Cyclist in UK banned from driving after killing a pedestrian. What about the guy who killed Chastity Rettinger?
A cyclist who knocked down an 84-year-old pedestrian who later died has been jailed for seven months and banned from driving for a year.
Darren Hall, 20, rode down a hill in Weymouth too fast he then went up on to the pavement on a blind bend to avoid a red traffic light, Dorchester Crown Court heard. Hall hit Ronald Turner in August last year. He died 13 days later.
Hall, of Weymouth, pleaded guilty to the 19th Century offence of wanton and furious driving causing bodily harm.
Chastity along with friend and co-worker Kristine Whitley had no reason to worry about their intended route. They would be riding along Old St. Augustine Rd. which is one of the few roads in Jacksonville that not only has marked bike lanes. But that also correctly moves the cyclist to the left of right hand turn lanes eliminating “The Right Hook” which is the number one cause of automobile/cyclist accidents.
Approaching the I-95 overpass a driver was too busy fiddling with his GPS to notice the cyclists on his left as he left the right turn only lane to merge back into traffic. In doing so he hit both cyclists ending Chastity Rettinger’s life and sending Kristine Whitley to the hospital.
The driver drove away from the accident scene with a minor citation.
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August 12th, 2009 at 11:47 pm
I don’t understand how someone can take a life due to being careless and they just receive a citiation. The law doesn’t seem to be on the side of the bicyclists at all. Chastity always obeyed the rules and because of a driver just not paying attention her life is over.
August 13th, 2009 at 5:52 am
Carla,
Some rules and laws are in question here. First and foremost is the law that says bicycles are vehicles. I have a post coming up on that issue.
Secondly, we dont have a law like this one in Ontario: Onus of disproving negligence193. (1) When loss or damage is sustained by any person by reason of a motor vehicle on a highway, the onus of proof that the loss or damage did not arise through the negligence or improper conduct of the owner, driver, lessee or operator of the motor vehicle is upon the owner, driver, lessee or operator of the motor vehicle. 2005, c. 31, Sched. 10, s. 3. http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statutes/english/elawsstatutes90h08_e.htm#BK279 This above law means that if a motorist was to hit a cyclist, they would lose everything, not walk away with a ticket. The guy who hit and killed Jack Hartley on Chafee Rd did not even get a ticket. All because Jack Hartley did not have lights or reflectors on his bike at night. Did he deserve to die with no consequence for that?
August 15th, 2009 at 4:47 pm
My point is not at ALL saying that Jack Hartley or anyone DESERVED to die. The state of Florida is one of the most dangerous states for bicyclist and nothing seems to have changed since this happened on April 13th. Less than 2 months later another cyclist was killed in Jacksonville. So my POINT is that changes need to be made to make Florida a safer place to ride a bike. Mr. Hartley’s life has no less value to his family as Chastity’s life meant to hers. Her family, friends and especially her children have to live with the loss and pain. She was more a sister to me then my own family. If I feel the need to express myself by commenting online when Chastity’s name is used, I can do so.
August 16th, 2009 at 8:29 am
I seem to have communicated the wrong sentiment in my comment. The comment was merely to supplement your comment and add to the discussion. The question I ask in the end is wrongly targeted at you. That is my error made in haste and I apologize. I target that question to anybody who reads this post. Nobody deserves to die. I would like to see a consequence, and hence my reference to the Canadian law. Not only that, I would like to see accident rates reduce since Florida has a high number of cyclist fatalities.
My argument about ‘some rules being in question’ arrises from personally following the rules on the road and facing abrassive reaction from motorists. These are the rules that Chastity followed also. I am questioning the fundamental of these rules. In no way is it meant to derogate Chastity’s accident.