A schoolgirl's picture urging drivers to look out for cyclists, drawn after her mother was killed while cycling in Liverpool has gone viral on social media after one of her schoolteachers shared it on Twitter
Under the words “Be Aware For Clare,” the picture drawn by Anabel Killey also depicts a road bike as well as her mother, who died after a collision involving three cars and two bicycles in Hale Drive, Speke on 28 February.
The teacher’s tweet was shared hundreds of times and saw messages of support sent to the family, including from former Liverpool footballers Jamie Carragher, Robbie Fowler and Stephen Gerrard.
Clare Killey, aged 45, was a keen cyclist who held a number of QOMs on Strava, the Liverpool Echo reports.
A health visitor who inspired many others to get active whether through running or cycling, she was on a training ride with a friend called Tony when she was killed. He receives seriously injured in hospital.
Her husband Peter Killey accompanied Anabel and her brother James, aged 10, to a vigil held in their mother’s memory last week.
"The kids have taken it so well, they've been so brave,” he said. “James has gone in to see his schoolfriends today.
"They are bearing up, they are better than me, they have been so strong.
"Me and Clare didn't do anything apart, we took turns cycling, and the kids would even come out on their bikes.
"On Monday, Anabel went to school on her bike, riding in on her BMX,” he added.
A number of tributes have been left at the scene, and yesterday the family returned there on what would have been Mrs Killey’s 46th birthday.
"The messages of support and the inscribed water bottles at the scene, that's a traditional cycling thing, and I'd be lost without it,” Mr Killey said.
One message taped to a water bottle read: “To an incredible kind-hearted and spirited woman.
"A true cyclist who could leave us all behind when out riding.
"Making us bust a lung just trying to keep up, you will be sadly missed by us all. Miles xxx."
Another said: “Clare was such an inspirational lady. Every Strava, always out rain and shine, posting your weather report and what attire you had on, so we all had an idea how cold or warm it was out.
"You even made me see that being out on a windy day on a bike was a big thing. A good bit of wind resistance cycling."
A third said: “I know you'll still be setting QOM segments and PRs up in heaven, you'll be forever missed. Wesley and family.”
Mr Killey expressed hope that his wife’s death might result in greater understanding between road users.
"All I wanted in the months to come was some sort of safety message, through Clare, to be relayed,” he said.
"There are small laws everybody can learn, so we [cyclists] are not seen as the enemy and so we don't see drivers as the enemy.
"This was a freak accident, and it's got to be a good thing to promote understanding so cyclists get more room on the road.
"When I ride, I don't shout at people, even if a motorist has nearly knocked me into a hedge,” he added. “Nine times out of ten drivers will say: 'I'm sorry, I didn't know'."
A 21-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and serious injury by dangerous driving in connection with the fatal collision, which happened close to Liverpool John Lennon Airport.
The motor vehicles involved were a white Ford Fiesta, a red Ford Fiesta and a red Ford C-Max, and Merseyside Police are continuing their investigations.
They have repeated appeal for witnesses or anyone who has dashcam footage to come forward and can be contacted on 0151 777 5747 or 101, quoting reference number 0822 of 28.02.19.
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Wow. Didn't think I would need a tin foil hat in a thread about a schoolgirl's appeal for road safety after the death of her Mother.
'Most British people are ignorant of history and politics'
QED.
SO
MUCH
IRONY
That doesn't work.
Well, let me qualify that: that doesn't generally work against people whose IQ is above 70.
You can disagree with me as much as you like, but claiming that I am 'ignorant of history and politics' just makes you look silly and bitter.
But .. *shrug*
But, apparently, it's OK to call me ignorant of history and politics because I disagree with the extent of your cynicism about this country. Good to know.
Well I was riding in and around Birmingham back then, just generally nicer on the roads, I preferred it than commuting in Reading. The countryside on and off roading was great until Foot and Mouth shut it down.
Why do police ask for dash cam footage but seem so often to discount the admissibility of bike camera footage?
Condolences to the family.
Given the descriptions it definitely doesn't sound like they were racing...
EDITORIAL TEAM: Can I suggest not accepting comments on this piece please to avoid potentially influencing any court case which may follow, given the arrest? Defence teams sometimes search for social media/news comments and use them as a device to say their client hasn't been given a fair trial.
I'm sure it was just an oversight.
Thanks.
Good point, but sadly I'd imagine that boat has sailed if the story has gone viral on Twitter.
Didn't stop the labelling of a cyclist (or indeed any cyclist who are all apprently wrong 'uns) who was in collision with a pedestrian who later died, from being lynched in the media/social media before the trial and for government to act on that media frenzy to punish people on bikes further!
Somehow none of this national/international deluge was seen nor heard by the jury, judge, police, CPS etc etc
Very sad. But ultimately, a waste of time and effort.
The car driver is king in this country, and until that changes, cyclists will be seen as 'road lice' and entirely responsible for whatever befalls them.
One cannot change culture overnight. But one can kill or seriously injure people who adhere to it.
But of course, I'm not advocating this in any way.
I disagree.
Often change begins with or can be influenced by one seemingly insignificant event or statement. Even though it won't change the whole 'culture' in the UK it will surely have an effect on some people and can be a powerful piece of evidence when arguing for meaningful change.
That's your prerogative.
The above is (as far as I can tell) predicated on your naïve belief that the UK is a 'country like any other'. It isn't. Britain is a far-right, militaristic kleptocracy where prejudice and inequality are institutional and where right-wing media control almost the entire legislative class.
You're a cyclist. You're therefore insignificant, worthless scum. To the tories who run Britain, you're worth less than what they scraped off their arse after this morning's constitutonal.
So it was a nice place for cyclists 1997 -2010?
What happened between 1997 and 2010?
Legs 11 is talking about the Britain that has developed over centuries. There was brief moment of hope when we had the Atlee government, but even that turned out to be militaristic. Kleptocracy continues to corrupt our whole society.
Cycling is a nice diversion from reality.
Britain is the most corrupt country in the world.
And currently, one of the most militaristic. Certainly the most militaristic in Europe.
And one of the most inegalitarian.
Really, considering the state of the country, the only remarkable thing isn't that a couple of dozen cyclists get killed every year. It's that the figure isn't ten times as high.
Probably not the most corrupt or militaristic, but way worse than the population thinks it is and than the political class pretend it is...
Britain is by no means the most corrupt country in the world. I lived in Nigeria for a few years and the corruption there is almost beyond belief. There are many corrupt nations in the world that are also more militaristic than the UK, with Russia sprining to mind.
Well, no.
For a start, Nigeria does not 'enjoy' the almost complete impunity and freedom for dirty money to transit through its borders, no questions asked. A baksheesh for some politicians, doesn't make for 'institutionalised corruption'. I would recommend the writings of Roberto Saviano, as they might clear up your ignorance (although I suspect that your naïveté is terminal).
Also, Russia is only 'militaristic' if you enjoy cutting out and keeping the infographics of Eurofighters in the Daily Mail, and if you believe that the 'red bear' is knocking at the door of Europe. Russia has been involved in fewer military 'adventures' than the UK, and the fact that its military is greater, is not the same as being 'militaristic' but is largely a remnant of having inherited much of the former Soviet Union's infrastructure at the end of the Cold War. Russia has neither the intention nor the desire to attack Europe (or any other place, for that matter), and the so-called 'interference' in foreign elections and referendums is a figment of the western press's imagination and a manifestation of the Russophobia that our ruling classes use to divert us from the neoliberal rape of resources.
Putin is undoubtedly a somewhat unpleasant character, but you don't get to be leader of any country nowadays without being something of a psychopath. He is no worse than Theresa May with her obsessive, irrational, hysterical hatred of immigrants, but the difference is that our press obeys an unofficial 'omerta' about the Prime Minister's innate racism.
EDIT: No, I'm not 'a Russian troll'.
Russia doesn't have the desire, but they would if they thought they could win, hence Ukraine, Montenegro.
But, you got that bit wrong about interference. It simply isn't true, the intereference is happening, it's a "war" (I wouldn't choose that word, maybe campaign?) of misinformation, unfortunately it actually also works in favour of those in power in Britain as it divides everyone else while deflecting the blame towards Russia (a "common enemy"), it also works for the actual Elite as it's a distraction from the bigger problems... (one of which is the ignorant people who believe everything they are selectively fed on facebook, etc. and don't do any fact-checking).
I'd also disagree with Britain being the most corrupt country in the world and militaristic.
A friend's dad lived in Nigeria most of his adult life, but sadly passed away last year. My friend had to travel to Nigeria to deal with the funeral arrangements. My parents fortunately are still around, so I have no concept of what it will be like to say goodbye to them finally will be like, but the stories my friend tells of his time in Nigeria would truly put the wind up anybody.
Does reading one person's book about a country make you an expert?
Thank you for correcting my warped view of this island* and my own status as a citizen.
I will henceforth accept all road deaths as a meaningless number.
I feel so much better informed about British political history now.
* Er, it is an island, isn't it? Or have I got that wrong too? Perhaps the right-wing militaristic kleptocracy you are so enamoured with has falsified all the maps and fooled us into thinking that Britain is surrounded by water when in fact that's not the case.
Not really sure of the purpose of the little meme about 'an island'.
Not sure what that means, either.
I should hope so. Most British people are ignorant of history and politics. You probably think that Britain is 'a democracy', that the Queen 'has no power', that Question Time is an 'exercise' in that 'democracy', that your vote actually 'counts' in determining public policy, that there is 'separation of powers', that we have 'a constitution', a 'free press' and that we are 'policed by consent', too.
There are undoubtedly more.