“The lady in the car was watching Netflix”: Mum calls for CCTV cameras to protect cyclists after teenage son struck by ‘distracted’ hit-and-run driver in bike lane

Riding on the top deck of a bus near Chislehurst recently I could see down into the cab of a very substantial lorry heading into London; the driver had an iPad balanced on the steering wheel held with his thumbs with a football match playing. Unfortunately he had moved away before I could get my phone out and video him, otherwise would definitely have reported. As I recall, there have been a significant number of fatal crashes involving lorry drivers watching TV on the move; many responsible haulage companies now have CCTV in the cab and using a phone or other device is an instant dismissal offence, perhaps it's time that became a legal requirement, like a tachometer.

Riding the upper deck of a coach on the motorway I was shocked (not just "internet" shocked) at how many lorry drivers are on their devices. Their strategy is to keep half an eye on the HGV in front on the basis that they will be watching the road. Beggars belief.

This is why police go out on specially equipped lorries.
One force used buses or tells officers if they use a bus to look out for phone drivers.

Grass! Snitch !

Going by how many I saw, there's little fear of being caught.

Oh come on!  Everyone knows that painted white lines provide complete protection from two tonnes of motor vehicle!

alchemilla wrote:

Looking at the photo, I can't understand why the planters are placed to divide the bi-directional cycle lane, and not the cycle lanes from the cars?
Cameras are all very well but don't prevent incidents like this from happening.  Physical barriers would do a better job.

Maybe both are needed. I suspect that if the divider were in the centre of the road only, drivers would see a nice wide lane that just happens to have funny markings on it.

alchemilla wrote:

Looking at the photo, I can't understand why the planters are placed to divide the bi-directional cycle lane, and not the cycle lanes from the cars?

They aren't. The road is one way to cyclists only in the direction of the arrow, and cyclists coming the other way are in the same lane as the allowed motortraffic. The planters are to seperate the one way cycle lane and pedestrian spread from the pavement.

Yep, as AlsoSomniloquism says, the bit between the kerb and the planters is an extension of the pavement for pedestrians. The other side of the planters is a cyclist contra-flow. Cyclists travelling in the same direction as the motorised traffic share that lane with them.

Indeed, it should be reported as the Council correctly advised.  Maybe one is pessimistic about the likely follow up but there won't be any if it's not reported in the first place!

My reading of the article was that without cameras, and with her son too shocked to get his phone out, there was no evidence of even the type of vehicel involved, and so Mum felt there was little point in pursuing it. 

Yes, I understand that, but report it anyway.  (a) you don't know what they might dig up, and (b) even if it's nothing it still goes down as a problem that they need to fix.

Only if they confront the motorists, or put the footage on the net.  If they just quietly pass it on to the police that's fine and not spying or snitching.

Have I got that right?

chrisonatrike wrote:

Only if they confront the motorists, or put the footage on the net.  If they just quietly pass it on to the police that's fine and not spying or snitching.

Have I got that right?

Those CCTV cameras just go looking for trouble!

I'm waiting until the price comes down another order of magnitude to deploy a few dozen of my own. I'm going to use them to tackle a far more important problem first, though: who is not picking up their dog's poo from the multi-use path?

I will then collect it for a year, and return it to them all at once one night.

andystow wrote:

I'm waiting until the price comes down another order of magnitude to deploy a few dozen of my own. I'm going to use them to tackle a far more important problem first, though: who is not picking up their dog's poo from the multi-use path?

I will then collect it for a year, and return it to them all at once one night.

I'm not sure you've thought this through. Where are you going to keep a year's worth of dog poo?

hawkinspeter wrote:

I'm not sure you've thought this through. Where are you going to keep a year's worth of dog poo?

A trash compactor bag stashed in the undergrowth near the trail. I'm fairly sure nobody will steal it.

andystow wrote:

A trash compactor bag stashed in the undergrowth near the trail. I'm fairly sure nobody will steal it.

I don't suppose you could tell me more exactly where that dog poo is?

https://bornforpets.com/2021/03/15/do-squirrels-eat-dog-poop/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GkTahVmK28

Quote:

I don't suppose you could tell me more exactly where that dog poo is?

https://bornforpets.com/2021/03/15/do-squirrels-eat-dog-poop/

Only if the dog's been munching hazelnuts.

Daclu Trelub wrote:

Only if the dog's been munching hazelnuts.

What has a hazelnut in every bite?

andystow wrote:

one night

"Merry Christmas"

hawkinspeter wrote:

Vigilante CCTV cameras?

*Dreams about Vigilante CCTV cameras;

Automatic turret reducing vehicles whose driver is breaking the law to scrap metal sounds like an excellent way to improve road safety, with some drones to clean up wreckage for recycling.