DID CYCLIST GO ON WRONG SIDE?

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18015, 27 November 1926, Page 10

DID CYCLIST GO ON WRONG SIDE?

INJURIES SUFFERED IN COLLISION CAUSED STEPHEN PAYNE’S DEATH. The adjourned inquest into the death of Stephen Payne, a married man, fiftyeight years of age, who died in. the Christchurch Hospital on November 20 after colliding with a motor-car driven by Frederick Withers, was concluded by Mr H. A. Young, Coroner, to-day. Mr Lascelles appeared for Payne’s dependents, and Mr Hutchison for Withers. Sergeant Kelly conducted the case for the police. Frederick Withers said that on Thursday, November 18, he was driving a motor delivery van across the intersection of Linwood Avenue and Cashel Street on the left hand side. He noticed a cyclist coming down Cashel Street on his left hand side. Suddenly the cyclist pulled over on his wrong side to cross in front of witness. Witness put on his brakes, but could not stop in time to avoid a collision. The cyclist struck the front of his van and fell to the road. Mr Lascelles: Did you see Payne signal before he crossed in front of you? Witness: No. To the coroner, witness said that he blew his horn at the corner. Victor Muirson, who saw the accident, stated that Payne cut diagonally across the road to his wrong side. He heard a crash a few. moments later and rushed out of the shop where he was working and saw a van pulling up at the door. He helped to puH Payne from under the van. He did not hear the sound of the horn. Norman Forbes stated that he was in a tram waiting near the scene of the accident. He was in conversation with another when his attention was drawn to the accident. He saw Payne falling underneath the van. Payne was about four feet under the van. Thomas Henry Harker said that he saw Payne doubled up over the radiator of the van. He was carried along for two yards and then thrown onto the road, his head striking heavily. To Mr Lascelles: It appeared to be a head-on smash. The driver told me that Payne had mistaken his signal. He also said that he had mistaken Payne’s signal. Dr William Eric Minty, house surgeon at Christchurch Hospital, stated tliat Payne could speak when admitted to the Christchurch Hospital, but he knew nothing of the acqident. There was blood underneath the scalp *nd Payne had all the .signs of cerebral irritation. He fell unconscious and it •was decided to operate to relieve the pressure on his brain. The patient did not rally and died some hour slater. The cause of death was laceration of the brain, probably due to fracture of the base of the skulL A verdict was returned that Payne died from the injuries he received through accidentally colliding with a moving motor-van while he was riding a bicycle. The coroner remarked that no blame was attachable to the driver of the van.