Author Topic: Ex boxer latest cycling fatality.  (Read 10351 times)


clarion

  • Tyke
Re: Ex boxer latest cycling fatality.
« Reply #1 on: 07 January, 2011, 11:29:35 am »
Gosh.  That's very close to me, and a road we ride on often.  I don't know who this guy is, not being any sort of follower of boxing, but I think I have seen him around here.
Getting there...

Re: Ex boxer latest cycling fatality.
« Reply #2 on: 07 January, 2011, 11:31:23 am »
RIP and it's only the 7th january

Re: Ex boxer latest cycling fatality.
« Reply #3 on: 07 January, 2011, 11:34:06 am »
Very sad.  I met him a few times and he was a very nice chap.
The sound of one pannier flapping

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
    • Didcot Audaxes
Re: Ex boxer latest cycling fatality.
« Reply #4 on: 07 January, 2011, 11:41:31 am »
Sad news.

Hopefully elements of this will cheer many members up:

"
Mason, 48, was on his bicycle in Sandy Lane South, Wallington, on Thursday morning when he was involved* in a collision with a van.
"
Should keep the "collision" fans happy

"
A man has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by careless driving
"
Makes a nice change to hear this.  :thumbsup:



(I probably drove down that road on my driving test, and ridden it a few times.)

*although it doesn't define his involvement - maybe he caused it by shouting at the driver, who knows?
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

Re: Ex boxer latest cycling fatality.
« Reply #5 on: 07 January, 2011, 12:02:49 pm »
"
A man has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by careless driving
"
Makes a nice change to hear this.  :thumbsup:

Exactly the same words used after a competitor on one of our club TT's was struck from behind by a car on a straight piece of dual carriageway. The driver pleaded guilty and received a £100 fine, 200 hours community service and a 12 month driving ban.

Edit - sorry, just checked CW reported no fine but £110 costs


Re: Ex boxer latest cycling fatality.
« Reply #7 on: 07 January, 2011, 12:15:45 pm »
Sad news.

Hopefully elements of this will cheer many members up:

"
Mason, 48, was on his bicycle in Sandy Lane South, Wallington, on Thursday morning when he was involved* in a collision with a van.
"
Should keep the "collision" fans happy

"
A man has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by careless driving
"
Makes a nice change to hear this.  :thumbsup:



(I probably drove down that road on my driving test, and ridden it a few times.)

*although it doesn't define his involvement - maybe he caused it by shouting at the driver, who knows?

You failed to quote that the driver had stopped at the scene.
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
    • Didcot Audaxes
Re: Ex boxer latest cycling fatality.
« Reply #8 on: 07 January, 2011, 12:23:23 pm »
You failed to quote that the driver had stopped at the scene.
Sorry, you've lost me here - I quoted very little of the article, what's the problem?
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

Re: Ex boxer latest cycling fatality.
« Reply #9 on: 07 January, 2011, 12:32:15 pm »
This won't sound right and I don't mean it to sound the way it does, but hopefully this high profile death will have a benefit of highlighting the issues we have.

RIP - he always came across as a nice bloke when interview on TV.
Cheers
Rich

A Vision of a Champion is someone who is bent over, drenched with sweat, at the point of exhaustion, when no one else is watching

Ray 6701

  • SO @ T
    • Tamworth cycling club
Re: Ex boxer latest cycling fatality.
« Reply #10 on: 07 January, 2011, 01:19:34 pm »
My condolences to his family & friends  :(  He was a good boxer back in the day as his boxing record shows, the only loss was a TKO against Lennox Lewis.


Boxing record

Total fights   38
Wins            37
Wins by KO   34
Losses          1
Draws           0
No contests   0
SR 2010/11/12/13/14/15
RRTY. PBP. LeJoG 1400. LEL.




Masten

Re: Ex boxer latest cycling fatality.
« Reply #11 on: 07 January, 2011, 01:49:40 pm »
RIP, an unnecessary death through an irresponsible driver, who won't receive proper punishment. Either people need to take more care of each other, or getting your license should include a responsibility seminar with exam at the end. It's sort of ironic how he survived a brutal sport like boxing and fell victim to cycling.

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
    • Didcot Audaxes
Re: Ex boxer latest cycling fatality.
« Reply #12 on: 07 January, 2011, 01:52:04 pm »
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

Clandy

Re: Ex boxer latest cycling fatality.
« Reply #13 on: 07 January, 2011, 07:10:17 pm »
It's sort of ironic how he survived a brutal sport like boxing and fell victim to cycling.

More accurately he fell victim to driving, not cycling.

Redlight

  • Enjoying life in the slow lane
Re: Ex boxer latest cycling fatality.
« Reply #14 on: 07 January, 2011, 10:38:28 pm »
RIP, an unnecessary death through an irresponsible driver, who won't receive proper punishment. Either people need to take more care of each other, or getting your license should include a responsibility seminar with exam at the end. It's sort of ironic how he survived a brutal sport like boxing and fell victim to cycling.

Do you have some insight into this sad event that you would like to share with us?

We don't know the details of this other than the poor man is dead.  We don't know that the driver was "irresponsible". If he or she is found to have been responsible then we can hope that the law will deal with him or her appropriately (I'd favour a manslaughter charge but I know legal experts will point out why that's not a good idea).  Until then, let's remember that in this country - unless you are a landlord whose tenant is murdered - you are innocent until proven guilty.
Why should anybody steal a watch when they can steal a bicycle?

rwa.martin

Re: Ex boxer latest cycling fatality.
« Reply #15 on: 08 January, 2011, 09:08:51 am »
I think we have to be careful not to judge the driver as guilty until the full facts are known. Cyclist deaths by way of vehicle are sadly too common but the cycling standards of some do fall way below what could be considered safe in traffic. An arrest is no indication of guilt. Reasonable grounds that an offence has been committed along with someone who could reasonably be thought to have committed it is ample grounds for arrest and would be par for the course in any road accident where a death occurs.

I would also say that, like it or not, as drivers we should remember "there for the grace of god go I". No matter how considerate of other road users and committed to safety we are, we all run the risk of making an unforced error. Kids arguing in the back; the girl in the short skirt; can't stand the tune on the radio - they are distractions that any of us could fall foul of and whilst they shouldn't happen we all know that they do. People are human and mistakes are made. Not every driver is a psychotic murderer; some are just like us. In fact one day they could be us and we shouldn't forget that.

Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
Re: Ex boxer latest cycling fatality.
« Reply #16 on: 08 January, 2011, 11:13:51 am »
If someone killed someone else after being dstracted by kids in the back or a short skirt then they are pretty guilty in my book.
It is simpler than it looks.

mr endon

Re: Ex boxer latest cycling fatality.
« Reply #17 on: 08 January, 2011, 06:04:47 pm »
I would also say that, like it or not, as drivers we should remember "there for the grace of god go I". No matter how considerate of other road users and committed to safety we are, we all run the risk of making an unforced error. Kids arguing in the back; the girl in the short skirt; can't stand the tune on the radio - they are distractions that any of us could fall foul of and whilst they shouldn't happen we all know that they do. People are human and mistakes are made. Not every driver is a psychotic murderer; some are just like us. In fact one day they could be us and we shouldn't forget that.

So are you saying all drivers knowingly gamble with the lives of others everytime they start the car?

Re: Ex boxer latest cycling fatality.
« Reply #18 on: 08 January, 2011, 06:15:57 pm »
I would also say that, like it or not, as drivers we should remember "there for the grace of god go I". No matter how considerate of other road users and committed to safety we are, we all run the risk of making an unforced error. Kids arguing in the back; the girl in the short skirt; can't stand the tune on the radio - they are distractions that any of us could fall foul of and whilst they shouldn't happen we all know that they do. People are human and mistakes are made. Not every driver is a psychotic murderer; some are just like us. In fact one day they could be us and we shouldn't forget that.

So are you saying all drivers knowingly gamble with the lives of others everytime they start the car?

Of course they do unless they think they are perfect or immortal. People make mistakes you can't legislate or train that out of them no matter how hard you try. Mostly those mistakes have no consequence occasionally they have dreadful ones. Pretending that if everyone was just careful and conscientious there would be no fatal accidents on the road is unrealistic.  There would be a lot fewer but there would still be quite a lot. No way to fix it bar banning all cars and lorries, you'd still get trampled by a horse occasionally though. Even if everyone could drive as perfectly 100% of the time there would still be drivers who had a hart attack or sneezed at just the wrong time.
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
Re: Ex boxer latest cycling fatality.
« Reply #19 on: 08 January, 2011, 06:44:11 pm »
People make mistakes you can't legislate or train that out of them no matter how hard you try.

So HASAW Legislation is pointless?

The issue is not people "making mistakes", it is that for driving a car a far lower standard is acceptable to the country and the legislature than for driving (for example) a fork lift truck.

That is why it is fine to kill someone whilst distracted by kids in the car, but not fine to kill someone whilst distracted by something on a fork-lift.
It is simpler than it looks.

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: Ex boxer latest cycling fatality.
« Reply #20 on: 08 January, 2011, 07:12:21 pm »

suggestions that he may not have had any lights on Cyclist killed in Wallington was former boxing champion Gary Mason (From This Is Local London)

This suggestion is wrong.  There is a large photo of the wrecked bike in situ on the front of our local paper today, and it is clear that there is at least a rear light attached.  There seems to be a mount for a front light, but that may have come off in the collision.  Of course, there is no way of telling that he had them switched on from what we know, but there was definitely a rear light fitted.  Whoever is spreading this malicious rumour is just muddying the water. >:(
Getting there...

Re: Ex boxer latest cycling fatality.
« Reply #21 on: 08 January, 2011, 07:18:55 pm »
People make mistakes you can't legislate or train that out of them no matter how hard you try.

So HASAW Legislation is pointless?

The issue is not people "making mistakes", it is that for driving a car a far lower standard is acceptable to the country and the legislature than for driving (for example) a fork lift truck.

That is why it is fine to kill someone whilst distracted by kids in the car, but not fine to kill someone whilst distracted by something on a fork-lift.

No HASAW is good. Better training and being careful will reduce deaths and accidents but never eliminate them. I'm not suggesting that it's OK to kill someone whilst distracted just that you can never stop it happening entirely.
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

rwa.martin

Re: Ex boxer latest cycling fatality.
« Reply #22 on: 08 January, 2011, 09:00:28 pm »
I would also say that, like it or not, as drivers we should remember "there for the grace of god go I". No matter how considerate of other road users and committed to safety we are, we all run the risk of making an unforced error. Kids arguing in the back; the girl in the short skirt; can't stand the tune on the radio - they are distractions that any of us could fall foul of and whilst they shouldn't happen we all know that they do. People are human and mistakes are made. Not every driver is a psychotic murderer; some are just like us. In fact one day they could be us and we shouldn't forget that.

So are you saying all drivers knowingly gamble with the lives of others everytime they start the car?

If by gamble you mean to willfully risk the lives of others then no, I don't; but  I do think that all drivers put the lives of others at risk because driving is an inherently dangerous activity. The point I was trying to make was that as drivers we all have the potential to be the person that kills the cyclist because we're all fallible, no matter how careful we are. I think it is reality check with regards our own driving standards and I also think it should be something we remember before we are too damning of others.
 

David Martin

  • Thats Dr Oi You thankyouverymuch
Re: Ex boxer latest cycling fatality.
« Reply #23 on: 09 January, 2011, 12:22:49 am »

So are you saying all drivers knowingly gamble with the lives of others everytime they start the car?

Absolutely. However the odds are the thing under discusion, not the gambling.
"By creating we think. By living we learn" - Patrick Geddes

spindrift

Re: Ex boxer latest cycling fatality.
« Reply #24 on: 09 January, 2011, 04:46:38 pm »

                Cyclists 'left unprotected by police and courts' -
                    Home News, UK - The Independent


Cyclists 'left unprotected by police and courts'

Drivers who claim they couldn't see bikes are too often believed, say campaigners.

Greater protection for cyclists on Britain's roads is being demanded after a former British heavyweight boxing champion was killed on his bicycle last week. Gary Mason, 48, died after a collision with a van while cycling in Wallington, south London. He is the second cyclist to die in the UK this year.

Eilidh Cairns was crushed by a lorry in Notting Hill, west London, while cycling to work in February last year. The driver subsequently pleaded guilty to having defective eyesight. He was fined just £200 and given three points on his licence.

Emma Chesterman, a friend of Ms Cairns, said:

"He admitted his eyesight was not good enough and gets £200 and three points on his licence. It does not seem fair. We are bewildered by the whole system that treats cyclists' deaths in this way. It seems to be the attitude that you are putting yourself in the way of danger and therefore it is your own fault if it happens to you, which is not the same as if it were a pedestrian killed."