A DRIVER who knocked down a cyclist at a ‘nightmare junction’, leaving the rider with fractured ribs and an infection in one lung, has been fined £2,000.

The Magistrate’s Court heard that Michelle Ann Le Blond (57) had been turning from the Inner Road into Rue du Galet, in St Lawrence, at 6.30am on 17 February when she collided with the cyclist, who was wearing a high-visibility jacket and had his bike lights turned on.

Advocate Katie Ridley, prosecuting, said: ‘He [the cyclist] said he was feeling excruciating pain.

‘He was taken to hospital by ambulance and spent four days there.’

The man suffered seven fractured ribs and soft-tissue damage to his arm and shoulder, the court heard. The broken bones caused bruising and lacerations to one lung, which became infected. He was discharged by the fracture clinic in June.

Le Blond admitted a charge of causing serious injury by careless driving.

Advocate Mark Boothman, defending, said: ‘It is a very difficult junction. Anyone who uses it knows it as something of a nightmare.’

He added that the case had now been hanging over Le Blond for seven months and had been causing her serious stress.

Relief Magistrate Sarah Fitz described the accident as ‘a very brief lapse of concentration with very unfortunate consequences’ and decided not to ban Le Blond from driving.

She told her: ‘You’ve learnt a very hard lesson and I don’t think disqualification will help anyone.’

https://jerseyeveningpost.com/news/2023/09/18/cyclist-suffered-seven-fractured-ribs-after-being-knocked-off-bike-by-motorist-at-nightmare-junction/

Simon Mason <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:

> A DRIVER who knocked down a cyclist at a ‘nightmare junction’, leaving
> the rider with fractured ribs and an infection in one lung, has been fined £2,000.

He’s been swizzled…for two grand he could have killed someone, had he been
riding a bicycle.

You know the case I’m referring to.

> https://jerseyeveningpost.com/news/2023/09/18/cyclist-suffered-seven-fractured-ribs-after-being-knocked-off-bike-by-motorist-at-nightmare-junction/

--
Spike

QUOTE: A DRIVER who knocked down a cyclist at a ‘nightmare junction’, leaving the rider with fractured ribs and an infection in one lung, has been fined £2,000. ENDS

In what way is this junction a "nightmare"?
Is it still a "nightmare" in the absence of cars?

On 20/09/2023 14:52, Simon Mason wrote:

> A DRIVER who knocked down a cyclist at a ‘nightmare junction’, leaving the rider with fractured ribs and an infection in one lung, has been fined £2,000.

What sort of "infection"?

Was the motor vehicle so dirty that tetanus was a danger?
>
> The Magistrate’s Court heard that Michelle Ann Le Blond (57) had been turning from the Inner Road into Rue du Galet, in St Lawrence, at 6.30am on 17 February when she collided with the cyclist, who was wearing a high-visibility jacket and had his bike lights turned on.
> Advocate Katie Ridley, prosecuting, said: ‘He [the cyclist] said he was feeling excruciating pain.

Had compensation set in?

> ‘He was taken to hospital by ambulance and spent four days there.’

Lucky really. It could have been worse. He might have een disgorged from
the ambulance and had to wait on a trolley.

> The man suffered seven fractured ribs and soft-tissue damage to his arm and shoulder, the court heard. The broken bones caused bruising and lacerations to one lung, which became infected. He was discharged by the fracture clinic in June.

Broken ribs in his shoulder?

What sort of hosptal was this?

> Le Blond admitted a charge of causing serious injury by careless driving.
> Advocate Mark Boothman, defending, said: ‘It is a very difficult junction. Anyone who uses it knows it as something of a nightmare.’
> He added that the case had now been hanging over Le Blond for seven months and had been causing her serious stress.
> Relief Magistrate Sarah Fitz described the accident as ‘a very brief lapse of concentration with very unfortunate consequences’ and decided not to ban Le Blond from driving.
> She told her: ‘You’ve learnt a very hard lesson and I don’t think disqualification will help anyone.’
>
> https://jerseyeveningpost.com/news/2023/09/18/cyclist-suffered-seven-fractured-ribs-after-being-knocked-off-bike-by-motorist-at-nightmare-junction/

Couldn't they just ban chav-bikes (and chavs) in the Channel Islands?
>

QUOTE: Advocate Mark Boothman, defending, said: ‘It is a very difficult junction. Anyone who uses it knows it as something of a nightmare.’ENDS

What a bizarre assertion - what can be " very difficult" about a junction?
Surely that's down to the poor skill of the drivers using it?

Simon Mason <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:
> QUOTE: Advocate Mark Boothman, defending, said: ‘It is a very difficult
> junction. Anyone who uses it knows it as something of a nightmare.’ENDS
>
> What a bizarre assertion - what can be " very difficult" about a junction?
> Surely that's down to the poor skill of the drivers using it?

If the junction is known to be a hazard:

Walk your bicycle round it

Go by a different route

Use public transport

By a car.

Cyclists, eh? Not the sharpest tools in the box.

--
Spike

On Thursday, September 21, 2023 at 6:49:21 AM UTC+1, Simon Mason wrote:
> QUOTE: Advocate Mark Boothman, defending, said: ‘It is a very difficult junction. Anyone who uses it knows it as something of a nightmare.’ENDS
>
> What a bizarre assertion - what can be " very difficult" about a junction?
> Surely that's down to the poor skill of the drivers using it?

Must be "dangerous driving conditions" that they have on the weather news all the time- - whatever that is.

Simon Mason <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Thursday, September 21, 2023 at 6:49:21 AM UTC+1, Simon Mason wrote:
>> QUOTE: Advocate Mark Boothman, defending, said: ‘It is a very difficult
>> junction. Anyone who uses it knows it as something of a nightmare.’ENDS
>>
>> What a bizarre assertion - what can be " very difficult" about a junction?
>> Surely that's down to the poor skill of the drivers using it?

> Must be "dangerous driving conditions" that they have on the weather news
> all the time- - whatever that is.

It’s a system designed to inform people on what the weather is likely to
be.

--
Spike

On 21/09/2023 00:49, Simon Mason wrote:

> QUOTE: Advocate Mark Boothman, defending, said: ‘It is a very difficult junction. Anyone who uses it knows it as something of a nightmare.’ENDS
>
> What a bizarre assertion - what can be " very difficult" about a junction?
> Surely that's down to the poor skill of the drivers using it?

Have you never heard of the (official) phenomenon of the Accident Black
Spot?

Not all (well-recognised) highway engineering principles can be met at
some junctions. Sight lines would be an example. Also the risks which
arise from poor or non-existent maintenance of vegetation, blocking
views even when sightlines are adequate.

Not that you needed to concern yourself with any technicalities like
that whilst swabbing the decks on the night shift at that factory.

QUOTE: Mr Boothman's statement 'Anyone who uses it knows it as something of a nightmare.’ is not a defence but an admission that anyone who uses it, knows it requires more caution. ENDS

SPOT ON - TELL THE IDIOT DRIVERS USING IT.

On 21/09/2023 10:06, Simon Mason wrote:

> The Driver has suffered stress in addition the Magistate comforted her with ‘You’ve learnt a very hard lesson and I don’t think disqualification will help anyone.’
> Let's be candid, she could have killed someone, certainly she hospitalised the cyclist for 4 days, hardly just a scratch, it is significant bodily harm.
>
> If she had been stopped for drink driving, she would have been banned. The purpose of drink driving law is to prevent accidents. Drivers are banned because they potentially could have caused an accident, here the lady involved did cause an accident seriously hurt someone and she is comforted by the magistrate!! The whole point of road traffic law is to prevent preventable accidents.
>
> When it happens it does not act with significant force.
> If we take the situation off the road and into a work or social environment we would be looking at a prison sentence and significant heavy fines for the injuries caused
> Drivers are over privileged and seemingly over-protected when they injure, nearly kill or kill someone. A driving licence is a privilege based on the driver being capable of preventing an accident. But when they do cause an accident it is considered a lapse of concentration.
>
> Magistrate Sarah Fitz has sent a very clear message to the drivers of Jersey, cyclists are fair game, injure as many as you like, their pain and suffering is nothing of consequence, compared to your privilege of being able to drive.
> Mr Boothman's statement 'Anyone who uses it knows it as something of a nightmare.’ is not a defence but an admission that anyone who uses it, knows it requires more caution.
> Your reporting indicates more concern was given to stress of driver and little or no concern for an innocent person who was significantly injured and will almost certainly suffer long term consequences.

There are so many issues at play there.

And you don't understand a single one of them.

A hint: people can choose whether to drink and drive. They cannot choose
whether or not to make a mistake of perception.

A ten year old would understand that. But not May Sun.

QUOTE: The Driver has suffered stress in addition the Magistate comforted her with ‘You’ve learnt a very hard lesson and I don’t think disqualification will help anyone.’
Let's be candid, she could have killed someone, certainly she hospitalised the cyclist for 4 days, hardly just a scratch, it is significant bodily harm. ENDS

WELL SAID.

Simon Mason <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:

> QUOTE: The Driver has suffered stress in addition the Magistate comforted
> her with ‘You’ve learnt a very hard lesson and I don’t think
> disqualification will help anyone.’

> Let's be candid, she could have killed someone, certainly she
> hospitalised the cyclist for 4 days, hardly just a scratch, it is
> significant bodily harm. ENDS

> WELL SAID.

Most of that four days will have been spent under observation.

--
Spike

On 21/09/2023 10:16, Simon Mason wrote:

> QUOTE: The Driver has suffered stress in addition the Magistate comforted her with ‘You’ve learnt a very hard lesson and I don’t think disqualification will help anyone.’
> Let's be candid, she could have killed someone, certainly she hospitalised the cyclist for 4 days, hardly just a scratch, it is significant bodily harm. ENDS
>
> WELL SAID.

In what way?

Please explain.

Be explicit.

Now come on... the questions have been limited to words of no more than
three syllables...

On 21/09/2023 15:29, Spike wrote:

> Simon Mason <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> QUOTE: The Driver has suffered stress in addition the Magistate comforted
>> her with ‘You’ve learnt a very hard lesson and I don’t think
>> disqualification will help anyone.’
>
>> Let's be candid, she could have killed someone, certainly she
>> hospitalised the cyclist for 4 days, hardly just a scratch, it is
>> significant bodily harm. ENDS
>
>> WELL SAID.
>
> Most of that four days will have been spent under observation.

Everyone agrees: You've gotta watch these chav-cyclists.

QUOTE: The Magistrate’s Court heard that Michelle Ann Le Blond (57) had been turning from the Inner Road into Rue du Galet, in St Lawrence, at 6.30am on 17 February when she collided with the cyclist, who was wearing a high-visibility jacket and had his bike lights turned on. ENDS

The cyclist was not wearing a high powered arc lamp so it was his fault.

Simon Mason <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:
> QUOTE: The Magistrate’s Court heard that Michelle Ann Le Blond (57) had
> been turning from the Inner Road into Rue du Galet, in St Lawrence, at
> 6.30am on 17 February when she collided with the cyclist, who was wearing
> a high-visibility jacket and had his bike lights turned on. ENDS
>
> The cyclist was not wearing a high powered arc lamp so it was his fault.

I can find the Rue du Galet, but there doesn’t seem to be a road called
‘Inner Road’ in St Lawrence, only roads having a junction with the RduG
that have other names.

--
Spike

QUOTE: Le Blond admitted a charge of causing serious injury by careless driving. ENDS

Fessing up early doors led to no ban - standard SOP.

Simon Mason <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:
> QUOTE: Le Blond admitted a charge of causing serious injury by careless driving. ENDS
>
> Fessing up early doors led to no ban - standard SOP.

But that’s what you have recommended on so many occasions. Are you saying
you’ve changed your mind?

--
Spike

QUOTE: Mr Boothman's statement 'Anyone who uses it knows it as something of a nightmare.’ is not a defence but an admission that anyone who uses it, knows it requires more caution.ENDS

It just gives free rein to the idiots to drive like lunatics and then put the blame on the road layout. Like the "low flying Sun" garbage.

Simon Mason <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:
> QUOTE: Mr Boothman's statement 'Anyone who uses it knows it as something
> of a nightmare.’ is not a defence but an admission that anyone who uses
> it, knows it requires more caution.ENDS
>
> It just gives free rein to the idiots to drive like lunatics and then put
> the blame on the road layout. Like the "low flying Sun" garbage.

So in your world no-one is ever blinded by the sun?

--
Spike

QUOTE: She told her: ‘You’ve learnt a very hard lesson and I don’t think disqualification will help anyone.’ ENDS

What about children, pedestrians, horses and other cyclists put at risk by this dangerous idiot?

On 22/09/2023 10:31, Simon Mason wrote:

> QUOTE: She told her: ‘You’ve learnt a very hard lesson and I don’t think disqualification will help anyone.’ ENDS
>
> What about children, pedestrians, horses and other cyclists put at risk by this dangerous idiot?

What are you talking about?

[I'm being charitable in assuming that you know.]

QUOTE: He added that the case had now been hanging over Le Blond for seven months and had been causing her serious stress. END

//The man suffered seven fractured ribs and soft-tissue damage to his arm and shoulder, the court heard. The broken bones caused bruising and lacerations to one lung, which became infected. He was discharged by the fracture clinic in June//
--------------------------------

Think of the "stress" the poor driver went through - the poor baby!

Simon Mason <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:
> QUOTE: He added that the case had now been hanging over Le Blond for
> seven months and had been causing her serious stress. END
>
> //The man suffered seven fractured ribs and soft-tissue damage to his arm
> and shoulder, the court heard. The broken bones caused bruising and
> lacerations to one lung, which became infected. He was discharged by the
> fracture clinic in June//
> --------------------------------
>
> Think of the "stress" the poor driver went through - the poor baby!

Perhaps almost enough to make one jump off a bridge?

--
Spike