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Cyclist's death prompts MP3 warning
6:07am Wednesday 23rd July 2008
Cyclists are being warned not to ride bikes while listening to MP3 music players after the death of an Oxfordshire teenager.
Abi Haythorne, from Benson, was killed as she rode her red and silver mountain bike in front of a silver Vauxhall Cavalier on the A4074, near RAF Benson.
The 17-year-old, a former pupil at Icknield Community College in Watlington, had an MP3 player in a pocket and the earphones in her scarf - leading Oxfordshire coroner Nicholas Gardiner to issue a warning about using them.
Christopher Mills, of Church View, Berinsfield, told an inquest yesterday he was driving to work at Huntercombe Young Offenders' Institution at about 7.10am on October 28 last year when Miss Haythorne pulled out from a cycle lane into the main carriageway.
He said: "I hadn't expected her to come straight out. I hit the brakes as hard as I could."
Pc Gavin Newman said he found an MP3 player in the pocket of Miss Haythorne's jeans but could not be sure whether she was listening to it at the time of the accident.
He said: "Later on, we found that the display light was illuminated but I couldn't tell if it was on. I couldn't work out if it had been playing at the time.
"Her earphones were found tucked inside her neck scarf."
Pc Mark Howard said the accident happened at a pedestrian crossing near the Preston Crowmarsh turn. He estimated Mr Mills's car was travelling at no more than 45mph.
He added a person of normal hearing would have had no trouble hearing a car at that speed.
In a written statement, Miss Haythorne's mother Gina said her daughter was on her way to work at Downlands Kennels, in Cholsey.
Mrs Haythorne added: "She was very keen on music and was almost always wearing an iPod or MP3 player with headphones."
The 37-year-old added although she had never seen her daughter cycle wearing headphones, it would not surprise her if she did.
Dr Elizabeth Soilleux, a consultant pathologist at Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital, said Miss Haythorne died from head injuries.
Recording a verdict of accidental death, Oxfordshire coroner Nicholas Gardiner said: "I don't think Mr Mills would have had any chance to avoid that collision. Why she didn't see the car, I don't know.
"There was a possibility she was wearing headphones at the time and I would stress that it is actually quite dangerous for motorcyclists and cyclists in that it blocks out a whole series of sounds about what is happening around you."
After the hearing, Mrs Haythorne paid tribute to her daughter, who lived with her family - including father Derek, 40, and brothers George, 15, and Will, 14 - at their home in Passey Crescent.
She said: "She was very outgoing and had lots of friends. She was very full of life."
Your Say YourOxford
kelbun, Oxford says...
12:47pm Wed 23 Jul 08
The helicopter with three people on board appeared to hover as if looking for a landing spot before it crashed onto a street and burst into flames in Cranbrook, British Columbia, according to officials and witnesses
Adriel, Austin, TX says...
2:16pm Wed 23 Jul 08
2) if indeed she did not look where she was going, then what did the mp3 player have to do with that? never ever change lanes without looking, in a bike, in a car, on a scooter, walking, etc.
The accident in question really had nothing to do with the use of an mp3 player and they are not even sure she was wearing it. It is very offensive to try and turn this incident into some pedestal on which to preach anti-music doctrine.
I have never heard of a car accident being attributed to not being able to hear the road, why? Why are bicycles singled out this way?
This is a very sad story, and I hope this sort of thing can be prevented in the future, but banning music while riding a bicycle is not the answer. Maybe the auto should have had a greater following distance, or given more space when attempting to pass. There are many variables, and pointing to this single one, is narrow minded, and nothing short of trying to use an example to prove a theory you already had. Not an objective analysis of the incident.
G, woxon says...
3:08pm Wed 23 Jul 08
I have never heard of a car accident being attributed to not being able to hear the road, why? Why are bicycles singled out this way?
??? Not sure you have read the article correctly. The car couldn't avoid her as she cycled into its path at a pedestrian crossing (possibly having not heard the car approaching due to her having headphones on).
Very sad case, and my condolences to her family, but it is a good piece of advice to the cyclists of Oxford from the coroner.
Mark, Oxford says...
3:26pm Wed 23 Jul 08
I would however say to all cyclists that you need to be able to HEAR what is going on around you as well as SEE
Fine - but in that case can we please see some censure for loud car stereos? And people driving with their windows shut? After all car windows cut out far more noise than ipod earbuds.
Otherwise are we saying that cyclists need to hear and car drivers don't?
Agnes, Abingdon says...
3:34pm Wed 23 Jul 08
Van Driver, Oxford says...
8:54pm Wed 23 Jul 08
Myself I drive for a living, For leisure I cycle with My Ipod keeping me company. Everybody needs to be aware of there surroundings and the risks involved, This is how I understand the statements made.
Please can you all stop discussing what is detracting from the fact that a young lady tragically lost her life..
My Condolences
Mr Ison, England says...
10:04pm Wed 23 Jul 08
Stated bluntly he used an expensive brand of earplugs whilst driving to make his motor seem like a more expensive one.
I asked if that were legal and was promptly banned.
My Mp has not yet got a reply from Jack Staw relating to my query about motorists who kill and maim.
The licence exempts such fellons from prosecution at present unless aggravated by a motoring offence.
The government issues the licence and yet pays no compensation to the victim,the killer walks scot free unless special criteria can be brought to light,and even then...
I would like to see a shift from the fellon claiming victimhood and the killed or maimed blamed as the fellon.
It's overdue,as is the Secretary of State for Justice reply.
Tony Brett, Oxford says...
8:53am Thu 24 Jul 08
G wrote:Car drivers have mirrors so can SEE what is behind them. Cyclists almost never do.
Adriel wrote:
I have never heard of a car accident being attributed to not being able to hear the road, why? Why are bicycles singled out this way?
??? Not sure you have read the article correctly. The car couldn't avoid her as she cycled into its path at a pedestrian crossing (possibly having not heard the car approaching due to her having headphones on).
Very sad case, and my condolences to her family, but it is a good piece of advice to the cyclists of Oxford from the coroner.
I drive with music or the radio on and keep an eye on my mirrors but I NEVER cycle with headphones/earphones in - it's just too dangerous!
ox2 gooner, walton manor says...
8:27pm Thu 24 Jul 08
A Biker, ox1 says...
10:52pm Thu 31 Jul 08
The sense of hearing has a resolution of about ± 3 degrees for sound sources directly to the front or rear. Although the presence of a vehicle would be no doubtly heard it is wrong to suggest that hearing is actually greatly beneficial on a motorcycle or human powered cycle. When riding a bicycle of any kind out of the 9 senses we have sound is 5th on the list.
Although I am not a proponent of using headphones on any vehicle or even having any kind of music player inside a car (if you have the sense use it) there is more evidence out there to support the concentrating benefits of sound waves over the environmental sound (google wave-form concentration studies).
And as any motorcyclist knows you cannot hear anything with a helmet on at any speed above 20mph. And the british saftey standards for helmets state that there has to be impact protection for hearing as well an extended shock-protection to prevent impacts or loud noises (like wind or sirens) from bursting eardrums.
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Tony Brett, Oxford says...
11:42am Wed 23 Jul 08
I would however say to all cyclists that you need to be able to HEAR what is going on around you as well as SEE! Just don't wear headphones while cycling - it's too dangerous! Bikes don't generally have mirrors so your ears are all you have to let you know that something is coming up behind you.