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It’s 2pm on a Thursday, and much like any other beautiful day in the UK, some six people will be killed on our roads.
A cyclist descends towards Bob’s Smithy Inn, on Chorley Old Road, Bolton, on route back home to Radcliffe, Greater Manchester. Only five days earlier the junction was the scene of a "crash horror" which saw one dead and seven badly injured.
The floral tributes marking the spot are all too apparent. A white transit van appears from Walker Fold road, to the left of the cyclist, and hides the tributes. He slows and looks to make eye contact with the driver. Having been hospitalised by drivers pulling in front of him before, he’s looking for some reassurance that it’s safe to proceed.
He makes eye contact, but the driver’s on his mobile phone. The cyclist is troubled, and chooses not to proceed, but rather pulls up and speaks to the driver: “Do you know there was a fatal crash here earlier this week”.
“Yes”, says the driver. “So why are you driving and talking on your mobile phone. You could kill someone”. The cyclist is subjected to X-rated verbal abuse and threats. With such a lack of concern for road safety, and clearly with an intolerant and violent nature, how dangerous is this driver?
Reporting the incident to the police is pretty much pointless. However, had the cyclist had a head-cam to capture it, (cameras catch speeders and all other manner of villain) something may have been done; our roads would then become safer; the millions called for to treat road crash victims could be better spent on the likes of Alder Hey Children’s Hospital; The Christie Cancer Hospital; care of the elderly, or even to provide a “fairer” pension for public sector workers. Ultimately, both the nation’s debt and heartbreak would be reduced!
