The family of a pensioner killed after being hit by a bike ridden on a pavement has called for tougher laws to punish cyclists who kill or cause serious injuries.

John Douglas, 75, was struck as he walked on the footpath near his home in Birmingham in November last year.

He was taken to hospital with injuries that included 15 broken ribs, two broken collarbones and a broken ankle. After four weeks in an induced coma and several weeks in intensive care, he developed pneumonia and died on New Year’s Day.

Although a man is helping police with their inquiries, there has so far been no arrest. It remains unclear whether the cyclist was riding a pedal bicycle or an e-bike.

Now, Mr Douglas’s relatives are calling on ministers to toughen up laws on cyclists who kill or cause injury to others.

Under current rules, a cyclist who kills while riding recklessly or dangerously can be jailed for a maximum of two years for “wanton or furious” riding under an 1861 law intended for horse-drawn carriages.

In contrast, motorists face a life sentence if charged and convicted of causing death by dangerous driving.’

Conservative ministers have repeatedly promised to update laws, but relatives of those killed or injured by cyclists say the Government has failed to honour its pledge.

Christopher Bushell, Mr Douglas’s nephew, said the loss of his uncle had left him angry at how the Government promoted cycling, e-bikes and e-scooters but failed to keep laws up to date.

“My uncle’s life was cut short needlessly by someone cycling on the pavement at speed,” the 58-year-old HGV driver said.

“The current laws offer no deterrent or effective punishment for cyclists who break the law and kill or seriously injure.

“We were told that my uncle’s injuries were consistent with someone having been hit by a car travelling at speed.

“So far no one has been charged let alone arrested. But, now my uncle has died, the nature of any offence that caused that collision has become more serious which we hope means the police will act. But, I fear no one will be held to account.”

Wayne Jones, 29, who viewed Mr Douglas as a step-father, said he was astonished that “illegal” behaviour capable of causing such catastrophic injuries could go unpunished. “The cyclists should not have been on the pavement – it’s illegal. I don’t understand how no one has been charged,” he said.

A West Midlands Police spokesman said officers had seized a pedal cycle, adding: “The cyclist has been spoken to by officers and is assisting with our inquiries. We were not made aware of the incident until it was reported to us some days after by a relative.”

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said paramedics were called “to a collision involving a pedestrian and an electric bike” in the Chelmsley Wood area of Birmingham.

A Department for Transport spokesman said: “Dangerous cycling puts lives at risk and is completely unacceptable.

“That’s why there are already strict laws in place for cyclists and police have the power to prosecute if these are broken.”

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/toughen-laws-on-killer-cyclists-say-family-of-pensioner-who-died-after-pavement-collision/ar-BB1iqFRb

On 17/02/2024 14:21, Simon Mason wrote:

> The family of a pensioner killed after being hit by a chav-bike ridden on a pavement has called for tougher laws to punish chav-cyclists who kill or cause serious injuries.
>
> John Douglas, 75, was struck as he walked on the footpath near his home in Birmingham in November last year.
>
> He was taken to hospital with injuries that included 15 broken ribs, two broken collarbones and a broken ankle. After four weeks in an induced coma and several weeks in intensive care, he developed pneumonia and died on New Year’s Day.
>
> Although a man is helping police with their inquiries, there has so far been no arrest. It remains unclear whether the chav-cyclist was riding a pedal chav-bicycle or an e-bike.
>
> Now, Mr Douglas’s relatives are calling on ministers to toughen up laws on chav-cyclists who kill or cause injury to others.
>
> Under current rules, a chav-cyclist who kills while riding recklessly or dangerously can be jailed for a maximum of two years for “wanton or furious” riding under an 1861 law intended for horse-drawn carriages.
>
> In contrast, motorists face a life sentence if charged and convicted of causing death by dangerous driving.’
>
> Conservative ministers have repeatedly promised to update laws, but relatives of those killed or injured by chav-cyclists say the Government has failed to honour its pledge.
>
> Christopher Bushell, Mr Douglas’s nephew, said the loss of his uncle had left him angry at how the Government promoted chav-cycling, e-chav-bikes and e-scooters but failed to keep laws up to date.
>
> “My uncle’s life was cut short needlessly by someone chav-cycling on the pavement at speed,” the 58-year-old HGV driver said.
>
> “The current laws offer no deterrent or effective punishment for chav-cyclists who break the law and kill or seriously injure.
>
> “We were told that my uncle’s injuries were consistent with someone having been hit by a car travelling at speed.
>
> “So far no one has been charged let alone arrested. But, now my uncle has died, the nature of any offence that caused that collision has become more serious which we hope means the police will act. But, I fear no one will be held to account.”
>
> Wayne Jones, 29, who viewed Mr Douglas as a step-father, said he was astonished that “illegal” behaviour capable of causing such catastrophic injuries could go unpunished. “The chav-cyclists should not have been on the pavement – it’s illegal. I don’t understand how no one has been charged,” he said.
>
> A West Midlands Police spokesman said officers had seized a pedal chav-cycle, adding: “The chav-cyclist has been spoken to by officers and is assisting with our inquiries. We were not made aware of the incident until it was reported to us some days after by a relative.”
>
> A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said paramedics were called “to a collision involving a pedestrian and an electric chav-bike” in the Chelmsley Wood area of Birmingham.
>
> A Department for Transport spokesman said: “Dangerous chav-cycling puts lives at risk and is completely unacceptable.
>
> “That’s why there are already strict laws in place for chav-cyclists and police have the power to prosecute if these are broken.”
>
> https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/toughen-laws-on-killer-cyclists-say-family-of-pensioner-who-died-after-pavement-collision/ar-BB1iqFRb

There.

Fixed it for you.

No charge (we all know how important that is to chavs such as yourself
who ride chav-bikes).
>

QUOTE: He was taken to hospital with injuries that included 15 broken ribs, two broken collarbones and a broken ankle. After four weeks in an induced coma and several weeks in intensive care, he developed pneumonia and died on New Year’s Day.ENDS

Sounds like he would be one of these SEVEN PEOPLE INSTANTLY killed by motor vehicles EVERY DAY in the UK.
The fact that this is such "BIG NEWS" is that it is so vanishly rare, which is why the Victorian legislation has never been updated so far.
No need to.

Meanwhile, get those hospital wards deep cleaned - they are what killed him..