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news
Mike Hall during 2017 Indian Pacific Wheel Race.jpgInquest opens in Canberra into Mike Hall's death
The inquest has opened into the death near Canberra in March last year of British ultracyclist Mike Hall, who was killed near the Australian capital while taking part in the Indian Pacific Wheel Race.
The 35-year-old died from head, spinal and back injuries after being hit from behind by a car driven by 19-year-old Shegu Bobb, who was on his way to work in Canberra when the fatal crash happened at 6.20am on the morning of 31 March 2017.
ABC.net.au reports that the motorist was travelling at almost 100 kilometres an hour and that Hall’s death would have been “almost instantaneous.”
Hall, the founder of the Transcontinental Race and one of the top riders on the ultracycling scene, had been lying in second place in the race from Fremantle to Sydney when he was killed.
The inquest was told that Hall was wearing dark clothing that did not have reflective materials and that his rear light was at the same height as roadside marker posts, making it difficult for drivers to see.
Senior Constable Adam Potts said that as a result Bobb – driving on P-plates, which drivers who have passed their test within the preceding year are required to display – said that he would not have had enough time to avoid hitting the cyclist.
However, the motorist – who initially believed he had hit a kangaroo – admitted that he had been distracted by a truck parked in a closed petrol station immediately before hitting Hall.
He has not been charged with any offence to date in connection with Hall’s death, and counsel assisting the inquest is reportedly unlikely to recommend to the coroner that the case ne referred to prosecutors.
Counsel assisting the inquest also read extracts from the rules of the last year’s race, saying that they were "effectively silent" on issues related to safety.
It had been planned for the race to return this year, with organiser Jesse Carlsson saying last October that the second edition would have “some pretty strict visibility restrictions in place.”
In February, however, he announced that the 2018 race would be cancelled due to the inquest and its potential outcome.
The inquest is expected to last three days.
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
Latest Comments
- the little onion 2 sec ago
A close pass operation in West Yorkshire:...
- mctrials23 8 min 27 sec ago
The drivers are also licensed so they obviously behave themselves as well.
- chrisonabike 37 min 9 sec ago
But... the last is only not the case with drivers on normal roads because driving on the cycle path / footway / rolling a vehicle up there is seen...
- wtjs 43 min 37 sec ago
YOU'VE RUINED MY LIFE! WHAT FOR?!...
- mdavidford 1 hour 15 min ago
I think you're missing an opportunity to pack even more tech into it - add accelerometers that can detect whether they're pedalling or stepping....
- chrisonabike 1 hour 39 min ago
Thanks. I guess the question is "need". If the road is busy, it sounds like it is a desired route between places? In which case (given this an...
- mdavidford 1 hour 47 min ago
Don't know what you mean. I thought my suggestion was entirely practical.
- mdavidford 1 hour 50 min ago
...and a square of faux sheepskin for the back of your saddle.
- Rapha Nadal 2 hours 22 min ago
I'd buy a motorbike fo rthat kind of money!
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38 comments
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-47396799
"A coroner noted the accident happened in the dark and said it should prompt a thorough review of local road and bicycle laws.
...
"Police testified that Mr Bobb [the motorist] had been distracted by a parked car as he turned on to the highway, and had no time to avoid the collision.
"Dr Boss [the coroner] said the incident should provide a "catalyst" for better safety rules, making six recommendations - including calling for a review of local road intersections.
"She also recommended that Australia consider making it mandatory for all cyclists to have flashing rear lights when riding at night."
Now they've some witnesses saying that they nearly hit Mike too.
We need to know how recent that video was I guess - had his light faded away ?
I know when I ride at night I've two lights on the back and a shed load of reflectives. I don't trust motorists to look out for me.
He was using a dynamo light so that's extremely unlikely and supposition, the police have not mentioned that the light was broken/failed in any case, just that in their opinion it was difficult to see despite it being at warning post level which by definition means it was the correct height to be seen. We can see in the video that the light is more than adequate in both height and brightness to be seen from a very long distance away.
Lest we forget the road was straight so should have seen the light from hundreds of metres away if not further.
Problem is with adding more and more we always get into the light war scenario which we will never win and because of weak government allowed ridiculously bright lights for motorists and indeed people on bikes. Hi-vis is futile and proven to be bunk. Either you're looking or you aren't, we've had this discussion so many times abut the efficacy of reflectives and hi-vis.
Again, putting the onus of safety onto the vulnerable never, ever works, all it does is cause victim blaming to be more prevalent and motorists to carry on driving like wankers.
Just seen the video on Facebook just few moments ago. Investigating the rear light if sufficiently bright to meet the standard of road rules..
This is looking shocking - what a catalogue of errors by the Police !
I remember driving a fast dual carriageway in the Lakes once - pitch black - no lights around.
I still spotted a bloke all in black with no lights cycling along. Thankfully he had pedal reflectors on- and you could see him for a massive distance. I'd not risk it myself but this worked really well. If you have to have reflective kit on - bung it on your feet or legs. The movement really shows you are a cyclist.
From the video and the pictures there should be no debate that Mike was visible. Do they think he'd cheated death all the way along his route ? Are they ignoring the other witnesses ?
Or are they covering their arse as they didn't charge the young driver in the first place and now have to make the evidence agree with their decision.
This all day long. We can only hope that police are exposed and IF Anna does decide she wants to take matters further then I for one would put some money toward her taking down the corrupt Australian police, they're clearly agenda driven/discriminatory, not least incompetent, it's not a surprise in NSW really is it!
"agenda driven"? what when it comes to someones death? A real persons death? Pull your head in mate.
You don't think that might happen? Really...?
I'm not your 'mate', nor would I wish to be, the police clearly are agenda driven, or are you ignorant of the unlawful acts by police and rife discrimination that occurs every single day against cyclists to the point were people are being forced off the roads and/or unlawfully penalised for doing nothing wrong.
Are you so utterly blind?
Looks like reporters aren't highlighting an extremely important point (from https://cycle.org.au/index.php/articles/mike-hall-inquest/169-day-1-of-t...):
So, a driver with a non-roadworthy car hits and kills a cyclist and yet there's no Allison style call for a harsh sentence.
the guardian story incorrectly states that the driver involved in the fatal collision held a "provisional" license - should read "probationary" license in Victoria this means has logged hours as a Learner driver and passed a driving test (min age in Vic 18) but like all newer drivers has some restrictions and higher points penalties for offences - pick up on this in case anyone thinks he should have been supervised at the time - nope
https://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/licences/your-ps/p1-and-p2-probationary-...
I can't spell germane...
Will take that one I thought had crossed from Victoria into ACT bit dumb as not possible
Latest report from the Grauniad: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/sep/25/mike-hall-inquest-two-other-drivers-almost-hit-ultra-endurance-cyclist-court-hears and I take this as the pertinent point:
But a third driver, who had enhanced lights on her car, said she saw reflective strips on his arms and legs which were visible with headlights on low beam.
Jennifer Perrin spotted Hall on her way to work in Canberra, saying it was possibly the first time in 31 years living in the region she had seen someone riding on that road.
“It was very odd to see a cyclist on the road and particularly at that time of day,” she said.
Basically - Australians don't expect to see cyclists, so they are, with the best will in the world, not looking for them.
I suspect that this is what has happened - hurtling down the freeway, making sure you stay on the road but that's it, because if you hit wildlife then 'Meh!' and you "know" you don't need to look for vulnerable road users.
So it's OK to kill a cyclist? Even one with a working back light?
I hope Australian cyclists take the police to court.
That roadside marker post is in the middle of the road. What gives?
Here is a picture taken not long before the incident.
mikehallvisible.jpg
Thats pretty damn visible, if you ask me. Even if you dont, its pretty damn visible.
The driver must have been looking the wrong way or something. Maybe he got confused about which window was the front window, or which seat was his and was in the process of scootching over? Maybe the truck that distracted him had, oh I dont know, pictures of tits on it or something? Maybe he had gotten to a really good bit in his book (which I can only assume was a colouring in book).
Either way this crock of shit about MH not being visible enough is enough to make my stomach turn. And tgat the Aussie police are buying then propagating it is fucking reprehensible.
Strongly suggest people check out the blogpost on the inquest by the Australian Cycle Alliance, who have members in attendance.
Key questions they raise:
Summary: here comes another incompetent inquest.
Is this significant? eg. Would the driver not have been able to get to work on time if he'd left at 5:30am and therefore had to have driven faster than the speed limit to get there?
Yep agenda driven.
The same thing happened in the Allison case. The police used a different type of bike, different tyres, different braking system to test stopping distance using a line the office could see. This was used as EVIDENCE in a court.
These people are meant to handle national security, dna etc. to prosecute beyond reasonable doubt yet they can set up deliberately misleading evidence to present.
Are you suggesting it's an accident?
The guff about the light being at the same height as marker posts seems like yet more reason to be cynical at all the pious advice directed at vulnerable road users about 'being seen'.
No matter what you do the authorities will find some reason to excuse drivers for not seeing you (cf Michael Mason and the 'lights blending in with all the other lights on the street'). You'll never be visible enough (until your lights are 'dangerously dazzling' of course).
that point seemed misleading to me too - even it was at the same height and was mistaken for a marker post, unless the driver was deliberately trying to hit a marker post (albeit a moving marker post....) then there would have been no collision. Marker posts are there for drivers safety and meet state standards so if his light was as bright and at the same height (i.e. Where it can be seen) then there should be no need to discuss his visibility to drivers
What do you expect from a country in which drivers jump out and threaten to attack cyclists with massive knives and not actually get sent to jail but yet fine cyclists massive amounts for next to nothing.
My brother moved over there and said driving standards are garbage compared to the UK. I'm not quite sure why he's still there as nothing much seems better than over here.
Just found this, the bullshit about MH lights is exposed massively!
https://www.facebook.com/Bikepacking/videos/691735341190480/?q=mike%20ha...
Also it seems that Mike Hall's clothing were not kept so that no-one can actually know for sure if his clothing had any reflective parts to it, not that that should matter one jot in any case!
However I can see that he has a reflective strip on the back of his jersey and possibly his helmet, if you can't see someone lit as Mike clearly is then what the fuck are you actualy doing on the road. I hope the police are exposed as liars following this massively important video!
Anna's reasoning as to why she wants to be at the inquest. The crowdfunding has allowed her to have legal representation at the inquest so hopefully some questions will be answered.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/national/anna-s-long-journey-to-bear-wi...
The more I read what's already being said the more angry I've gotten, if Mike's light was at the same height as the reflective strips on marker posts then surely that is sufficient to be seen right, aren't the markers there as a warning! It gets fucking worse the more I realise what a bunch of cunts Australian police are, in exactly the same mould as the twats in Ryhll and London etc.
Typical police bullshit regarding dark clothes and lights/reflectives. If the driver is going at a speed they can stop well within the distance they can see to be clear even if MH had no lights at all there would be no collision.
Facts are that he had a legal rear light, his clothing type is immaterial, if the driver didn't see the lights or see him by his own lights then he was not fit to drive and/or clearly distracted that he'd have crashed into anything on the road.
It doesn't sound like there was any braking by the killer either, bunch of wankpuffins have already effectively let this cunt go free!
I think then that is a serious problem with the infrastructure on their roads, isn't it? Bicycles tend to be a pretty standard height
The Hunger Games on wheels comment is disgraceful. It's clear the trial is already prejudiced .
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