Cyclist killed in van crash (From Oxford Mail)

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Cyclist killed in van crash

10:35am Friday 4th July 2008

comment Comments (26) Have your say »

By Matt Wilkinson »

A cyclist was killed and a second is fighting for his life after a collision with a van in south Oxfordshire last night.

Ambulance crews were called to the A4130 at Bix, near Henley, at 8pm.

A 25-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene while a 38-year-old man was taken to the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading with multiple injuries to his neck, chest and back.

The collision happened on the dual carriageway stretch of the road heading towards Wallingford.

Police closed the road for four hours.

A motorist was arrested and released on bail until August 22 on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.

Police have issued an appeal for information.

Witnesses are urged to contact 08458 505505 or 0800 555111.

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slowdown, says...
11:25am Fri 4 Jul 08

why are all van drivers such arseholes? this **** should be banged up and be banned from driving for life. then he would have get on a bike.

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colin, faringdon says...
12:22pm Fri 4 Jul 08

Not ALL van drivers are arseholes. I drive one and do see cyclists thinking THEY are above the law.Why do so many ride around in the dark with dark clothes, no lights, run traffic lights, cross without warning,and cycle on FOOTPATHS, and generally ignore everyone else.They should also have to have some form of insurance as road users. Van and car divers have to pay, so should they.

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dick, oxford says...
12:30pm Fri 4 Jul 08

here we go again, another story in the Mail about cyclist, and another chance for all the petrolheads/cyclist haters to stick the boot in.
Yawn.

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Adrian, says...
1:27pm Fri 4 Jul 08

I find the attitudes being displayed very disturbing. Using tabloid trash talk about cyclist behaviour and yawning at the banality of it all make me think people may have lost perspective. A young man in his prime has had his life taken and another is fighting hard to survive. Family and friends are mourning their loss right now.
Consider their grief; be thankful you are not in their position. Be careful and respectful of all vulnerable road users Kids on BMXs , club cyclists, pedestrians, horses and riders because you and your families will at some time or another be one of those vulnerable road users. So please treat others as you would like to be treated yourself.

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Tia, Oxford says...
2:00pm Fri 4 Jul 08

Well said Adrian, I agree with everything you said

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crippled old lady, Oxon says...
2:00pm Fri 4 Jul 08

What a refreshing change to find that there are actually some intelligent people reading this paper - I find it sad that people these days seem to feel they have a right to slag off other human beings.

I just hope these idiots aren't on the receiving end of such sadness. Back off the lot of you and show some respect.

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dick, oxford says...
2:12pm Fri 4 Jul 08

Adrian wrote:
I find the attitudes being displayed very disturbing. Using tabloid trash talk about cyclist behaviour and yawning at the banality of it all make me think people may have lost perspective. A young man in his prime has had his life taken and another is fighting hard to survive. Family and friends are mourning their loss right now.
Consider their grief; be thankful you are not in their position. Be careful and respectful of all vulnerable road users Kids on BMXs , club cyclists, pedestrians, horses and riders because you and your families will at some time or another be one of those vulnerable road users. So please treat others as you would like to be treated yourself.

If you're email is aimed at me, then you have missed the point of my message, either that or I just didn't express myself very clearly.
I fully sympathise with the two cyclists involved in the accident, I cycle myself every day in Oxford and know the dangers it involves.
The point I was trying to make is that whenever there is a report in the Mail about an incident involving cyclists, it is a cue for all of the petrolheads and anti-cyclists, who have no idea of what happened in the reported incident, to immediately jump in and blame everything on the cyclist. That is what I was trying to get across, and that is what the 'yawn' was aimed at.

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cottage2day, Cowley says...
2:15pm Fri 4 Jul 08

Here here to the above 3. It is a shame that this has happened. Lets just feel for the families and stop passing blame to anyone.

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angie, berinsfield says...
2:38pm Fri 4 Jul 08

my husband was the first one to stop at this collision and we all just feel for the families that had the bad news about the crash.

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Katie, says...
3:38pm Fri 4 Jul 08

I do think that cyclists are a law unto themselves as they do not pay any road tax etc. and often ignore red lights and various other rules.
However you must also remeber that someone has lost there life, there are no full details and so how can you all just blame eachother, it's a disgrace.

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Adam, Oxford says...
3:40pm Fri 4 Jul 08

All cyclists are idiots, they should not be on the road they are a hazard to everyone including themselves.
If someone is killed in a car crash, its just, oh well, but when it's a cyclist everyone else is in the wrong except for them.

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G, woxon says...
3:53pm Fri 4 Jul 08

Someone has been killed and everyone starts on the car vs bike arguments. Hope you are all happy with your comments - and hope you'd feel happy about them if the same happened to you.

My condolences to all involved.

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Emma, Abingdon says...
4:07pm Fri 4 Jul 08

The point here is anyone can be seriously injured or die whilst using the road whether they are walking, driving or cycling. I think that maybe if drivers have to do do a test and a theory tesat then maybe cyclist should to. Considering that you only have cycling proficiency in primary school, i feel maybe if they had to pay tax and pay for tests then maybe they will pay more attention.
Having said that i am not sure of what happened in this case and my deepest sympathy goes out to those people affected. Again an unneccessary tragedy.

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Ian, says...
5:22pm Fri 4 Jul 08

The reason for the protection that many cyclists need is due to the excessive consideration made for cars... If we planned our streets for PEOPLE, on bith foot and bicycles, assisted in their mobility by public transport, rather than the car, then this sort of tragedy would occur far less, if at all.

This has been proven, but the AA, RAC are such powerful lobbies along with car manufacturers and hauliers, that the pedestrian and cyclists are rarely considered in street design.

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Mike, East Oxford says...
6:28pm Fri 4 Jul 08

I drive in Oxford daily.

Basic respect for red lights, pedestrian crossings and a more general awareness of traffic would make life easier.

Perhaps turning off i pods/mobile phones/blackberries! Would make the situation much better.

Cyclists; inawareness of their surroundings makes life for all traffic very vunerable to errors.

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James, Reading says...
8:10pm Fri 4 Jul 08

How dare anyone slag off the young man who was killed. This young man I knew very well and was on a club cycling event. Just think before you write such abusive and rude and **** write arrogant comments because if it was a member of your **** family you would be extremely mortified! THINK!

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Kaye, Oxford says...
9:59pm Fri 4 Jul 08

Why oh why doesn't the OM have some respect for the families of victims of accidents whoever was to blame and not permit this kind of mud slinging - monitor the posts - and just allow condolences . WHY DIDN'T THESE IDIOTS GROW OUT OF THIS THIS KIND OF CHILDISH BEHAVIOUR WHEN THEY LEFT KINDERGARTEN.

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SK, Reading says...
10:32am Sat 5 Jul 08

I am extremely upset and outraged by some of these comments. I also knew the young man that was killed. He was the nicest person I have ever had the pleasure of meeting and he lived and breathed Cycling. I will miss him greatly and my thoughts will forever be with his family.

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SW, Oxfordshire says...
8:42pm Sat 5 Jul 08

Like SK I too am extremely upset by some of the comments, I know the van driver and he is not an ****hole, unless you know the full facts you shouldnt make such sweeping statements - he was arrested with suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving. He has to live with this for the rest of his life. My condolences to the families involved.

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JC, Hertfordshire says...
6:39pm Sun 6 Jul 08

This accident is such a huge tragedy to all those involved and their families...It can happen to any driver, cyclist or motorcyclist so very easily...but for the grace of god go I...My condolences to all the families involved.

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woodie, Rose Hill says...
1:54am Tue 8 Jul 08

So many Cyclist value their lives as nothing, they ride with no head protection, no lights, run red lights and basicly have no respect for their lives.

I ride a bike and NEVER would I ever ride without a helmet, lights and I ALWAYS obay the highway code, this is why in 40 years of cycling in this bust city I have NEVER been knocked off or had any problem, other than having to take constnt avoidance of other cyclists and the odd bad driver.

When I drive a car myself I drive a Volvo, this is as it is very safe, it costs me dearly in added fuel and tax and insurance prices, but the fact that my life is protected as much as possible it worth the cost.

WHY WHY WHY dont other cyclists take more care, just a second paid on paying attention and obaying the highway code could be the difirence between enjoying cycling to work/school/college etc in saftey, and getting to your destination in one peice, to not getting any place except the local morgue.

It is not a hard decision to make, or not that is hard to understand, so why why why do SO many risk their lives?

We do not know the FULL facts of this incident, but either way SOMEONE could and SHOULD have paid more attention to their actions, and they will have to live with what has happend for the rest of their lives... And that will not be easy.

My sincere condolences go the family of the dead man and to those of the injured man my best wishes for a swift recovery.

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John, Oxford says...
12:37pm Tue 8 Jul 08

I must say there are some plonkers here :

All cyclists are idiots - Adam you're a fool

ipods/mobile phones/blackberries! - Mike - what about drivers and phones, SatNavs etc?

Not ALL van drivers are arseholes - Colin - but most are

cyclists are a law unto themselves as they do not pay any road tax etc AND maybe if they had to pay tax and pay for tests then maybe they will pay more attention - Katie/Emma - many cyclists are car drivers too - when on a bike the road is clearer but do they get a rebate?

driver has to live with this for the rest of his life - SW - too bad - not an option for the cyclist

WHY don't other cyclists take more care - woodie - WHY don't DRIVERS take more care

Sadly mostly rants about how bad cyclists are and how they shouldn't be on the road as if drivers have a divine right to be there and not hindered - disgraceful

One of a few balanced views :

Be careful and respectful of all vulnerable road users - Adrian - yes!

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Andy M, Worcester says...
8:39pm Tue 8 Jul 08

We ALL see careless cyclists. We ALL see drivers speeding. We've ALL been scared by lorry drivers. It proves what? Anthony, you were a real man. Strong in the body, strong in the head, strong of heart and strong in spirit, with real love for everyone you met. We will miss your smile and your easy way. Like last Tuesday when I heard the grin in your voice as you passed the phone to your dad. Anthony you've gone too soon. Uncle A.

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Clare, Reading says...
11:38pm Tue 8 Jul 08

Adam wrote:
All cyclists are idiots, they should not be on the road they are a hazard to everyone including themselves. If someone is killed in a car crash, its just, oh well, but when it's a cyclist everyone else is in the wrong except for them.

Anthony was NOT an idiot. As a club rider out on a club run, he was more acutely aware and respectful of the dangers of the road, than most casual riders. The life of a very special young man who had everything to look forward to and who never had a bad word for anyone, has been taken away from his mum and dad, his sister, his grandparents, his aunts, his uncles, his cousins and his friends. So, Adam, I hope you never receive the news that our family has. God bless you Anthony. Gone, but never forgotten. Aunty Clare x

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Jon Gardner, Canterbury says...
11:31am Mon 11 Aug 08

http://dev.bikeforal
l.net/news.php?artic
leshow=244

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Dave Maynard, Reading says...
8:12pm Fri 22 Aug 08

ANTHONY's DAD SPEAKING...

7 weeks on, still in grief, obviously, and forever...

To those here who feel self righteous enought to tar all cyclist with the same brush:

Anthony was a mature, reponsible individual, Never jumped red lights, Never rode irresponsibly, had ridden many hundreds of miles in Europe without a single incident. He was as far from the stereo typical bmx mounted hoodie as Everest is from here. Please show some restraint. It's bad enough to accept that Anthony was hit from behind in broad daylight, in perfect conditions, by a Transit van, on a road that had two lanes per direction, let alone have to listen to those who pontificate with no qualifications to do so. I am both a cyclist And a driver. Yes, I Do know better than some of you talking here.

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