Cyclist ran through a red traffic light and killed a pensioner.

[horseless carriage]

A cyclist jumped a red light moments before knocking down and killing a pensioner at a pedestrian crossing, a court heard today. Ermir Loka, 23, is accused of the manslaughter of 73-year-old Peter McCombie, who was struck in Bow. east London on July 3 last year. Mr McCombie suffered a fractured skull and serious brain injuries in the collision. He was taken for emergency treatment but died from his injuries eight days later.

Snaresbrook Crown Court heard Loka was travelling at around 15mph when he ploughed into Mr McCombie, who was walking home from work as a hospital administrator. Loka allegedly told the pensioner 'Look what you've done' before picking up his bike and fleeing, leaving passersby to call an ambulance while Mr McCombie laid bleeding and unconscious on the road. Deanna Heer, prosecuting, told the court: 'As he lay on the road bleeding and unconscious, the defendant who had also fallen down picked up his bike and cycled away leaving others to call an ambulance and try to help Mr McCombie.'

These sort of cyclists in the UK have earned the sobriquet: "Lycra Louts." They ignore all the traffic rules, often ride without lights at night, pay no heed to anyone but themselves, then when something like this happens it's a case of, poor little me, I didn't mean it. I bet the cyclist gets nothing more than a slap on the wrist by way of a suspended sentence.

 

[Remy]

How sad. Yes some bicyclists are out of control.

Here in my area I really watch out for homeless on bicycles. Sorry if I'm profiling but they are known to not care about how they ride. They will dart in front of cars, ignore lights, ignore bike lanes, cross anyplace.

 

[SetWave]

Why am I not surprised? The (and I love your term) Lycra Louts don't seem to get the idea of "Share the Road" signs posted everywhere.

 

[horseless carriage]

Thank you for your replies, I had a feeling that the UK didn't have a monopoly on irresponsible cyclists. I see so many youngsters, mostly young boys in their early teens, cycling at night, wearing dark clothing, no lights on their bikes. It's simply not policed as it was when I was that age. We didn't need a police officer, my father would have gone ballistic if I behaved that way.

 

[Chet]

I was startled driving when I came around a blind curve only to find two cyclists riding side by side taking up the whole lane. I layed on the horn and passed when it was OK, and they got mad.

 

[WillieAnderson1937]

Hey let the boys ride the bikes. They're savin the trees! I would still be pedalin' my 1952 huffy cranbrook, if it weren't for my bad knees.

 

[Glowworm]

Same here, some cyclists must be descendants of Kamikaze pilots. No lights in the dark, no respect for red lights or pedestrian crossings, ignore stop and give way signs, but if you hit one with your car you get most of the blame presumably because you should have realised that he/she was an idiot and was going to do something unexpected.

 

[chic]

There are so many cyclists in my area now and I hate sharing the road with them as many of them are dangerous, dart in and out of traffic and do not signal. Oh yeah, they have use of the full lane to do all this.