Another Australian KILLED by a DRUNK Driver ! This time 53yo Canberra High School Teacher riding through Indiana USA ! Look at Photo 1 , can ANYONE fail to see the BULKY Bike ? It is reported that the Police there are YET to consider Charges ! WHAT is to consider ? The Guy was DRUNK & Apprehended ! When you see Photo 2 , you will wonder if riding for Charity is a worthwhile way to raise Money & Awareness for Returning Service Personnel Rehabilitation . In Oz we have SoldierOn , In USA the Wounded Warrior Project and in the UK they have Help4Heroes , for which 4 Guys were Cycling from Manchester to Gibralter ( Gates of the Med Sea ) to support . 200 miles into their ride 2 of those on the road were struck by a Truck driven by a Sleeping Driver ! They were severely injured and Hospitalised ! The driver has been awarded a Driver Improvement Course ( Certificate on the WALL ?) , BUT , NO other Penalty ! This was the result for the driver that rammed me off the road on the 2nd May , the very same weekend . Had i not been rearended by that TFL Maniac , i would have ridden with the Seamon Cycling Club that these Guys were a member of , on their Sunday Ride from Altrincham Rail Station . As it was i was in severe pain and later that Sunday rode to Holyhead to cross to Dublin and then onto the Giro dItalia Grand Depart in Belfast . Photo 3 has been laminated and i carry several copies inside my shirt to pass to the Employer ( for Copying ) of ANY Vehicle that chooses to offer me a Punishment Pass whist i am on the roads . Cipo received the Italian Version of this Placard at the Tirreno-Adriatico UCI Road Race in March , he read it , put it in his pocket and then raced off to join his Cycling Developement Team ! IF he had of posed with the Media , that day , less than 30km from Lucca, would the car driver have recognised him , given him the SPACE required by Italian Law and thus saved him Surgery at the Hospital ? Somehow i doubt it ! Photo 4 is from the USA Cycling Safety Advocacy Group https://facebook/LookSaveALifeArizona If the bulk of the USA , are now legislating for Safe Pass of CYCLISTS why are the Politicians in Oz dragging their heels ? Tony Abbott should be ASHAMED of his lack of GUTS ! In 4 weeks or so UCI , the controlling Body of Cycling will have their Congress in SPAIN , whilst the UCI World Road Races take place ! IF UCI were to create a WorldWide Umbrella Cycling Safety Org. and introduce it on their Agenda there , Cyclists WorldWide would benefit ! All that is required is for UCI to introduce a Code of Conduct for Profi Racers , to Salute / Show Respect to those drivers that display Good Safe Passing Skills on the Road ! When the National Cycling Federations advise THEIR Countries Transport Employer Networks that Profi Cyclists will do their bit , then i am sure Profi Drivers will start to seek that recognition , so as to brag to their mates about being RESPECTED ! Yes it might be good if a Profi Racer followed through by Naming the GOOD , and shaming the BAD ! Tracey Gaudry , you are better at this than i , so what about having Amy Gillett Fdn , claim the CREDIT for saving Cyclists Lives WORLDWIDE ?
Posted on: Sun, 17 Aug 2014 07:43:32 +0000