Sydney: Driver charged over cyclist's death

cfsmtb said:

Not pleasant news. 🙁

Driver charged over cyclist's death
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2005/11/06/1131211932764.html?from=rss

November 6, 2005 - 1:17PM

A man has been charged over the death of a teenage cyclist on Sydney's northern beaches.

An 18-year-old woman was cycling along Barrenjoey Road at Palm Beach about 4.45am today when she was hit by a four-wheel-drive towing a boat.

The woman, from Palm Beach, died at the scene but her male cycling partner escaped injury.

Police allege the four-wheel-drive failed to stop, continuing north along Barrenjoey Road.

A 47-year-old Terrey Hills man later attended Mona Vale Police Station and was questioned by police.

Officers have charged him with negligent driving occasioning death and failing to stop after an accident.

The man, whose driving licence has been confiscated, was granted bail.

He will appear in court on a date to be fixed.

I heard this on the radio... so the guy failed to stop? I wonder if he knew he'd taken someone's life?... 🙁

Ritch

ritcho said:

I heard this on the radio... so the guy failed to stop? I wonder if he knew he'd taken someone's life?... 🙁

Ritch

Yes he did; He later turned himself into police.

You don't ram a cyclist from behind and bounce over her, destroying the bike, without knowing.

The big clue here is that he was a 4WD owner...

scotty72 said:

Yes he did; He later turned himself into police.

You don't ram a cyclist from behind and bounce over her, destroying the bike, without knowing.

The big clue here is that he was a 4WD owner...

QLD: Driver jailed for maiming triathlete
http://www.couriermail.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,17129706%255E3102,00.html

Quote from Kellie Moule:

"The laws are fairly tough . . . but I think if the attitude of people changes and there's a lot of pressure put on them to have respect for cyclists, then we have really won," Moule said. "Even if, as a motorist, you are angered at a cyclist you think has done the wrong thing, just remember how big and how powerful your car is and how small, fragile and unprotected the cyclist is," she said. "The cyclist is always going to come off second-best, and you don't just impact the cyclist, you impact their friends, their family, everyone."

Just sent the following letter in to the SMH:

"Another 4wd hits a cyclist. Another human being left at the side of the road to die. Another demonstration, as if we needed it, of the callousness inherent in the people who choose to drive these monstrosities in the city. Soon to be followed by yet another example of the court's complete disregard for human life."

I'm not expecting them to publish it, but it felt good to vent.

Regards,

Suzy

suzyj said:

Just sent the following letter in to the SMH:

"Another 4wd hits a cyclist. Another human being left at the side of
the road to die. Another demonstration, as if we needed it, of the
callousness inherent in the people who choose to drive these
monstrosities in the city. Soon to be followed by yet another example
of the court's complete disregard for human life."

I'm not expecting them to publish it, but it felt good to vent.

Regards,

Suzy

--
suzyj

Suzy,

you are a poet.

Tam

Tamyka Bell said:

Suzy,

you are a poet.

Tam

Brilliant stuff, I tend to vere wildly btw either sweary or too politely 'objective' (rather than subjective). Tried to blog about it & related stuff. Dunno if the entry made me feel any better, it's with the young womans family & friends where my thoughts are. 🙁

In aus.bicycle on Mon, 7 Nov 2005 13:17:40 +1100

suzyj said:

Just sent the following letter in to the SMH:

"Another 4wd hits a cyclist. Another human being left at the side of
the road to die. Another demonstration, as if we needed it, of the
callousness inherent in the people who choose to drive these
monstrosities in the city. Soon to be followed by yet another example
of the court's complete disregard for human life."

To be as fair as possible... the guy was towing a boat wasn't he? If
it's bigger than a dinghy then he needs something the mass of a 4WD to
tow it safely.

That he's obviously also an inattentive idiot is not really linked to
4WD ownership in this case.

Zebee

Zebee Johnstone said:

In aus.bicycle on Mon, 7 Nov 2005 13:17:40 +1100

suzyj said:

Just sent the following letter in to the SMH:

"Another 4wd hits a cyclist. Another human being left at the side of
the road to die. Another demonstration, as if we needed it, of the
callousness inherent in the people who choose to drive these
monstrosities in the city. Soon to be followed by yet another example
of the court's complete disregard for human life."

To be as fair as possible... the guy was towing a boat wasn't he? If
it's bigger than a dinghy then he needs something the mass of a 4WD to
tow it safely.

That he's obviously also an inattentive idiot is not really linked to
4WD ownership in this case.

Zebee

Ok, while "A" doesn't always equal "B"

It is unavoidable how often "B" seems to be the bed-fellow of "A"

Scotty

Sir Lex said:

Failing to stop after an accident means up to 15 years in the naughty
boy house in SA. This should be the case all over the nation.

Ten years in NSW, as of the other week ("Brendan's Law"😉.

--
John <[email hidden]>
(Remove hat before emailing)

quote='John Pitts'On 2005-11-06 said:

Failing to stop after an accident means up to 15 years in the naughty
boy house in SA. This should be the case all over the nation.

Ten years in NSW, as of the other week ("Brendan's Law"😉.

--
John <[email hidden]>
(Remove hat before emailing)[/QUOTE]
Unfortunately, as most people by now realise, maximum sentences are absolutely meaningless.

When was the last time anyone got the maximum for a crime? How often do crims get even half the maximum available sentence.

This guy, no doubt, will get a slick lawyer who tells the bleeding heart judge that he wet the bed as a child and has been living a life of pain ever since blah, blah...

If the guy gets 4 years (assuming guilt is proved), it'll be a miracle.

Scotty

suzyj said:

I'm not expecting them to publish it, but it felt good to vent.

You've had your letter allowance for the month anyway!

scotty72 said:

Unfortunately, as most people by now realise, maximum sentences are absolutely meaningless.

When was the last time anyone got the maximum for a crime? How often do crims get even half the maximum available sentence.

This guy, no doubt, will get a slick lawyer who tells the bleeding heart judge that he wet the bed as a child and has been living a life of pain ever since blah, blah...

If the guy gets 4 years (assuming guilt is proved), it'll be a miracle.

Scotty

Wouldn't some restorative justice (however limited that may be when someone has died) be better for the young woman's family than gaol time?

Deduct money from his wages for 10 years and directy how the family sees fit. Will be cheaper for taxpayers than gaol time, will provide a penalty for those looking for punitive aspects and provide some recompense to the person directly affected by his behaviour.

Update: Man on hit-run death counts. 08nov05
http://www.manlydaily.com.au/common/story_page/0,7168,17167279%255E15721,00.html

A MAN has been charged following the death of an 18-year-old woman who was hit while cycling at Palm Beach early on Sunday.

Jessica Bullen, of Palm Beach, was cycling north on Barrenjoey Rd near Etival St at 4.45am with a male friend when she was hit by a four-wheel-drive vehicle towing a boat and thrown from her bike.

It is understood Ms Bullen was on her way home from a party at the time and was less than 500m from her home.

Paramedics arrived at the scene but Ms Bullen had already died, police said.

Police allege the driver of the 4WD did not stop after the accident and they issued an appeal for help to locate the man.

A crime scene was established and Barrenjoey Rd was blocked to traffic in both directions for several hours while crash investigators examined the scene.

The 47-year-old driver of a 4WD later presented himself to Mona Vale police station and was taken to Dee Why police station for questioning.

The Terrey Hills man was later charged with negligent driving occasioning death and with failing to stop at the scene of an accident and render assistance.

The man's driving licence was confiscated.

The man was bailed to appear in Manly Court this month.

Police from the Metropolitan Crash Investigation Unit are continuing their investigation into the incident.

On 2005-11-08, cfsmtb (aka Bruce)
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:

Quoted message said:

Jessica Bullen, of Palm Beach, was cycling north on Barrenjoey Rd near
Etival St at 4.45am with a male friend when she was hit by a
four-wheel-drive vehicle towing a boat and thrown from her bike.

....

Quoted message said:

The 47-year-old driver of a 4WD later presented himself to Mona Vale
police station and was taken to Dee Why police station for
questioning.

Had a few too many tinnies while out on the boat, and had to wait
until his BAC went down?

--
TimC
'Vegetarian' -- it's an old Indian word meaning 'lousy hunter'.
-- Red Green

deejbah said:

Wouldn't some restorative justice (however limited that may be when someone has died) be better for the young woman's family than gaol time?

Deduct money from his wages for 10 years and directy how the family sees fit. Will be cheaper for taxpayers than gaol time, will provide a penalty for those looking for punitive aspects and provide some recompense to the person directly affected by his behaviour.

Interesting that you should think that a price could be negotiated for her life...

Wet Lettuce - I mean restorative justice is for the warm and fuzzy. I don't think that letting him feel he got a way with it will be a deterent.

Scotty

scotty72 said:

Interesting that you should think that a price could be negotiated for her life...

Wet Lettuce - I mean restorative justice is for the warm and fuzzy. I don't think that letting him feel he got a way with it will be a deterent.

Scotty

As opposed to a price being negotiated for her life via legal wrangling about mitigating circumstances and how long a custodial sentence this man should get? What else is a gaol sentence but a cost paid by the prisoner (and society)?

Restorative justice is not warm and fuzzy, it is just a different way of someone paying for their crime and depending on the case. It can be considered to achieve something positive for those affected, rather than just a negative for the offender. It can take numerous forms and could still involve incarceration or monitoring. The girl is unfortunately dead either way.

Fine, you think that a custodial sentence is justified. Perhaps it is - certainly there are crimes that even a much more libertarian society would have punishments that required some kind of restriction upon those who commited them. I don't see why you should seek to take the morality trip with someone you don't even know.

deejbah said:

As opposed to a price being negotiated for her life via legal wrangling about mitigating circumstances and how long a custodial sentence this man should get? What else is a gaol sentence but a cost paid by the prisoner (and society)?

Restorative justice is not warm and fuzzy, it is just a different way of someone paying for their crime and depending on the case. It can be considered to achieve something positive for those affected, rather than just a negative for the offender. It can take numerous forms and could still involve incarceration or monitoring. The girl is unfortunately dead either way.

Fine, you think that a custodial sentence is justified. Perhaps it is - certainly there are crimes that even a much more libertarian society would have punishments that required some kind of restriction upon those who commited them. I don't see why you should seek to take the morality trip with someone you don't even know.

...because she was a human being who, as far as either of us know, did nothing to harm anyone in anyway. Apparently you don't see it as immoral to recklessly, or deliberately, snub out this life. I do.

I make no appology for wanting this killer removed from society (assuming he is found guilty). Life should become very negative for the offender. He is alleged to have done one of the most negative things imaginable - he took the life of an innocent girl - then left the scene and her for dead. What a coward? Obviously, he knew he'd done wrong as he eventually turned himself in.

As for a gaol sentence - it should be both a punishment as well as a means of keeping us all safe from those who choose to drive their 4WDs over innocent people.

I'm glad we agree of the legal wrangling over mitigation etc. It is a waste and should be dispensed with. He killed a woman, drove off let her die - end of sentence and the start of a very long one.

If you want something positive for the victim's kin, having a killer off the streets so that they (and we all) are safe is a positive start.

Scotty

scotty72 said:

...because she was a human being who, as far as either of us know, did nothing to harm anyone in anyway. Apparently you don't see it as immoral to recklessly, or deliberately, snub out this life. I do.Scotty

Yeah, that would be why I'm advocating he should be punished, albeit that I offered up an alternative way of doing it.

I think you need to lower the saddle height on your high horse.

deejbah said:

Yeah, that would be why I'm advocating he should be punished, albeit that I offered up an alternative way of doing it.

I think you need to lower the saddle height on your high horse.

Ok, since we are into that...

you need to learn the value of a human life and re-install the right blinker on your car...