Newsletter for Winter 2001
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Editorial - Young cyclist wins crash case against insurance bully boys.

In our summer issue 28 I reported the tragic case of Darren Coombes who was severely brain damaged when he was hit by a VW Golf while cycling in a cycle lane on the Isle of Wight in May 1997. The driver denied all responsibility and Provident, her insurers, initially threatened a counter suing action against Darren’s parents and the child minder looking after Darren. They claimed Darren should have been wearing a helmet and should not have been unsupervised. Judge Anthony Thompson QC heard the case at Winchester Crown Court brought by Mr & Mrs Coombes on behalf of their son on 9 October 2001. Originally the police had refused to prosecute.

There were two eyewitnesses, a van driver and a pedestrian. The van driver said Darren had cycled into the main carriageway and into the path of the car. The judge concluded that the pedestrian was telling the truth when she said the car had struck Darren after drifting into a bus lay-by next to the junction from which Darren had cycled. Although the police said her evidence did not "fit in" with their view of events the judge clearly did not believe them.

The judge said the that it was "extremely strange that (the driver) did not see the bike before she heard the collision…and

 it is extremely difficult to place great reliance on her evidence that the impact was on the carriageway." Of the van driver he said, "his account today did not tally and was at variance with the account given in his statement after the accident." He said the pedestrian was "a reliable witness whose account was the most cogent." The judge dismissed most of the police evidence as "opinion evidence" and refused the defence leave to appeal.

After the case, Trevor Coombes said, "I am dumfounded. This proves we have been telling the truth all along. Why should big companies be allowed to use bully boy tactics like this? Cyclists always get it in the neck and as a professional coach driver I know how vulnerable cyclists are. Hopefully now they will be safer on the roads. I’m glad it’s all over. Now we can concentrate on looking after Darren and making sure he is financially secure for the rest of his life."

The case reached prominence through the CTC and the national press when cyclists besieged Provident Insurance with complaints and threats to take their business elsewhere. The CTC have set up the Cyclists’ Defence Fund to fight just the type of adverse legal precedents Provident Insurance tried to bring about.

Thanks to all Spokes members who wrote to Provident Insurance on behalf of Darren.

Sam Webb

The dark – it’s the place to be seen

Treat darkness with respect and you can still get about on your bike and even learn to enjoy it. Understanding of the performance of different sorts of lights and clothes can help you survive.

Lights – You Can Never Have Enough!
A good dynamo system on your bike means that a light is always with you. If you have a regular commute (so know how long it takes) the powerful rechargeable lighting systems are very good – they are so bright you need to be careful not to blind oncoming traffic and you can see the road clearly where there are no street lights.

Simple battery lights are barely suitable for regular use.

LED lights – Great as backup to the main lights but not for use on their own – if you want to be "naughty" and use them in the flashing mode make sure you have other lights as well.

Clothing – Make it Bright!
Fluorescent yellow shows up well at dawn and dusk but not in the dark, for that you need reflective areas that catch the light from other vehicles. Consider investing in a SPOKES hi-visibility waistcoat. Running shoes that have reflective patches on the heels work well in showing the up and down motions of your feet to say that you are a cyclist.

The Bike – As Reliable as possible!
Your bike should not let you down, make sure it’s in good working order with good tyres and brakes and keep it like that all winter.

You may find you get to like riding at night – it can be very peaceful under the stars, your senses become heightened and all kinds of wildlife can be encountered – but these are more likely to be summer pleasures to look forward to.

Campaign Corner

Disappointing Traffic Conference

SPOKES members attended a transport conference held by Canterbury City Council recently. It was an ambitious plan that left members frustrated. In trying to attract business representatives, croissants and coffee were combined with an early start at 08.45 and prompt 11.45 finish. Following some presentations by Highway Engineers about recent and current studies and project work, the main item was an hour long workshop to discuss 5 questions. This was a promising idea, except that each of the five groups we were split into had 20 or more people…..all in the same room at the Westgate Hall.

It was disappointing in that communication was difficult around such a large table with the background babble of the other tables; there was domination by Council Members and Officers at times and some of the questions weren’t discussed through lack of time and difficulties with controlling the groups. Our contributions in some groups ranged from couldn’t get a word in edgeways to at best, limited.

 Each group was set the main task to comment on just one of the questions, with the promise to discuss the other four in shorter periods afterwards. One group only made it to the third question. In hindsight, it would have been better to have two 45 minute workshops with a break between to do better justice to the questions and have more groups reducing the number to something more manageable. No one would have cared if it finished nearer to lunchtime if we could all have had our say.

There was a feeling too that some of the ideas proffered by CCC were something of a "fait accompli" … here’s a new road idea what do you think? Rather than here’s a clean sheet of paper what ideas do you have?

Thank you for the invitations. We are grateful to be involved, heartening that over 100 people took part, but maybe the organisation of the event needs a bit more thought so that everybody can get in their four penn’eth.

I can’t get my leg over any more! - ‘I just could not get my leg over’, my days of cycling where over, at 58 I was planning on at least another 20 odd years. This startling situation took place 3 years ago and my trusty tourer was consigned to the garden shed - for ever – I thought.

Osteoarthritis had a firm grip on my life, my close friends now became a walking stick, whisky and paracetamol, supplemented with memories of cycling the Ring of Kerry, the Tarka Trail in North Devon, the tow path of the Kennet and Avon canal and the annual Great Dorset Bike Ride. My dream of cycling to Provence in France, was still a dream.

The inevitable happened last September, I had a total hip replacement. Amazingly, shortly after that, the stick found a new friend and I forgot how to spell paracetamol, however whisky is still my friend, but most important, I excavated my tourer from the shed. What changed everything was a letter from my old cycling buddy who had the same operation as myself and was cycling again without any difficulty. After swapping notes about support stockings, stitches, zimmer frames and district nurses, I made a concentrated effort to ‘get my leg over’ again. Not before researching step through shoppers, Bromptons, Moultons even mountain bikes but I decided to stick with my old tourer. After a few painful movements, 10 months after the operation, I succeeded in getting my leg over my friendly old Brookes and off I wobbled. I quickly remembered how to sort my gears out and in about an hour I felt that I had never been away from my bike for three years, but I had to get fit again. I think it’s time to dig out my French maps again.

Mike Weaver

Chairman’s Chat - From Andy McNally

Question: What do you call a vicar on a bicycle?

Answer: A cyclist.

This old schoolboy catch-you-out illustrates something that irks all responsible cyclists.

 The low financial outlay and lack of any competence test or compulsory insurance means that almost anyone can become a cyclist, and long may it remain so. Unfortunately, this is a double-edged sword. While very few people are excluded from joining the cycling community, it also means that there are few effective mechanisms for controlling irresponsible cyclists.

These are the people who ride on pavements, ignore "Pedestrian Zone" time restrictions and ride without lights after dark. With very few exceptions, they are men, mainly young men. For them, the bike is a stage between being a pedestrian and being able to drive. When they can legally hold a driving licence, the same people are likely to turn into motorists who have two bald tyres, one headlight and no insurance, because they are irresponsible by nature.

Does anybody call for all cars to be banned from stretches of road where pedestrians have been knocked down by irresponsible motorists? Why then do we have to suffer bans on cycling because of the actions of irresponsible cyclists?

So, what do you call a hooligan on a bicycle? A hooligan.
Did you keep your promise to join us? - Every so often a cyclist contacts Spokes with a tale of woe. Somehow, somewhere they have been involved in an accident, fallen down a pothole, been hit by a car or worse. They start by saying they are not Spokes members, but can we help? We always try our best, asking if they are CTC members. But then if they were they wouldn’t contact us in the first place. They tell us they have taken the car number, may even have a witness but the mobile number the driver gave never answers when they ring and the police aren’t really interested. So what should they do?

Every cyclist should be a member of the CTC, which will provide legal advice and possibly legal aid in the case of an accident. Spokes cannot do this. We are a purely voluntary group running largely on goodwill and enthusiasm. We think every serious cyclist in East Kent should be a member of Spokes which was set up to promote cycling in East Kent. We have been very successful, but the more members we have, the greater our voice. So if you contacted us over the last few months with a plea for help which we gave and a promise to join, have you done so yet?

CTC, 69 Meadrow, Godalming GU7 3HS
Memories of my first Spokes Ride or What’s a Spokes Ride like? - Having been cycling for several years before finding Spokes I already knew about the joys of the wind blowing in my face, the tranquillity of the countryside, a lunchtime pint in some remote pub garden and that glowing feeling at the end of the day.

But on joining Spokes I discovered additional benefits. I could switch off totally. No maps, no route planning, just be a sheep and follow the flock or a choice of cycling side by side and chatting for hours or dropping back and riding alone…….And no worries about breaking down!

There was a bunch of volunteers clamouring to mend my puncture – and they even appeared to enjoy doing it! I’ve since discovered for myself that it’s quite easy really.

So take your pick from the selection on the Events page.

Ian Rogers
Going Dutch - flat routes but look out when the wind blows - Terry Croft writes

We decided to spend our holiday cycling in Holland so there was not much planning that went into the trip. A guide book we did buy before we left said there were lots of books detailing cycle routes in Holland and available in English, so we didn’t worry too much about the route. We just checked on the internet to see what sort of areas people chose to cycle round but when we got there we found no books in English on cycle routes and not even so much as an English/Dutch phrase book. It was a good job everyone spoke English.

 Everyone knows Holland is flat, but we were unprepared for just how flat, the only inclines being on the approach to a bridge or along the coastal sand dunes. Everything else is totally flat. Ideal countryside I hear you say, but they didn’t build all those windmills without a reason, and when the wind blows there is little to stop it. Holland is wonderful for cycling though, with dedicated cycle tracks and cycle traffic lights in towns.

We cycled from Leiden to the Island of Terschilling in three days including crossing the 19 mile Afsluitdijk dam, one of the musts for a cyclist. We would thoroughly recommend Holland to anyone contemplating it.

Look out for CTC's all in cycling directory - The first comprehensive guide to businesses catering for holiday cyclists is to be published next year by the CTC. Cyclists Welcome will be an on line and hard copy accommodation, refreshment and services directory covering the whole of the UK and some parts of continental Europe.

It will include county by county details of hotels, B&Bs and hostels, cafes, pubs, tea shops, hire outlets and will be a unique opportunity for hoteliers and refreshment providers to advertise their businesses to a new market.

Cycle Tourism in the UK is currently rated at £635m per year and is expected to be worth £14 billion across Europe by 2021. Sustrans opened its 5000-mile National cycle network last year. By 2005 the mileage is expected to double to 10,000 miles.

In line with Spokes survey of the Cathedral to Coast Routes which showed a spend of over £500,000 per year the mountain bike centre at Coed-y-Brenin in North Wales, where visitor numbers have risen by 365% since 1999 has contributed £3.2m to the local economy.

Last change: 06 May 2002