Dangerous Cyclists

Of course, you can't help but feel sorry for the family of Rhiannon Bennett.
She was killed in 2007 by a cyclist who was riding on the pavement and refused to slow down. And his sentence was too short for the death he caused, his stupidity, thoughtlessness, recklessness and arrogance. And there are existing laws that could have been used more strongly there.

Unjustly bereaved parents, understandably, campaign against the things - cancer, stupid cyclists, HGVs - that have taken their children. Where a tragic death was caused by lack of regulation, or could be perceived as being so, they will campaign for more regulation. It's natural and understandable.

But you've got to look for a bit of perspective here. Even a car as little as a Fiat Panda weighs getting on for a ton, and can travel at 90 mph. Whereas Burton, at full speed, does 30mph and weighs 150lb if he's caught out in the rain. There's no comparison. A car's a deadly weapon, a bike - in most collisions - is awkward and a bit painful.

In 2009 - there were no pedestrians killed by cyclists.There were 2,222 deaths on the roads. 40 a week. 426 pedestrians killed by motorists - more than one a day.  Let's see where the changes would really help. And it wouldn't be by more rigorous punishment of cycling on the pavement.