UK: Mercedes Motorist fined £150 for killing a cyclist

Further to a stream of punitive punishments in the UK for motorists who kill cyclists, here is another, from the Yorkshire Post (18/11/08)

(£150 is about the price of two nights in a 3 star hotel or a couple of posh haircuts)

"A van driver was disqualified for three months yesterday after admitting his driving had caused the death of a 21-year-old licensee's son as he cycled to work at Knaresborough Golf Club.

Harrogate magistrates heard how Carl Holdsworth's Mercedes Sprinter hit Thomas Jacobs from behind as he rode along Minskip Road, Boroughbridge, early on November 5 last year.

Holdsworth, 45, of Roker Road, Harrogate, pleaded guilty to careless driving and prosecutor Alison Whiteley said he had told police he had not seen the black mountain bike – said to be displaying two front lights and a flashing red light at the back – until it was too late.

There had been no witnesses to the collision, which a police investigation had concluded was caused by Holdsworth failing ''to see and to react to the presence of the cycle.'' Police believed he might have seen Mr Jacobs if his headlights had been on full rather than dipped beam".

The Cyclists’ Defence Fund, in the UK, was formed in 2001 'to fight significant legal cases involving cycling and cyclists, but its remit has since been broadened to cover all aspects of cycling and the law. However, despite their tips on their website for cyclists on what to do after a collision, the law, as you can see from this article, shows that a cyclist's life is worthless.

If there are no witnesses at the scene or if they are unable to obtain the vehicle registration number, it is often a job to get justice, but with the help of helmet cams, cyclists who commute, are now recording their journeys, where roads have no CCTV or witnesses so they can show police of the real story.