Tragic News

[Andrew Templeman]

This morning, shortly after 9am, three cyclists were very close to the
Eureka cafe at Two Mills planning to meet their clubmates for a Sunday
morning run.

<http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?lat=53.262&lon=-2.9784&scale=200
000&icon=x>

They were riding in a south-easterly direction into the low morning sun,
when two of the riders were hit from behind by a Renault Clio.

One of the cyclists, Mel Vasey, was hit directly from behind and thrown
over the car. He was unconscious and suffered cardiac arrest. Due to the
attention of a passing Aldi lorry driver, he was still alive when the
ambulance arrived. Due to the severity of his injuries, Mel later died
in hospital. He will be a great loss to the local cycling community. He
was a proprietor of Quins Cycles in Liverpool, and well known and liked
in the area.

The other rider involved in the collision, Danny McDonough, sustained a
broken hip and was undergoing x-rays to determine the extent of further
injuries.

A sad day for my club.

Andy Templeman, Birkenhead North End Cycling Club
<http://www.bnecc.co.uk>


--
Andy Templeman <http://www.templeman.org.uk/>

 

[wafflycat]

Sincere condolences to the families and friends of the cyclists.

 

[elyob]

"Andrew Templeman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:1hrybdm.1561pe01sit839N%[email protected]...
> This morning, shortly after 9am, three cyclists were very close to the
> Eureka cafe at Two Mills planning to meet their clubmates for a Sunday
> morning run.

Sorry to hear it. Condolences to the family.

I want to say something positive, but it's just bad news.

Hope the club have a big ride out to remember.

 

[Simon Brooke]

in message <1hrybdm.1561pe01sit839N%[email protected]>, Andrew
Templeman ('[email protected]') wrote:

> This morning, shortly after 9am, three cyclists were very close to the
> Eureka cafe at Two Mills planning to meet their clubmates for a Sunday
> morning run.

[Snip]

My condolences. I also was out on a club run this Sunday... a more innocent
activity I cannot imagine.

--
[email protected] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

IMHO, there aren't enough committed Christians, but that's care
in the community for you. -- Ben Evans

 

[naked_draughtsman]

Andrew Templeman wrote:

> One of the cyclists, Mel Vasey, was hit directly from behind and thrown
> over the car. He was unconscious and suffered cardiac arrest. Due to the
> attention of a passing Aldi lorry driver,

Did the lorry driver then reverse over the renault?

How on earth can a car run into the back of a group of cyclists at such
speed to cause such devastation? I mean it's not 9am now and cloudy
today but more than light enough to see a cyclist in front of you.

peter

 

[p.k.]

naked_draughtsman wrote:

>
> How on earth can a car run into the back of a group of cyclists at
> such speed to cause such devastation?

"They were riding in a south-easterly direction *into the low morning sun*

ie The car driver was driving too fast for the conditions as he was blinded
by the sun. It is perfectly possible that to him they were invisible.

pk

 

[Paul Boyd]

naked_draughtsman said the following on 15/01/2007 08:42:

> How on earth can a car run into the back of a group of cyclists at such
> speed to cause such devastation?

The car was driving into low sun. Under some conditions, this can
reduce visibility, but the driver obviously didn't take this into account.

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/

 

[spindrift]

Simon Brooke wrote:
> in message <1hrybdm.1561pe01sit839N%[email protected]>, Andrew
> Templeman ('[email protected]') wrote:
>
> > This morning, shortly after 9am, three cyclists were very close to the
> > Eureka cafe at Two Mills planning to meet their clubmates for a Sunday
> > morning run.
>
> [Snip]
>
> My condolences. I also was out on a club run this Sunday... a more innocent
> activity I cannot imagine.
>
> --
> [email protected] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/
>
> IMHO, there aren't enough committed Christians, but that's care
> in the community for you. -- Ben Evans

Oh no, that's awful.

Is there a news link yet?

Why do drivers carry on a lethal speeds when they can't see?

 

[Mark]

Andrew Templeman wrote:
> This morning, shortly after 9am, three cyclists were very close to the
> Eureka cafe at Two Mills planning to meet their clubmates for a Sunday
> morning run.
>
> <http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?lat=53.262&lon=-2.9784&scale=200
> 000&icon=x>
>
> They were riding in a south-easterly direction into the low morning sun,
> when two of the riders were hit from behind by a Renault Clio.
>
> One of the cyclists, Mel Vasey, was hit directly from behind and thrown
> over the car. He was unconscious and suffered cardiac arrest. Due to the
> attention of a passing Aldi lorry driver, he was still alive when the
> ambulance arrived. Due to the severity of his injuries, Mel later died
> in hospital. He will be a great loss to the local cycling community. He
> was a proprietor of Quins Cycles in Liverpool, and well known and liked
> in the area.
>
> The other rider involved in the collision, Danny McDonough, sustained a
> broken hip and was undergoing x-rays to determine the extent of further
> injuries.
>
> A sad day for my club.
>
> Andy Templeman, Birkenhead North End Cycling Club
> <http://www.bnecc.co.uk>
>
>
> --
> Andy Templeman <http://www.templeman.org.uk/>

Terribly terribly sorry to hear that.

It's so sad such a wonderful sport can be so dangerous.

 

[Martin Dann]

spindrift wrote:

> Is there a news link yet?



http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/...objectid=18471603&siteid=50061-name_page.html
icLiverpool

http://preview.tinyurl.com/yanwms

 

[spindrift]

Mark wrote:
> Andrew Templeman wrote:
> > This morning, shortly after 9am, three cyclists were very close to the
> > Eureka cafe at Two Mills planning to meet their clubmates for a Sunday
> > morning run.
> >
> > <http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?lat=53.262&lon=-2.9784&scale=200
> > 000&icon=x>
> >
> > They were riding in a south-easterly direction into the low morning sun,
> > when two of the riders were hit from behind by a Renault Clio.
> >
> > One of the cyclists, Mel Vasey, was hit directly from behind and thrown
> > over the car. He was unconscious and suffered cardiac arrest. Due to the
> > attention of a passing Aldi lorry driver, he was still alive when the
> > ambulance arrived. Due to the severity of his injuries, Mel later died
> > in hospital. He will be a great loss to the local cycling community. He
> > was a proprietor of Quins Cycles in Liverpool, and well known and liked
> > in the area.
> >
> > The other rider involved in the collision, Danny McDonough, sustained a
> > broken hip and was undergoing x-rays to determine the extent of further
> > injuries.
> >
> > A sad day for my club.
> >
> > Andy Templeman, Birkenhead North End Cycling Club
> > <http://www.bnecc.co.uk>
> >
> >
> > --
> > Andy Templeman <http://www.templeman.org.uk/>
>
> Terribly terribly sorry to hear that.
>
> It's so sad such a wonderful sport can be so dangerous.


15 January 2007
GET TOUGH ON KILLER MOTORISTS
By Rosa Prince
MINISTERS were urged yesterday to stop killer drivers getting away with
a slap on the wrists.

Robert Gifford, of campaign group Parliamentary Advisory Council for
Transport Safety, said it was a scandal that they could get away with a
fine.

The maximum is two years for dangerous driving or five years for death
by dangerous driving.


Mr Gifford said prosecutors are often reluctant to bring the most
serious charges and those jailed get an average 18 months.

http://tinyurl.com/tyqtv

 

[Mark]

spindrift wrote:
> Mark wrote:
> > Andrew Templeman wrote:
> > > This morning, shortly after 9am, three cyclists were very close to the
> > > Eureka cafe at Two Mills planning to meet their clubmates for a Sunday
> > > morning run.
> > >
> > > <http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?lat=53.262&lon=-2.9784&scale=200
> > > 000&icon=x>
> > >
> > > They were riding in a south-easterly direction into the low morning sun,
> > > when two of the riders were hit from behind by a Renault Clio.
> > >
> > > One of the cyclists, Mel Vasey, was hit directly from behind and thrown
> > > over the car. He was unconscious and suffered cardiac arrest. Due to the
> > > attention of a passing Aldi lorry driver, he was still alive when the
> > > ambulance arrived. Due to the severity of his injuries, Mel later died
> > > in hospital. He will be a great loss to the local cycling community. He
> > > was a proprietor of Quins Cycles in Liverpool, and well known and liked
> > > in the area.
> > >
> > > The other rider involved in the collision, Danny McDonough, sustained a
> > > broken hip and was undergoing x-rays to determine the extent of further
> > > injuries.
> > >
> > > A sad day for my club.
> > >
> > > Andy Templeman, Birkenhead North End Cycling Club
> > > <http://www.bnecc.co.uk>
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > Andy Templeman <http://www.templeman.org.uk/>
> >
> > Terribly terribly sorry to hear that.
> >
> > It's so sad such a wonderful sport can be so dangerous.
>
>
> 15 January 2007
> GET TOUGH ON KILLER MOTORISTS
> By Rosa Prince
> MINISTERS were urged yesterday to stop killer drivers getting away with
> a slap on the wrists.
>
> Robert Gifford, of campaign group Parliamentary Advisory Council for
> Transport Safety, said it was a scandal that they could get away with a
> fine.
>
> The maximum is two years for dangerous driving or five years for death
> by dangerous driving.
>
>
> Mr Gifford said prosecutors are often reluctant to bring the most
> serious charges and those jailed get an average 18 months.
>
> http://tinyurl.com/tyqtv

Couldn't agree more - the punishment should fit the crime, which at the
moment it clearly doesn't, not be a long chalk!

I'm sure (would hope) that the driver in question spends the rest of
their life feeling like ****, but that doesn't help the poor cyclist or
their family

Personally, I wear a helmet, have multiple lights, hi-viz jacket and
take great care, but I can't help other people's stupidity, much as I'd
love to. I sometimes find myself wondering if life is too precious to
risk on the road... I have to keep reminding myself it's still
relatively safe and a life of being wrapped in cotton wool would not be
much of a life.

 

[wafflycat]

"Mark" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>

>
> Terribly terribly sorry to hear that.
>
> It's so sad such a wonderful sport can be so dangerous.
>

I apologise for being a bit picky here - but the cyclists weren't doing
anything particularly dangerous. The danger wasn't from cycling, it was from
the motorist and it would appear the motorist was not travelling at a speed
in which he could safely stop. That's the danger

 

[Mark]

wafflycat wrote:
> "Mark" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> >
>
> >
> > Terribly terribly sorry to hear that.
> >
> > It's so sad such a wonderful sport can be so dangerous.
> >
>
> I apologise for being a bit picky here - but the cyclists weren't doing
> anything particularly dangerous. The danger wasn't from cycling, it was from
> the motorist and it would appear the motorist was not travelling at a speed
> in which he could safely stop. That's the danger

Well, I don't know. I recently had to commute 52 miles a day. Durating
rush house one thin country roads. I've cycled for years, and love it,
but the combination of the rush hour traffic, dark and wind made me
feel i was doing something very dangerous. I just got fed up with
wondering whether the next car would see me/give me enough space, so I
choose to stop.

 

[Simon Brooke]

in message <[email protected]>,
naked_draughtsman ('[email protected]') wrote:

>
> Andrew Templeman wrote:
>
>> One of the cyclists, Mel Vasey, was hit directly from behind and thrown
>> over the car. He was unconscious and suffered cardiac arrest. Due to the
>> attention of a passing Aldi lorry driver,
>
> Did the lorry driver then reverse over the renault?
>
> How on earth can a car run into the back of a group of cyclists at such
> speed to cause such devastation? I mean it's not 9am now and cloudy
> today but more than light enough to see a cyclist in front of you.

From the description, driving too fast when dazzled by the sun. Not
acceptable, I now - but it happens.

--
[email protected] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

Morning had broken, and there was nothing we could do but wait
patiently for the RAC to arrive.

 

[Peter Clinch]

Mark wrote:

> Well, I don't know. I recently had to commute 52 miles a day. Durating
> rush house one thin country roads. I've cycled for years, and love it,
> but the combination of the rush hour traffic, dark and wind made me
> feel i was doing something very dangerous.

Potentially dangerous, certainly, but then so is driving and walking.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email protected] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

 

[spindrift]

Mark wrote:
> spindrift wrote:
> > Mark wrote:
> > > Andrew Templeman wrote:
> > > > This morning, shortly after 9am, three cyclists were very close to the
> > > > Eureka cafe at Two Mills planning to meet their clubmates for a Sunday
> > > > morning run.
> > > >
> > > > <http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?lat=53.262&lon=-2.9784&scale=200
> > > > 000&icon=x>
> > > >
> > > > They were riding in a south-easterly direction into the low morning sun,
> > > > when two of the riders were hit from behind by a Renault Clio.
> > > >
> > > > One of the cyclists, Mel Vasey, was hit directly from behind and thrown
> > > > over the car. He was unconscious and suffered cardiac arrest. Due to the
> > > > attention of a passing Aldi lorry driver, he was still alive when the
> > > > ambulance arrived. Due to the severity of his injuries, Mel later died
> > > > in hospital. He will be a great loss to the local cycling community. He
> > > > was a proprietor of Quins Cycles in Liverpool, and well known and liked
> > > > in the area.
> > > >
> > > > The other rider involved in the collision, Danny McDonough, sustained a
> > > > broken hip and was undergoing x-rays to determine the extent of further
> > > > injuries.
> > > >
> > > > A sad day for my club.
> > > >
> > > > Andy Templeman, Birkenhead North End Cycling Club
> > > > <http://www.bnecc.co.uk>
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > > Andy Templeman <http://www.templeman.org.uk/>
> > >
> > > Terribly terribly sorry to hear that.
> > >
> > > It's so sad such a wonderful sport can be so dangerous.
> >
> >
> > 15 January 2007
> > GET TOUGH ON KILLER MOTORISTS
> > By Rosa Prince
> > MINISTERS were urged yesterday to stop killer drivers getting away with
> > a slap on the wrists.
> >
> > Robert Gifford, of campaign group Parliamentary Advisory Council for
> > Transport Safety, said it was a scandal that they could get away with a
> > fine.
> >
> > The maximum is two years for dangerous driving or five years for death
> > by dangerous driving.
> >
> >
> > Mr Gifford said prosecutors are often reluctant to bring the most
> > serious charges and those jailed get an average 18 months.
> >
> > http://tinyurl.com/tyqtv
>
> Couldn't agree more - the punishment should fit the crime, which at the
> moment it clearly doesn't, not be a long chalk!
>
> I'm sure (would hope) that the driver in question spends the rest of
> their life feeling like ****, but that doesn't help the poor cyclist or
> their family
>
> Personally, I wear a helmet, have multiple lights, hi-viz jacket and
> take great care, but I can't help other people's stupidity, much as I'd
> love to. I sometimes find myself wondering if life is too precious to
> risk on the road... I have to keep reminding myself it's still
> relatively safe and a life of being wrapped in cotton wool would not be
> much of a life.


I may be being unpleasantly cycnical here but I'm not always convinced
with the "wracked by guilt" suggestions after a driver kills someone.

I'm probably wrong but I feel that even if genuine, remorse should not
be a mitigating factor.

I think it may well be the case that someone who makes a conscious
decision to drive drunk, drugged or at stupid speeds is unlikely to be
guilt-striken should the entirely predictable result of their actions
be another person's death.

 

[Mark]

Peter Clinch wrote:
> Mark wrote:
>
> > Well, I don't know. I recently had to commute 52 miles a day. Durating
> > rush house one thin country roads. I've cycled for years, and love it,
> > but the combination of the rush hour traffic, dark and wind made me
> > feel i was doing something very dangerous.
>
> Potentially dangerous, certainly, but then so is driving and walking.
>
> Pete.
> --
> Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
> Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
> Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
> net [email protected] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Totally agree. I guess everyone pays their money and takes their
chances.

Makes me angry when someone else takes my chances though! Certainly the
punishment should fit the crime.

 

[Mark]

Mark wrote:
> spindrift wrote:
> > Mark wrote:
> > > Andrew Templeman wrote:
> > > > This morning, shortly after 9am, three cyclists were very close to the
> > > > Eureka cafe at Two Mills planning to meet their clubmates for a Sunday
> > > > morning run.
> > > >
> > > > <http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?lat=53.262&lon=-2.9784&scale=200
> > > > 000&icon=x>
> > > >
> > > > They were riding in a south-easterly direction into the low morning sun,
> > > > when two of the riders were hit from behind by a Renault Clio.
> > > >
> > > > One of the cyclists, Mel Vasey, was hit directly from behind and thrown
> > > > over the car. He was unconscious and suffered cardiac arrest. Due to the
> > > > attention of a passing Aldi lorry driver, he was still alive when the
> > > > ambulance arrived. Due to the severity of his injuries, Mel later died
> > > > in hospital. He will be a great loss to the local cycling community. He
> > > > was a proprietor of Quins Cycles in Liverpool, and well known and liked
> > > > in the area.
> > > >
> > > > The other rider involved in the collision, Danny McDonough, sustained a
> > > > broken hip and was undergoing x-rays to determine the extent of further
> > > > injuries.
> > > >
> > > > A sad day for my club.
> > > >
> > > > Andy Templeman, Birkenhead North End Cycling Club
> > > > <http://www.bnecc.co.uk>
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > > Andy Templeman <http://www.templeman.org.uk/>
> > >
> > > Terribly terribly sorry to hear that.
> > >
> > > It's so sad such a wonderful sport can be so dangerous.
> >
> >
> > 15 January 2007
> > GET TOUGH ON KILLER MOTORISTS
> > By Rosa Prince
> > MINISTERS were urged yesterday to stop killer drivers getting away with
> > a slap on the wrists.
> >
> > Robert Gifford, of campaign group Parliamentary Advisory Council for
> > Transport Safety, said it was a scandal that they could get away with a
> > fine.
> >
> > The maximum is two years for dangerous driving or five years for death
> > by dangerous driving.
> >
> >
> > Mr Gifford said prosecutors are often reluctant to bring the most
> > serious charges and those jailed get an average 18 months.
> >
> > http://tinyurl.com/tyqtv
>
> Couldn't agree more - the punishment should fit the crime, which at the
> moment it clearly doesn't, not be a long chalk!
>
> I'm sure (would hope) that the driver in question spends the rest of
> their life feeling like ****, but that doesn't help the poor cyclist or
> their family
>
> Personally, I wear a helmet, have multiple lights, hi-viz jacket and
> take great care, but I can't help other people's stupidity, much as I'd
> love to. I sometimes find myself wondering if life is too precious to
> risk on the road... I have to keep reminding myself it's still
> relatively safe and a life of being wrapped in cotton wool would not be
> much of a life.

Well, I would hope any decent human would feel like absolute filth for
hitting a cyclist because of a mistake they had made.

I drive too, and know that there are times when I am not as aware as
others - I don't drive drunk or drugged, but I do drive after a long
days work, or a big meal or maybe not such a good sleep, or with a lot
on my mind. There are times when I cannot be said to be 100% focussed
on the road ahead, and it's definately the case that cyclists require
more thought from drivers - this makes them more vulnerable.

I would consider myself to be a good driver (in no small part owing to
the fact that I cycle a lot, and have a highened awareness of the
dangers), not wanting to be boastful, but if I knew all drivers where
as good as I am, I would be very happy to risk cycling at all times and
conditions and on all roads. Unfortunately, I don't believe this is the
case - there is no black and white, only shades of grey - people vary
enormously, and depending on the situation, this makes me feel more or
less like I am doing a dangerous thing.

 

[Danny Colyer]

Martin Dann posted:
> http://preview.tinyurl.com/yanwms

I found it horrific that another cyclist was quoted as saying: "The road
is very dangerous at that point as there is no cycle track along there".
I hope it's a misquote.

I think if I had been one of the victims I'd also be deeply offended by
someone effectively telling me I should have stuck to routes with cycle
tracks for my own safety.

--
Danny Colyer <URL:http://www.colyer.plus.com/danny/>
Reply address is valid, but that on my website is checked more often
"He who dares not offend cannot be honest." - Thomas Paine