CYCLIST'S DEATH.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 296, 15 December 1938, Page 23

CYCLIST'S DEATH.

COLLIDED WITH CAR. WORE NO HELMET. COMMENT BY COROKER. ■ "I am inclined to think the cyclist was not keeping a proper lookout, and did-not see the car coming along in time. From the evidence it appears the car was closer to the kerb than it should have been, but I am not prepared to say that was the cause of the collision. lam going to find that the accused died from injuries accidentally caused. It is possible, had the deceased worn a crash helmet, he might have saved his life." said the city coroner. Mr. F. K. Hunt, in returning his verdict at an inquest vesterdav into the death of Patrick Hilton Thurston Hill, aged 21. Deceased was a single man, a baker bv occupation, and resided at 3, Risk Road. Remuera. Deceased died on October 28 at the Auckland Hospital eight minutes after the accident. Cornered Dangerously. .Tames Edward Jones, warehouseman, said he was cycling slpng Park Road about 4 p.m. on October 2S and saw deceased 011 a motor cycle. Deceased was ritling unreasonably He cornered dangerously at the hospital gate, and shortiy afterwards looked over his right shoulder. Deceased was still looking back when witness saw a car turning out of Park Road into the DomaiiK Deceased was 1 about 12 feet from the car and apparI entlv intended swerving to the left, but did not slacken speed. Next • witness heard a severe impact and the car seemed to be pushed or forced sideways. The car driver made no attempt to accelerate to get out of the wav, but seemed to turn sharply to the right in an attempt to avoid the cyclist. The cvclist seemed to be taken by surprise. I "Anv prudent cyclist conld have avoided the accident," said witness. The deceased was not wearing a crash helmet or 1 Bokln. Gtrard Leslie Bavlry. commercial | traveller, said he wa» driving behind the ear which came into collision with the I cyclist. The latter was not looking where he was going, and it didn't appear that he saw the car. The car entered the Domain on the wrong side of the voad. Daniel Dempsev Young, labourer, said be was sitting in the Domain shelter and saw a van travelling in the opposite direction to the accused. The van driver I tooted hi* horn and deceased looked back and waved. He was looking back I all the time witness had vMon of him. A moment after he rode out of witness vision the impact occurred. f

In Third Gear. Arthur Marston Benton, service station attendant, said he was driving his car eilowly along Park Road towards the city and turned right at tlie road entrance to the Domain. Hi* car was 111 _*5 sear and - took an 'easy sweep. When the front of the ckr was across the centra line off the road he noticed the motor cyclist for the first time. The cvclist was then about 90 feet away. * "He was bo far away that I did not doubt I could get across and he well into the Domain entrance before the cvclist came in," said witness. "I then realised he was travelling at a high speed. He was looking to the right and not looking where he was going. I swerved right to accelerate awav from him, which accounts for the car being nearer the riglit-hand side of the road than it should have 'been. Deceased crashed into the centre of tlie car My car was going so slowly that I thinking of changing into second gear Dr. W. McKenzie said that deceased had received a compound fracture of the skull and death was due to cerebral haemorrhage.