Mystery of motorcyclist body on M4

[redrider90]

This long story reads like a good British mystery novelette. It took a forensics expert to figure out what happened late on a rainy Christmas night.
"Bob Witherall, a forensic collision investigator, was with his family finishing his turkey dinner at home when he heard the report go out over his police radio. "Just before junction 24 eastbound on the M4," he said. "There's a motorbike right against the central reservation… It's actually on the floor. But there's no sign of the driver."
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-43716912

[wymple]

Wow, real life CSI. Glad they got him.

[drdwb]

Good ending to a sad story, I would only hope investigators in this country would go that extra mile.

[lazlokovacs]

not sure if this has already been shared?

article describing how a driver deliberately clips a motorcyclist resulting in his death on christmas day

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-43716912

only 6 years disqualification from driving is beyond belief and the prison sentence seems light too

but great work from the cops and forensics people

chilling stuff


ride safe everyone

[sdcr]

Amazing, unbiased work by the investigator, and the judge as well.  I wonder if a similar fatal incident in our country would have such a thorough investigation, and a just prosecution.

  My opinion may be swayed  by an incident many years ago, involving a road raging truck driver. after being tailgated for over a mile,I pulled off, noted the trucks license and called the regional police. The LEO heard my story, and told me  " what do you expect, your on a motorcycle". He then returned to his cruiser and drove off.

[Lannis]

Amazing, unbiased work by the investigator, and the judge as well.  I wonder if a similar fatal incident in our country would have such a thorough investigation, and a just prosecution.

  My opinion may be swayed  by an incident many years ago, involving a road raging truck driver. after being tailgated for over a mile,I pulled off, noted the trucks license and called the regional police. The LEO heard my story, and told me  " what do you expect, your on a motorcycle". He then returned to his cruiser and drove off.

I think this is a likely assumption.

In the UK, motorcyclists are GENERALLY (except in the case of lying psychotics like Nigel Sweeting) treated like motorists ... motorcycles are MUCH more often used by people as actual transportation than they are in the USA, they are allowed to "filter" through traffic, and cars give and take to allow it.   The motorcycle you most often see is a standard with panniers, the rider with bright safety gear.

In the USA, motorcycles are sold by being characterized as "Menacing" or "Dark" or "Outlaw", rallies all include the word Thunder, Rumble, or Roar, and the motorcycle you see most often is a V-twin cruiser with a rider following the Bad-Ass Outlaw motif - beanie, wrap-around shades, chains, etc etc ....

No wonder cops and non-riders first impression is "Well, that bad boy had it coming" when something happens.   And WE all get the fall-out ...

Lannis