycling because he hit a pedestrian and she subsequently died.

This guy is in a similar position, his cycling would attract no charge had he missed the woman.

But as he hit her, there is enormous pressure to charge him with something.
 
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LeighPing

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Mar 27, 2016
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But as he hit her, there is enormous pressure to charge him with something.
Yes, there would be pressure to charge. However, it was she that ran into his path and a collision ensued. :eek:

In the close-up section of the video, from 27-29 seconds, she is seen going from a leaning forward sprint position and then she very briefly appears to be stopping. Too late. This all happens within a one second time-frame before the collision occurs. There's not much time for evasion. Riding through rush hour traffic, seeing rushing pedestrians who are, often with phone in hand, doing this type of thing is a regular occurrence. :(

Video at 25% of the original speed.

 

anotherkiwi

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Jan 26, 2015
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You can clearly see she ran into his front wheel taking him out. Of he was thinking about work or slightly distracted he didn't have a hope of braking or missing her.
 
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Benjahmin

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 10, 2014
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I agree, the cyclist goes down before the pedestrian does. Who has injured who here? Wonder if there's a charge of furious handbag carrying?:rolleyes:

This whole motorist/cyclist/pedestrian thing needs sorting and clarifying in this country. Folk are so ill disciplined. Try crossing the road, against the lights in Switzerland, and you will be pulled back onto the pavement by a fellow pedestrian. I know, it happened to me. In Germany you would at least earn the censure of those around you. In Holland people walk next to bike lane seperated only by a painted line, but both maintain lane discipline.
Here cars drive over 'bike lanes' (a useless bit of paint on the road) and cyclists and pedestrians wander into each others spaces. And don't even mention the unclear mess of shared use paths. We've got folk wandering around, oblivious to their surroundings, looking at 'phones, or with headphones in. Even seen headcam footage of people using tablets whilst driving - ye Gods!
It's time we had a public led campaign towards the neccesity of self responsibility and awareness. Make it as unacceptable to be seen to be acting without due care and attention to self, as it is to drive drunk. I know people still do it but it is generally condemned and we don't have this 'should they be charged or not' debate everytime.

Saturday morning rant over - I'm going shopping on my bike. Let's hope I survive:(:D
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
52,765
30,351
Charlie Alliston was only charged with anything in relation to his cycling because he hit a pedestrian and she subsequently died.
The big issue in the Charlie Alliston case was that his bike was an illegal fixie with only a front brake, where by law it should have had two.

That irresponsibility is what caused the media storm and made charging inevitable.

A death doesn't necessarily lead to charges, in all the cyclist deaths when in collision with trucks in London, hardly any of the truck drivers were charged with anything, many were not even arrested.
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TedG

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 8, 2017
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Just watched a programme last evening on Pick called War on Britain's Roads based on cyclist v car and pedestrian. It is obviously a repeat and I am sure most of you have seen it.
I have seen it before but it is astonishing to watch this war again and the rights and wrongs on all sides.
I have been a cyclist for just short of 60 years and I am grateful to be relatively unscathed.
After a lifetime on two, four and eighteen wheels I am probably too old for this world now, or perhaps it is just too dangerous for me.
 

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