L Driver is jailed after hitting bicycle
 

QUOTE:
"Learner driver Christopher Broddel tried to dodge a police speed trap but ended up on a collision course with jail.

His runaway car nearly vanished in the River Trent, a valuable bike was mangled, its rider had to jump clear and another motorist needed to act swiftly to avoid a crash, Nottingham Crown Court heard.

It happened after the 30-year-old broke the 30mph limit in Loughborough Road. He was clocked at 48mph, prompting a police officer to step into the road to try to halt him, said Hugo Lodge, prosecuting.

The traffic officer was wearing a high-visibility jacket and Broddel, of Hope Close, in The Meadows, began to slow, "then accelerated and swerved past the officer, who took evasive action not to be struck by the vehicle", said Mr Lodge. The chasing police car had its emergency lights on as the defendant headed on to a side road towards the River Trent.

"The defendant got out of the car and fails to put the handbrake on. The car continues to roll down the hill towards the river, where it collides with a cycle."

The cyclist had spotted the danger and managed to avoid injury. But only a fence stopped the car and bike ending up in the water.

Judge Andrew Hamilton said the cyclist had a lucky escape. "It might well have killed him. Thinking you can conduct yourself in this way and not go to prison, it is a sorry state. You don't think about other people," he told Broddel.

HERE'S THE WRIGGLE:
Claire Moran, in mitigation, said Broddel did not know who jumped into the road in front of his car. She said: "He saw a person in a high-vis jacket and he took evasive action. He didn't realise it was a police officer.

http://www.nottinghampost.com/L-driv...ail/story.html