FATAL COLLISION

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 73, 27 March 1931, Page 11

FATAL COLLISION

EASTBOURNE MISHAP

DRIVER NOT TO BLAME

Exhaustive inquiries into the circumstances of a collision in Bona. street, Eastbourne, on 6th March, between a motor-car and a bicycle resulting in tho death of John Eidgway, aged 79, were mado at an inquest hold at the Magistrate's Gourt to-day before the Coroner, Mr. I. Salok, J.P. Before giving his formal finding, the Coroner said that Miss M. M. Black, the driver of the car, was held blameless for tho accident. There was no doubt, he said, that the accident resulted from the cyclist (Eidgway) swerving iiito the iniddlo of the road. Possibly, on account of his age, he became confused owing to the fact that the car was following close behind, and lost control of his machine. In some respects the accident was an unusual one, for Miss Black was at tho time undergoing a test for her driver's licence with one of the Eastbourne Borough Council's officials in the car with her. Mr. W. E. Leicester appeared for tho relatives of the deceased, Mr. P. B. Cooke for Miss Black's father, Mr. P. H. Putnam for Miss Black,' and Mr. E. Parry for the Eastbourne Borough Council. Mr. Hugh C. O'Reilly, chemist, of Eastbourne, said that he saw the deceased pass his pharmacy ,riding his bicycle in the direction of tho post office and Houa. street. He was travelling on his correct side of the road at a speed which witness estimated at 8 miles per hour. Shortly afterwards witness was called to Rona street to attend to Ridgway, who had been knocked down and was lying on the road. Similar evidenco to. that of Mr. O'Reilly was given by Colin Duncan, a schoolboy, who was playing'a short distance from the scene of the accident. Ho said that he saw Ridgway turn into Roua street, followed by a motor-car. The horn of the car was sounded before turning into Rona street, but witness did not actually see tho accident. The next witness, Dr. Hooper, a house surgeon at Wellington Hospital, said that when Ridgway was admitted to the Hospital at 8 p.m. he was suffering from profound concussion, a fractured skull, and a fractured right forearm. His injuries wore consistent with those that might have resulted by being knocked down by. a motor-car. Ridgway died soon after he was admitted. DRIVER'S EVIDENCE. Margaret Muir Black said that at 6.35 p.m. on 6th March she left the Eastbourne Borough omnibus garage in her father's ear to undergo a test for her driver's licence. Mr. W. Green, foreman of the borough, was in the car with her. Approaching the intersection of Roua street she slowed down and put out her hand to indicate that sho intended to turn left. She saw the deceased approaching her on his bicycle and she sounded her horn. He was on his correct side of the road, and turned up Rona street ahead of her. She was still on her correct side of the road when the deceased, who was a little in front, appeared to lose control of his bicycle and pulled to the right, in front oi her car. Sho pulled to the right, but he still came on and ran into her left front mudguard. She immediately applied the brake and brought the car to a standstill. At tho time of the impact she estimated her speed at not wore than twelve miles per hour. ■ Mr. W. C. Green said that when in Rona street Miss Black was not travelling more than fifteen miles per hour, and had observed all the rules of the road with the exception of keeping over to the extreme left side of Rona street. Replying to Mr. Leicester, witness said that the accident occurred about the middle of tho road, and about 30ft from the corner. Ho saw Mr. Ridgway before turning into Rona street, but'he did not notice him again until ho was right in front of the car. Constablo Squire, who gave evidence as to tho position of the car and bicycle after the accident, said in rept, to Mr. Parry that Ridgway must either have been travelling on the wrong side of tho road, or have swerved across to the wrong side just beforo the collision. After tin Coroner had returned the formal finding that the deceased had died in Wellington Hospital as the result of injuries received, when knocked: down by a motor-car. Mr. Parry, on be-1 half of the Eastbourne Borough Council, expressed sympathy with-tho relatives of flic deceased.