{"id":160598119,"date":"2010-02-02T18:35:19","date_gmt":"2010-02-02T18:35:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.baltimorespokes.org\/?p=160598119"},"modified":"2010-02-02T18:35:19","modified_gmt":"2010-02-02T18:35:19","slug":"it-was-just-one-of-those-things","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.baltimorespokes.org\/?p=160598119","title":{"rendered":"It Was Just One Of Those Things"},"content":{"rendered":"

By : Rick Bernardi
\n \u201cI didn\u2019t see him.\u201d
\nIt\u2019s the most common excuse negligent drivers make after colliding with a cyclist. And it makes no difference whether the cyclist is wearing bright colors or "lit up like a Christmas tree"\u2014negligent drivers will still utter these four words after hitting the cyclist. Except, of course, in the Netherlands, where the presumption of liability encourages drivers to be more careful about seeing cyclists.
\n
\nIn a recent case in the United Kingdom, a driver accused in the death of a cyclist offered \u201cI didn\u2019t see him\u201d as her defense. \u201cHe came out of nowhere,\u201d19 year-old Katie Hart explained.
\nOn May 3 of 2009, Hart was driving on the A1 carriageway. A 25 mile time trial was underway that day; British Army Major Gareth Rhys-Evans was riding in the time trial, when Hart hit him from behind. Upon impact, Rhys-Evans was thrown up over and behind Hart\u2019s car. Despite the best efforts of his fellow competitors and paramedics, Rhys-Evans died at the scene of he crash. 38 years old, Rhys-Evans left behind a wife and two young children.
\nAnother cyclist, Clare Lee, who had been passed by Hart moments before, described what happened:
\n \u201c[Hart\u2019s car] passed so close to me that it took my breath away, about a foot away."
\nLee said that her \u201cheart sank\u201d shortly afterward, when she arrived at the crash scene and realized that the same car that had brushed so closely by her had just hit a cyclist.
\nAt trial, Hart had no recollection of passing Lee, and told the Crown Court that she did not see Rhys-Evans until after the impact, when she looked in her rear-view mirror and saw that she had hit a cyclist.
\nIn the immediate aftermath, Hart was described by witness as \u201chysterical.\u201d
\n\u201cIt was just one of those things,\u201d she explained to police at the scene.
\nIt was just one of those things.
\nOn January 27, 2010, Hart was found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving, and will be sentenced on February 15.
\nhttps:\/\/www.bicyclelaw.com\/blog\/index.cfm\/2010\/2\/2\/It-Was-Just-One-Of-Those-Things<\/a>oldId.20100202183519694<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By : Rick Bernardi \u201cI didn\u2019t see him.\u201d It\u2019s the most common excuse negligent drivers make after colliding with a cyclist. And it makes no difference whether the cyclist is wearing bright colors or "lit up like a Christmas tree"\u2014negligent drivers will still utter these four words after hitting the cyclist. Except, of course, in … <\/p>\n

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