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Emma Way tweetEmma Way found guilty on 2 of 3 counts in #bloodycyclists case
Emma Way, the motorist who tweeted about having knocked a cyclist from his bike, has been found guilty of failing to stop after an accident and failure to report an accident. However, she has been cleared of a third count relating to careless driving.
Way was fined £300, will have her driving licence endorsed with 7 penalty points and also has to pay £337 in costs.
The BBC reported that earlier today, she had told Norwich Magistrates' Court: "The tweet was spur of the moment. It was ridiculous and stupid and I apologise to all cyclists."
She added that posting that message on Twitter is “the biggest regret of my life so far.”
Shortly after the incident in Rockland, Norfolk on Sunday 19 May which left cyclist Toby Hockley with minor injuries, Way posted a tweet on the social network that read: “Definitely knocked a cyclist off his bike earlier – I have right of way he doesn't even pay road tax!" together with the hashtag, #bloodycyclists.
The 21-year-old was charged with careless driving, failing to stop after an accident and failing to report an accident.
Way told Norwich Magistrates’ Court tday that as a result of her tweet, and the media storm that followed, she had lost her job as a trainee accountant.
ITV reports that her solicitor asked her to rate, on a scale of 1 to 10, how stupid it was to tweet about the incident. She replied, “11.”
Way, who denied the charges, claimed that the handlebars of Mr Hockley’s bike had clipped her vehicle and that she saw him wobble slightly as she looked into her rear-view mirror, leading her to assume he was okay. She added that she was unable to stop due to a blind corner.
The cyclist, riding a sportive with a friend, told the court that although he did not come off his bike, he did end up in a hedge.
"A car came around the corner, narrowly missing Jay," he recalled.
"The car was heading over to my side of the road.
"I was hit on the leg by the wing and on the arm by the wing mirror and tried to slam on my brakes to regain control."
That infamous #bloodycyclists hashtag was reappropriated by cyclists in the wake of May's incident, with Mr Hockley himself helping set up the bloodycyclist.com website which aims to "raise some awareness and money for some of the dangers that face cyclists on a daily occurrence."
Merchandise including a #bloodycyclist jersey can be bought through the site.
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.
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103 comments
I have to say, I don't find his version terribly convincing. He hits the bonnet, goes over it, hits the windscreen, hits the wing mirror. No damage to her, superficial to him. And he stays on.
BITCH
Yep, TV deal lined up for Emma Way, oh dear... wonder if it's going to be about rebuilding her image (maybe even launching her new television career) or about slagging off cyclists... either way her retardedness will land her with some cash.
Was rewatching the video on BBC.
The bottom line is not that it is bad to fail to stop at an accident scene, it is that people should be careful with social media! Says a lot.
I know nothing about the facts of this case but what I can say is that the Norwich Judiciary were not involved in this case. The case was heard in the Magistrates Court so the tribunal of fact was a Lay Bench or possibly a District Judge.
The test for driving without due care and attention (aka careless driving) is as set out above by other people contributing to this discussion. It is a pretty simple question that is, in my experience, easily understood by all juries and other tribunals of fact (e.g. Lay Benches and professional District Judges).
What I do find surprising is the disposal / sentence. Given that the cyclist sustained injuries (albeit minor) I cannot understand why the Court did not order compensation.
Her crass tweet was certainly relevant to the issue of her failing to stop / report but apart from that I am not sure added anything to the rest of the case.
Enough cash to be able to insure her car until for a few years?? The TV company (ITV Daybreak, I believe), need pressuring about this. It's not going to be a challenging interview, is it??
.
More than anything, i would like to hear that because she lost her job and earned 7 points....she had to get a bike.
ITV reports that her solicitor asked her to rate, on a scale of 1 to 10, how stupid it was to tweet about the incident. She replied, “11.”
maybe it wasn't just her driving that scuppered her prospects in accountancy then
It's curious that there was no decision to pursue the photographic evidence she herself posted on a social media site on a previous occasion.
She apparently photographed the speedo of her vehicle, boasting that she'd topped 100mph. Now exceeding the speed limit by 30mph is a banning offence, while the issue of distraction from using a camera while at the wheel should add further points to her licence.
Why was this not followed up?
I find her suggestion that she was only driving at 15 mph at the time laughable!
Is it not a pointer of severe neglect of responsibility when she quotes that her tweet is her biggest regret, not hitting a human being with her vehicle?
She should be made to retake her test.
Just checked her comments on BBC website, apparently it was the cyclists fault & we've all been mean to her. Poor misunderstood dear.
Obviously no lesson learned for most morons - except carry on but don't tweet about it.
Hopefully she'll be such a TV success we can vote her in for bush tucker trials...
Remorseless c*nt!
I got an email reply from itv confirming no payment made.
No payment made at all or no fee paid?
Was she able to claim "expenses"?
She's not worth the paper............
However, it's clear that any number of people (including policians, etc) have stated how they have regreted Tweeting, posting, etc their misdemeanours on line. When will the judiciary realise that this is not a statement of regret for the initial action and consequences to the victims, but is a self pitying whinge at getting caught. This mindset should carry a further penalty until such times as they stop thinking about their own circumstances and realy understand that their actions effect others.
[[[[ And another thing! How does 7 points on your licence scupper your Accountancy training? Yet more TWADDLE!
P.R.
It's probably just an exclusive interview. Either way, I'm not sure I can be bothered to give her the time of day. It'll either be trash or incendiary. I'm not interested in either.
It'd have to be charged as a separate offence. I would think that securing a conviction on the basis of a single photograph of a speedometer, at an unspecified time and location, would be tough.
I just assumed she is a secret Spinal Tap fan
I thought she was quite a pretty little thing ... which is always excellent mitigation in legal matters. Works for me anyway.
Unfortunately lots of shitty people consider lying in court to be like speeding, it's no problem if you can get away with it.
Why this aggressive hooligan wasn't banned is beyond me... until I remembered that the courts do not consider this kind of behaviour worthy of removing the offender from the road, not even for a short time. The only lesson she has learnt is not to brag about your crimes on twitter.
I saw a these earlier:
Fine for hit & run on cyclist: £337
Fine for cycling on Eastbourne prom: £500
https://twitter.com/bengoldacre/status/402810363546468352
Cycle across square £50;
put cyclist on life support by driving w/ defective sight £95
https://twitter.com/beztweets/status/402816834761523201
This is (part of) what we're up against
Yes, they are quite galling aren't they.
We all may be fairly certain it happened.
but, was she on a runway, closed track, rolling road,a faulty speedo... prove it in a court of law...
If she'd have been found guilty of the careless offence, then I suspect she might have done. Given the circumstances, and presumably a previously clean record, the sentence seems about 'right'.
Actually, if it's on her iPhone you could. It maps to the place and time it was taken….but you would have to count on her still having it on her phone.
[[[[ How tough? she herself tweeted "100mph", I thought. Add that to the photo....
P.R.
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