"It is difficult to think of a more serious matter caused by a cycling offence"

Thursday 13 October 2016

A cyclist, who knocked over a pedestrian while riding on the pavement, leaving her with a fractured hip, was handed a £500 fine yesterday.

Cameron Forbes, 19, of Bel Royal Mews, La Route de St Aubin, admitted an offence of riding a pedal cycle on the footway dangerously, after he smashed into the woman while ‘test riding’ a bike.

The woman received several injuries from the collision, including a fractured hip which the court heard would take “many years to recover.”

Forbes, who was 18 at the time of the offence on July 11th, was cycling the wrong way down a one-way road, Commercial Street, when he clattered into the woman. 

The Magistrate’s Court heard that Forbes, a student, who intends to go to university next year, told officers who arrived at the scene that the gears on the bike were faulty and as such he did not have time to react, or avoid the woman. 

Defending Advocate Lauren Glynn told the court Forbes was full or remorse for the incident and was “mortified” at the injuries the woman had suffered. 

Advocate Glynn added: “This was an extremely unfortunate one-off incident and it is unusual for anyone to be charged with dangerously riding a pushbike.

“He was asked by his employer to test a cycle and he did so. He had no intention of causing any injury and made a decision to cycle on the pavement without thinking of the potential consequences. He did not set out that day to intentionally ride dangerously, but was asked to test a bike. The fault on the bike was in the form of a chain slipping off its gears and the defendant felt that his reactions, because of this, were not as good as they might have been.

“He is mortified at the injuries the lady has suffered. It was a short distance, but the woman suffered a serious injury and that was caused by the defendant. He does not attempt to deny his responsibility for those injuries.”

Forbes was asked for his version of the collision and told the court: “I am very apologetic and I won’t do it again.”

Forbes gave first aid to the woman after the collision and has written to her expressing his remorse. 

Assistant Magistrate Peter Harris said: “It is difficult to think of a more serious matter caused by a cycling offence.    

“I know how annoyed the public get when they see people riding on pavements and ignoring red lights, just because they are on a cycle. If there was a problem with this bike, you should not have been riding it at all, let alone on a pavement, the wrong way down a one-way street. 

“The injuries this woman, who was entirely innocent, has suffered, will take many years to recover from. Especially such a fracture of this nature. You have got to understand the serious consequences that your momentary poor decision-making has caused. 

“I don’t think you are a general danger to the public, although you were on this occasion. Hopefully you have learnt your lesson.”