Tandem fatalities in Bristol

[TimO]

The news is reporting that a couple on a Tandem in Bristol have both been killed.  It appears that the car involved left the scene without stopping, and had been abandoned, with the police searching for the driver, he's since handed himself in.

There's even some suggestion that this may have been a deliberate act.

BBC: Two cyclists killed in hit-and-run in Bristol

This Is Bristol: Suspect hands himself in to police after two killed in hit and run in Hanham, South Gloucestershire

[Chris S]

That is terrible.

[Arch]

Clever of him to hand himself in, if they take that into account he'll probably get a £50 fine and a   couple of points.

[mzjo]

Update  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-21226126

Tragic, stupid and lots of angry words go through my mind.

[Panoramix]

I've heard about this as we were in Bristol last week. That's scary, I used to commute through Hanham and we've done lot of tandem in the area. Funnily I got verbally abused for being too far away from the kerb 100m away by a white van man 3 years ago.

[padbeat]

He's pleaded guilty to two counts of causing Death by Dangerous Driving and one of Driving Whilst Disqualified.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-22265472
Sentencing on 22 May.

[PeteB99]

10 years

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-22621623

Nothing will bring the couple back though

[Feline]

At least it's a decent length custodial sentence for both of them. I can't help feeling he should have had a life sentence, although I know that's not an option with those charges. Should he really ever be let out if he never shows remorse?

[matthew]

Significantly the BBC report that he has been banned from driving for life

[Polar Bear]

I'm afraid the driving ban is not at all significant IMO.  He was already banned as I read it.   

One day the law will eventually get real and make death by driving an offence akin to manslaughter or murder depending upon proven intent.

[simonp]

As claimed upthread, he already had 11 previous convictions for driving while banned.

[The French Tandem]

As claimed upthread, he already had 11 previous convictions for driving while banned.

I'm a bit surprised by this figure. Isn't there anything in the British law for preventing banned drivers from driving?

In France, driving without licence can cost you up to 1 year in prison. After the 11th conviction, I guess it should be even more than 1 year...

[matthew]

There is but unless the public report to the police that you are driving how do they know from outside a car that the driver is banned.

[The French Tandem]

How do they know? This person have been arrested by the police at least 11 times before.

[jogler]

As claimed upthread, he already had 11 previous convictions for driving while banned.

I'm a bit surprised by this figure. Isn't there anything in the British law for preventing banned drivers from driving?
In France, driving without licence can cost you up to 1 year in prison. After the 11th conviction, I guess it should be even more than 1 year...

my bold
Too many liberal do-gooders within the judiciary failing to prevent the law looking like an ass enforce the law thus compromising effective justice IMO
 

[matthew]

How do they know? This person have been arrested by the police at least 11 times before.

Yes but they only bought a second hand car a month ago, and then it was in their partners name. etc. short of regularly sitting outside their house to see them drive away, which would probably be perseived by the population in general as not using police time most efficiently and persecution.

Not that I agree with that view.

[Panoramix]

As claimed upthread, he already had 11 previous convictions for driving while banned.

I'm a bit surprised by this figure. Isn't there anything in the British law for preventing banned drivers from driving?

In France, driving without licence can cost you up to 1 year in prison. After the 11th conviction, I guess it should be even more than 1 year...

Same in France, if you drive without licence nobody will notice until you get caught for speeding or have an accident.

[Panoramix]

As claimed upthread, he already had 11 previous convictions for driving while banned.

I'm a bit surprised by this figure. Isn't there anything in the British law for preventing banned drivers from driving?

In France, driving without licence can cost you up to 1 year in prison. After the 11th conviction, I guess it should be even more than 1 year...

Same issue in France - unless you look a bit "foreign" - if you drive without licence nobody will notice until you get caught for speeding or have an accident.

[simonp]

He had been caught 11 times previously - I don’t know what the punishment was, but it wasn’t sufficient to deter him again.

[woollypigs]

My take on it - if you get banned from driving and you get done again. The law has the right to take that vehicle and fold it up into a nice suitcase a deliver it back to who ever owns it, no questions asked maybe just a nice little note explaining why.



If the naughty driver had borrowed said vehicle from friends, family or it is a company vehicle - I'm very sure that naughty driver soon will not have a vehicle to drive, unless he/she is naughty enough to nick a vehicle.

[Domestique]

Its odd, to me anyway, that you buy a car and there isnt a need to have at very least a record of a valid driving licence. 
Can you imagine buying a gun with no licence.

[Adam]

Its odd, to me anyway, that you buy a car and there isnt a need to have at very least a record of a valid driving licence. 
Can you imagine buying a gun with no licence.

I read something this morning stating that in the USA, in the last hundred years, cars have killed far more people than have died in all their wars.

[Kim]

Its odd, to me anyway, that you buy a car and there isnt a need to have at very least a record of a valid driving licence. 
Can you imagine buying a gun with no licence.

No but I can imagine buying a radio transmitter without one.

It doesn't seem unreasonable to own a car without a licence if it's going to be spending its time in pieces in a garage, for example.  That's not entirely uncommon.

[loadsabikes]

Its odd, to me anyway, that you buy a car and there isnt a need to have at very least a record of a valid driving licence. 
Can you imagine buying a gun with no licence.

Depends where you shop!!

[hellymedic]

If you buy a TV the shop must inform the TV Licensing folk...