Hit and Run in North Devon - Bloodbike Down

[DevonianScotsman]

Hi all,

Late in the evening last Friday (14th December) one of our (Devon Freewheelers) marked response bikes was smashed on the North Devon Link Road in a hit and run incident.

The rider was responding to an urgent call to move blood samples between South Molton and Royal Devon & Exeter hospital when a van performed a u-turn with no notice, blocking the road. He had to choose between sailing straight into the van or ditching the bike - thankfully he chose the latter.
The bike slid down the road and flipped - taking out one of the panniers and a good deal of the fairing. The rider ended up lying dazed in the road after sliding 50 yrds and hitting the curb, before coming to rest just short of the van.

Here's the aftermath of the crash:

The driver saw what'd happened, (unsurprisingly as there was bits of Pan and hi-viz bike gear all over the road...) and sped off - not even stopping to check on the rider who had bounced off the curb and was lying in the road.

Thankfully, the rider is recovering but the bike is likely to be a writeoff.

Heart Radio have mentioned it on their news this morning, but if anyone has any information or hears anything at all, could they please contact Devon and Cornwall Police as a matter of urgency.

Cheers guys and gals,

Rob

 

[duckspeed]

Sorry to hear of this RTC hope your rider is soon on the mend. Bike does look bad though

 

[Deleted account 231002001]

The rider was responding to an urgent call.

a van performed a u-turn with no notice, blocking the road. He had to choose between sailing straight into the van or ditching the bike - thankfully he chose the latter.

Hit and run?

Where was the hit?

Glad he's ok.

 

[DevonianScotsman]

Hit and run?
Where was the hit?

No hit as such - more 'Leaving the scene of an accident'.
I'm told that both terms can be used for this sort of thing.

Regardless, the driver broke the law by leaving the scene of the accident and the Police are very keen to speak to them.

 

[DevonianScotsman]

Just to add:

We are all volunteers, we get no money for fuel or maintenance of the bikes and do it all out of hours. We save the NHS £500K a year and use bikes because they are more mobile than cars. We are a motorcycle charity, not a car charity. We're all advanced riders and this is only the 2nd incident that's occurred since the charity was founded 4 years ago. Safety is always paramount!

The samples were collected by another rider who completed the job, still within the required timeframe.

 

[IJGser]

I'm not condoning the vans actions but lets say there's a accident on the other side of the motorway am I committing a offence if I don't stop?

 

[DevonianScotsman]

I'm not condoning the vans actions but lets say there's a accident on the other side of the motorway am I committing a offence if I don't stop?

If you don't cause or aren't involved in the incident, then you don't have to stop. The incident occurred due to actions by the van driver, so they were involved.

 

[MikeP]

The wording is: If, owing to the presence of a motor vehicle on a road............

Basically, if your presence in/on a motor vehicle, on a road causes injury to another person carried in or on your vehicle, or damage to another vehicle on the road, or property on or adjacent to the road (property includes; sheep, horse, cow, pig or dog but not cats), the driver must stop and give his details to any person who may have cause to demand them (the injured party or the owner of the property) and if failing to do so at the time, must report the accident to the police at the earliest opportunity and in any case within 24 hours where personal injury occurs.

Bloody hell. 35 years since training school and I still remember most of it (might not be word perfect though).

 

[DevonianScotsman]

The wording is: If, owing to the presence of a motor vehicle on a road............

Basically, if your presence in/on a motor vehicle, on a road causes injury to another person carried in or on your vehicle, or damage to another vehicle on the road, or property on or adjacent to the road (property includes; sheep, horse, cow, pig or dog but not cats), the driver must stop and give his details to any person who may have cause to demand them (the injured party or the owner of the property) and if failing to do so at the time, must report the accident to the police at the earliest opportunity and in any case within 24 hours where personal injury occurs.

Bloody hell. 35 years since training school and I still remember most of it (might not be word perfect though).

Thank you! That's exactly the wording that I couldn't explain, but was trying to get across.

Well done for remember all of that after 35 years!

 

[Backmarker]

(property includes; sheep, horse, cow, pig or dog but not cats)

That list is far from exhaustive, anyone know where we stand with Goat? Deer? Swan? Duck? Pheasant? Frog? Squirrel? (red and or grey) etc etc et al?

 

[MikeP]

That list is far from exhaustive, anyone know where we stand with Goat? Deer? Swan? Duck? Pheasant? Frog? Squirrel? (red and or grey) etc etc et al?

You can stand with them wherever you like. If you chose to stand with them on a road and are hit by a motor vehicle, only your injuries will count under the Road Traffic Act as none of them are defined by the Act as property.

 

[The Other PaulG]

Bloody hell people - this is a post about someone who was a charitable volunteer doing something incredibly positive with their bike at their own cost and who was tragically injured.

How the hell did we get to discussing the rights and wrongs of stopping at accidents in so few responses?

Please get a bit of perspective.

I do hope the rider gets well soon and can continue the incredibly valuable and selfless work he has been doing.

 

[IJGser]

My perspective was the legality of the van driver not hanging around!

Is there really any Selfless charity? Oops there I go again must remain strictly to your opinion on the threads contextual content.

 

[Lord Snooty]

My perspective was the legality of the van driver not hanging around!

Is there really any Selfless charity? Oops there I go again must remain strictly to your opinion on the threads contextual content.

That would help

If you have a specific query regarding the legalities then start another thread in the "That Offence Needs Seeing To" section, that's what it is there for.