Meanwhile, on Facebook...

Usual shite in the comments so no surprises there. Interesting one was "why aren't helmets mandatory?" One reason might be because this event shows a 12 year old can crack a car windscreen with his head and get away with minor injuries, who needs a helmet then? 🤣

The comments are, of course, wholly predictable.

Hang on, what victim blaming?

I'm failing to see the problem, wrong side of the road into a junction, the 'victim' would be the car driver not the kid on the bike.

I'm not sure it's victim blaming when (allegedly) they were in the wrong?

Of course the no helmet bit has nothing to do with it, but if he did ride into a junction on the wrong side of the road, then yes, some road awareness is needed.

wrong side of the road into a junction, the ‘victim’ would be the car driver not the kid on the bike.

Is my thought too. I mean, I hope the kid is alright, but if it's as described then its very much his fault, and he is old enough to know what side of the road to be on.

I’m failing to see the problem

Rule 204 HWC

The road users most at risk from road traffic are pedestrians, in particular children, older adults and disabled people, cyclists, horse riders and motorcyclists. It is particularly important to be aware of children, older adults and disabled people, and learner and inexperienced drivers and riders. In any interaction between road users, those who can cause the greatest harm have the greatest responsibility to reduce the danger or threat they pose to others.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/introduction

The ‘hierarchy of road users’ is a concept that places those road users most at risk in the event of a collision at the top of the hierarchy. The hierarchy does not remove the need for everyone to behave responsibly. The road users most likely to be injured in the event of a collision are pedestrians, cyclists, horse riders and motorcyclists, with children, older adults and disabled people being more at risk. The following H rules clarify this concept.

...

those in charge of vehicles that can cause the greatest harm in the event of a collision bear the greatest responsibility to take care and reduce the danger they pose to others.

Car drives into kid on bike, the message should at least mention "watch out for idiot kids," no?

The comments are, of course, wholly predictable.

Don't do it to yourself, that way madness lies.

Rule 204 HWC

The road users most at risk from road traffic are pedestrians, in particular children, older adults and disabled people, cyclists, horse riders and motorcyclists. It is particularly important to be aware of children, older adults and disabled people, and learner and inexperienced drivers and riders. In any interaction between road users, those who can cause the greatest harm have the greatest responsibility to reduce the danger or threat they pose to others.

No shit. There's also a limit to what can be avoided, there's also no limit to just how stupid/thoughtless some people's actions can be especially when they don't know any better.

There's two ways of looking at it though -

- be especially careful around places where you see children, or expect to see children.

or

- be careful, because a child (or older adult, disabled person, cyclist, horse rider or motorcyclist) may come around the corner into the junction on the wrong side of the road.

In the former case, if you were to hit them with your car, they can reasonably be described as the victim. In the latter, not so much, the Highway Code changes aren't about carte blanche to more vulnerable road users to act however they want, they have a responsibility too.

especially when they don’t know any better

A twelve year old knows better, it's whether they choose (or think) to remember that.

No shit

I agree, there's only so much one can do, but that's why the HWC asks those of us who can do the most damage to pay the most attention. Check and check again.  And this is a post from TVP, they should be alerting folks to that fact at the very least.

There’s two ways of looking at it though –

– be especially careful around places where you see children, or expect to see children.

or

– be careful, because a child (or older adult, disabled person, cyclist, horse rider or motorcyclist) may come around the corner into the junction on the wrong side of the road.

Why not "be especially careful around places where people may come around the corner into the junction on the wrong side of the road"?

I totally agree that road safety is everyone's responsibility. But if you're now armed with the knowledge that kids coming out of junctions on the wrong side of the road is a possibility, what are you going to do with that information?

this is a post from TVP, they should be alerting folks to that fact at the very least.

Exactly why I reposted here. Thank you.

Unless there is video of this incident no one knows if the driver had any time to react or was in any way to blame.

If the cyclist was riding into a junction that implies the driver would coming up to the junction and slowing. Any talk of reckless/careless driving is just speculation.

I agree, there’s only so much one can do, but that’s why the HWC asks those of us who can do the most damage to pay the most attention. Check and check again. And this is a post from TVP, they should be alerting folks to that fact at the very least.

Maybe the car driver did do what he could, maybe that's why he survived.

A twelve year old knows better, it’s whether they choose (or think) to remember that.

A 12 year old that's been taught how to behave on the roads knows better, not all of them have been that fortunate.

Car drives into kid on bike

My mate was going hell for leather down a long steep private drive (yeah never mind that part) looking down at his gears. He went straight into a car coming up the hill that had stopped, but being a single track road had nowhere to go.

Often it's the driver, but sometimes it's the kid. We don't know, in this case.

Maybe the car driver did do what he could, maybe that’s why he survived.

Absolutely. But that still doesn't undermine the central message here. That post should read something like

"Here's what a 12 year old kid hitting your windscreen looks like, luckily the driver was alert and the child suffered only minor injuries, would you have done as well or reacted so fast? do you check for children cycling on your streets?

Ideally tvp should put both messages across rather than one or the other.

Addition to yours...

"Parents, want to avoid funeral costs for your kids? Teach them some road manners."

Might need a little tweaking 😀

is that what happened? Car could’ve been stopped, kid comes tearing round the junction the wrong way and smacks straight into the car & supermans head-first into the windscreen. In which case comment about “no helmet” is pretty relevant!

A fair comment. We don't know and I should have worded that more carefully.

My point was, the advice from the authority was one-sided. There was a collision, the resulting recommendation was wholly directed at one party.

My (utterly baseless) guess is, kid turning right, major to minor; decides to take the racing line right through the oncoming lane.
Car is approaching junction minor to major, and is slowing or stopped at time of impact.

A 12 year old that’s been taught how to behave on the roads knows better, not all of them have been that fortunate.

Assuming its not their first time outside, a 12 year old can grasp the concept of "cars drive on the left and usually but not always obey traffic lights and give way markings".
Education and knowledge resulting in how they then choose to cycle in this environment varies greatly.

My point was, the advice from the authority was one-sided. There was a collision, the resulting recommendation was wholly directed at one party.

Yeah, fair enough.

My point was, the advice from the authority was one-sided. There was a collision, the resulting recommendation was wholly directed at one party

It was but at least it was directed at the correct party for once 😀

Not according to the highway code.

Good grief. So as a cyclist I can be on the wrong side of the road into a junction and still blame everyone else?

Of course I can I'm a cyclist!

Teleporting kids. Nice.

Funny timing that... I was taking the missus to a hospital appt this afternoon when a teenager was dicking about on his 26er, weaving all over the road no-handed, playing with his phone. He looked round at me approaching and I decided, with there being a clear road ahead, that I would overtake. Then the **** decided to literally turn right in front of me - literally 2m ahead - with no indication/hesitation whatsoever, to cut across the road.

Saw him a few mins later whilst in traffic and he was still riding like an accident waiting to happen.

Pesky obsolete wheel sizes!

dicking about on his 26er

the Highway Code changes aren’t about carte blanche to more vulnerable road users to act however they want, they have a responsibility too.

This.

From what little info we have, the driver did nothing wrong. From my experience watching kids dicking around on bikes on the street, a driver need do nothing wrong.

Amaizing how many folk believe as cougar seems to that they are exactly that mctd

I had a cyclist dart out into moving traffic from a. Minor onto a busy major road without even so much as a glance to the traffic coming along the road. I'd seen it coming and slammed on the brakes moments earlier while on the horn

When I caught them and asked what theu were thinking "the new highway code says you have to stop for me"

When I caught them and asked what they were thinking “the new highway code says you have to stop for me”

I'd a jogger do this.Well looked more the tri type, running quite fast.

A small road only through for cyclists and I get the the T junction at the end to have said jogger appear stage right. I'm moving slowly enough, but had to brake hard all the same.

I shout that was close and got the 'you're meant to give way'. I replied that i didnt really, but that was beside the point because you didnt bother yoour arse looking anyway. Just ran straight out.

I'd have put him in his early 30's so should have known better.

None of you been "entertained" by the wheeling kids winding in & out of traffic then? Son copped some of cycling down the aisles in Tesco the other day 🙄