2022 Cycling Fatalities

[brumby33]

Another Cyclist was killed after being hit by a white van overnight in Thornbury, Melbourne around 10.30pm

https://www.9news.com.au/national/victo ... ne-_181122

RIP Bike rider, Condolences to your family & friends.

[Bunged Knee]

Cyclist dies following crash - Coffs Harbour

https://www.police.nsw.gov.au/news/news ... YWxsPTE%3D

A man has died following a crash on the state’s north coast earlier this month.

Emergency services were called to Sawtell Road, Toormina, following reports of a crash involving a truck and cyclist, on Thursday 10 November 2022.

NSW Ambulance paramedics attended and treated a 72-year-old cyclist for leg injuries.

The man was taken to Coffs Harbour Base Hospital before being airlifted to Gold Coast University Hospital (Wednesday 23 November 2022).

The truck driver, a 28-year-old man, was taken to Coffs Harbour Base Hospital for mandatory testing.

Officers from Coffs/Clarence Police District have commenced inquiries into the circumstances surrounding the crash.

As inquiries continue, police are appealing for anyone who may have witnessed the incident or has dash cam footage is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

A brief will be prepared for the information of the Coroner.

May he Rest'n'RideInPeace.
Condolences to his family and friends.

[familyguy]

Reports of a rider dying after falling off bike in Hunter Valley this morning. No vehicle, just came off and hit a culvert apparently.

[Bunged Knee]

Reports of a rider dying after falling off bike in Hunter Valley this morning. No vehicle, just came off and hit a culvert apparently.

59yo rider died after hitting his head while slipped on the culvert while riding on a regular organised ride with a group of cyclists at Upper Dartbrook near Scone.

Report from https://www.police.nsw.gov.au/news/news ... YWxsPTE%3D

[brumby33]

Reports of a rider dying after falling off bike in Hunter Valley this morning. No vehicle, just came off and hit a culvert apparently.

59yo rider died after hitting his head while slipped on the culvert while riding on a regular organised ride with a group of cyclists at Upper Dartbrook near Scone.

Report from https://www.police.nsw.gov.au/news/news ... YWxsPTE%3D

Yes I just read about this tragic accident just a few minutes ago as well as some of the comments in Instagram and I've got to say I'm very angry at the attitude of some people who put comments like " Karma for holding up traffic" etc.
A-wipes like that I'd love to hit with a Mack truck

[redsonic]

Looking at Google maps, it is a gravel road. I wonder if the culvert crossings were wet and slimy with all the rain lately? What a tragedy.

[trailgumby]

Davide Rebellin, who had earlier this year retired from professional racing at the age of 51, was killed by a truck driver while out for a training ride near his home in Italy. The driver fled and was arrested in Germany; he has form.

Rest in Peace.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Davide_Rebellin

https://youtu.be/3wXC8vXTXaY?t=197

[redsonic]

There’s a whole thread on this one. No names yet.

The cyclist, a 62-year-old man from Queensland, died at the scene.

https://www.theage.com.au/national/vict ... 59vye.html

That was quick, and decent charges

The man was later charged with dangerous driving causing death and failing to stop and rendering assistance.

He was released on bail on Saturday evening and will appear in Bairnsdale Magistrates Court on February 16.

The driver has been jailed for 2 years after pleading guilty to hitting Greg Burley and failing to stop and render assistance.
ABC News

[MichaelB]

Still a crap outcome, but better than some lately

[P!N20]

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-10/ ... /101518596

"....A 75-year-old Gisborne man died after he was allegedly hit while riding his bike on Black Forest Drive on Sunday.

A 19-year-old woman has been charged with dangerous driving causing death."....


RIP been feeling angry about this all week as the current open for feedback RegionalRoadsVic proposals for improving this road specifically rule out removing (the surplus, former freeway) traffic lanes to provide dedicated cycle lanes. None of the usual too expensive/not enough space arguments....

from the proposed plan:

"We are working with the community to consider
delivering $6 million of important safety improvements
along Black Forest Drive between Woodend and
Macedon, with a view to making a safer journey for
drivers, cyclists and pedestrians......

....... changing the lane configuration to two lanes to
improve safety for all road users – one lane in each
direction, a 3-metre-wide painted centre median and
on-road cycle lanes in each direction........

from the current public engagement:

".....Feedback is open until 4:00pm on 1 November 2022.

There are some aspects of the design that are not negotiable, such as:

The current lane configuration will not be changed from two lanes to one lane in each direction (a reduction of lanes will be required for safety reasons between Island Farm Road and Brick Kiln Lane and for a short distance at intersections to provide for turning lanes and other improvements).

We’ve developed the draft road designs without dedicated cycling lanes as a clear majority of the community were not in favour of changing the lane configuration to accommodate dedicated cycling lanes during the engagement process."


......."We received a large amount of qualitative feedback through the engagement period with a variety of views, however there was a strong sentiment that the community were not in favour of reducing the number of existing lanes to accommodate dedicated cycling lanes.

More than 80 per cent of email feedback received by Regional Roads Victoria about lane configuration highlighted concern about reducing the number of lanes. The majority view was also apparent during the in-person sessions.

An integral part of any project is ensuring that the communities impacted have an opportunity to have their say and influence the development and delivery of any improvements.

Regional Roads Victoria has listened to the community....."

https://engage.vic.gov.au/black-forest- ... provements

P-plater sentenced over fatal crash that killed Gisborne man Lindsay Smyrk in Woodend

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-06-23/ ... /102514622

200 hours of community service and no licence for 18 months.

[jasonc]

That's crap

[Thoglette]

That's crap

Had it not been for Vergez's guilty plea, Judge Stewart Bayles said he would have sentenced the 20-year-old Fern Hill woman to two years of imprisonment with a non-parole period of 10 months.

Judge Bayles identified two unusual aspects of the case: that Vergez stepped into the witness box and faced Dr Smyrk's family after hearing three moving victim impact statements and apologised for the pain she had caused; and that Dr Smyrk's family had shown sympathy towards Vergez.

"This is something that is not often seen in these matters," Judge Bayles said.

Worth reading the article

[warthog1]

I care not that she was upset.
Where is the recognition that failure to pay attention has resulted in the loss of life?
How does that "penalty" reinforce that people should watch where they are going whilst driving?
Don't expect any protection for vulnerable road users and don't expect a change in driver behaviour is what that "penalty" says to me.

[jasonc]

+1 to what warthog said. The current situation allows you to do it, apologise, and walk free.
Until it's treated for what it is, using a weapon to kill someone, I'll keep complaining

[elantra]

+1 to what warthog said. The current situation allows you to do it, apologise, and walk free.
Until it's treated for what it is, using a weapon to kill someone, I'll keep complaining

Yes, gives all the wrong messages to young (and old) motorists, about their driving responsibilities etc.

[MichaelB]

I care not that she was upset.
Where is the recognition that failure to pay attention has resulted in the loss of life?
How does that "penalty" reinforce that people should watch where they are going whilst driving?
Don't expect any protection for vulnerable road users and don't expect a change in driver behaviour is what that "penalty" says to me.

Yet another limp lettuce leaf punishment

[antigee]

I care not that she was upset.
Where is the recognition that failure to pay attention has resulted in the loss of life?
How does that "penalty" reinforce that people should watch where they are going whilst driving?
Don't expect any protection for vulnerable road users and don't expect a change in driver behaviour is what that "penalty" says to me.

Yet another limp lettuce leaf punishment

"She was sentenced on Friday to a two-and-a-half year community corrections order, with 200 hours of unpaid community work, and had her licence cancelled for 18 months from the date of the crash. "

8 months since the date of the killing so that's a 10month driving ban for someone who has clearly demonstrated that they are not a fit person to drive

[queequeg]

+1 to what warthog said. The current situation allows you to do it, apologise, and walk free.
Until it's treated for what it is, using a weapon to kill someone, I'll keep complaining

Yes, gives all the wrong messages to young (and old) motorists, about their driving responsibilities etc.

It's not an unsurprising result. The P-Plater who killed my two club mates in 2019 walked away with essentially the same sentence as above. Two great guys with young families, and the 19-year old driver was beaten with a wet lettuce leaf. He'd be out driving around again by now. The system does everything it can to ensure that motorists can stay on the road.

[Mububban]

Bow down and worship the almighty car, the right to drive shall not be infringed

[uart]

It's not an unsurprising result. The P-Plater who killed my two club mates in 2019 walked away with essentially the same sentence as above. Two great guys with young families, and the 19-year old driver was beaten with a wet lettuce leaf.

Watching the news the other night I noticed a young NRL player being sentence for a drunken groping of a woman's breast in a bar, and having just read this thread, it struck me that his community corrections sentence was remarkably similar to what these drivers get for negligently killing cyclists. Now I'm not trying to diminish the crime of a footballer drunkenly groping a woman in a bar, but it is interesting our courts genuinely do see those things as of roughly similar magnitude.

[warthog1]

It's not an unsurprising result. The P-Plater who killed my two club mates in 2019 walked away with essentially the same sentence as above. Two great guys with young families, and the 19-year old driver was beaten with a wet lettuce leaf.

Watching the news the other night I noticed a young NRL player being sentence for a drunken groping of a woman's breast in a bar, and having just read this thread, it struck me that his community corrections sentence was remarkably similar to what these drivers get for negligently killing cyclists. Now I'm not trying to diminish the crime of a footballer drunkenly groping a woman in a bar, but it is interesting our courts genuinely do see those things as of roughly similar magnitude.

Well said.
Most people drive to get around.
The result is it the seems right to drive is placed ahead of others' right to survive.

[warthog1]

Another country but another one that is English speaking and has the Murdoch press. It appears cycling and cyclists aren't given much respect there either.
Anyway this story is truly scary. She did nothing wrong and there was an empty lane alongside the one she was riding in.

https://road.cc/content/news/prison-van ... ete-308771

[find_bruce]

Driver was found and has been charged:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-11/ ... /101521210

Officers from the Major Crash Investigation Section arrested the 45-year-old man from Banksia Grove yesterday and seized the damaged 4WD from his residence.

Police allege he provided false information to the owner of the vehicle to explain the damage sustained in the crash, information which was subsequently included in an insurance claim.

The driver was refused bail and is due to appear before the Joondalup Magistrates Court today.

ABC updated the article to say that the driver was granted bail...

"Police did not oppose bail for Mr Mastrolembo in court, and his lawyer asked for an adjournment for four weeks for legal advice.

Mr Mastrolembo is scheduled to appear in court again on November 7."

The wheels of justice have slowly turned Costantino Carmelo Mastrolembo is on trial charged with failing to stop after hitting David John Kirby, 86 who was illegally riding an electric bicycle on a freeway.

His excuse for not stopping is that he can't tell the difference between a cyclist & a kangaroo. I presume the prosecutor will be using his lie about the location of the crash as consciouness of guilt - ie he knew he'd hit a person & lied about the location knowing that the location would implicate him in the offence.

[am50em]

In short:
David Kirby, 86, died after being hit by Costantino Mastrolembo's four-wheel-drive on the Mitchell Freeway early on a Sunday morning in October 2022.

While Mr Kirby was illegally riding an electric bike on the freeway, the judge said his reason for riding was "beside the point" and Mastrolembo's failure to stop was "callous"

What's next:
Mastrolembo, 47, put in a false insurance claim saying he had hit a kangaroo and today was sentenced to more than four years in prison.

She told Mastrolembo she was not sentencing him for causing Mr Kirby's death, but said he had put his own well-being ahead of the victim's.

Judge Christian said Mastrolembo had lied about what happened and she did not accept he believed he hit a kangaroo.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-12-04/ ... /104681040

[foo on patrol]

Another weak judge in an action against a cyclist being killed! Why would she have convicted him of the death as well as leaving the scene of an accident and falsifying a statement?

Foo