Coroner says cyclist found dead on road was blown off bike; widow not so sure

'hitting his head in such a way that the helmet didn't help'

'hitting his head', then.

I wonder if hailstones on the road may have been a factor? They're like ball bearings under tyres

That still wouldn't show that a car was the cause. Unless a vehicle actually hit him, there is really no way to prove anything.

It's also perfectly possible for him to have fallen off due to a heavy gust of wind and hitting his head in such a way that the helmet didn't help. For instance, he may have fallen on his face. Or the helmet could have been improperly fastened.

If there is a time frame for him having reached that junction surely you would look back along the route for a camera that vehicles would have to pass? And then again on a route that could be used for escape?

He could have been pushed or dragged by the passenger of a car...

I don't know the area. I do know that when with a group of friends in Yorkshire we left the tree line and a gust of wind blew all of us 4-5 metres in to a ploughed field. I had a lot more respect for the wind after that!

Allo, allo, allo, wearing a helmet but still had a fractured skull...

Wow, this sure is a strange one. OK, so on a 40+ MPH descent I could understand, but if it was that windy and rainy, I can't imagine he was getting anywhere very fast. Unless the wind was behind him of course. Not knowing this person, but from experience, you tend to be more careful in these kinds of situations.

I wonder what shape the helmet must have been in for him to have sustained a fractured skull.

Quote:

Recording his verdict, Mr Short said it was “a mystifying case,” and said, “It is not clear whether it was the wind or the rain or a combination of both.”

...or some other element could have been involved. All they can say, surely, is that he came off (poor bloke) and the coming off appears to have been the cause of death.

Just because there was no other vehicle present, doesn't mean that there wasn't another vehicle involved, surely?

If we're going with "just the facts, ma'am" then all they can say is that he came off, hit his head and died, and they don't know why he came off. Unknown causes. They don't know that he was blown off by a guest of wind, any more than whether he avoided a close pass by a big lorry or was pushed off by a passing flying elephant...!

RIP Jim. At least you died doing two things you loved, riding your bike and getting blown off.

Blown off, blown over?

Widow questions why he lost control when "The weather was dire; very heavy rain and hailstones. It was very dark for that time of day, almost black. It was a dreadful day. It was incredibly windy."

Perhaps he was in close collision with another vehicle. But if there was no actual collision, and the other vehicle left the scene (all supposition for the sake of argument) what evidence would you expect to prove it?

Has all evidence from scene been preserved. Option to get independent investigation but all too often poor Police securing of site, disposal of clothing and chattels makes recovering key detail almost impossible.

The list is extensive, as @seemesaveme @comadad and @roadpeace cases repeatedly confirm. Sadly we do not have the independent investigation resources of RAIB/AAIB/MAIB available for road crashes.

He was entangled with bike?

Not normal when 'blown off' by gust of wind surely?

What damage to the bike?

Any plans of scene and other data to review?

Could have been blown over by a close pass with a vehicle or tried to avoid being clipped by a vehicle and crashed. Choosing to say the 'Wind.did it' cuts out any further investigation.

I don't blame the widow for not being satisfied with the results.