Coroner calls for greater caution and respect on roads after pedestrian Norman MacKenzie fatally struck by bike
A coroner has urged road users to beware of others’ mistakes while probing the death of an elderly pedestrian who crossed into the path of a bike at St Kilda.
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A Coroner probing the death of a man who accidentally stepped in front of a cyclist has urged road users to behave like others will make mistakes.
Norman MacKenzie, 85, died in hospital after being struck as he crossed Jacka Boulevard on April 18, 2017.
Cyclist Jarel Remick — on a fitness ride from Port Melbourne to Mordialloc — was travelling at about 40km/h in the bike lane.
Coroner Darren Bracken last month found the pedestrian signal, in front of the ice cream kiosk near St Kilda Sea Baths, showed a solid red man at the time of the collision.
The traffic lights facing Mr Remick, headed south, were green.
But Mr Bracken, having heard evidence Mr Remick knew the crossing was dangerous and had taken evasive action there before when pedestrians darted between cars, noted all road users needed to be more vigilant.
“The speed at which Mr Remick was riding his bicycle was a cause of Mr MacKenzie’s death but so was Mr MacKenzie crossing Jacka Boulevard against a red pedestrian light,’’ Coroner Bracken noted.
“Caution and respect exercised by each and every road user informed by a recognition that other road users do not always do precisely what is expected, and indeed sometimes do exactly what they should not, may underpin safer road use for all.”
Mr MacKenzie’s family wants cyclists to wear reflective vests bearing a registration number plus high-speed racing bikes and cyclists training for races barred from public roads.
They’ve also called for countdown displays at pedestrian lights and for the Transport Accident Commission to cover medical and funeral costs for those hit by a bike.
Mr Remick, travelling at 33-39km/h on impact about 5.50pm, gave evidence his front and rear bike lights were on.
He slowed on approaching the crossing because he rode through it three to four times a week and knew pedestrians crossed between traffic when it banked up, as it had that evening.
Mr Remick assumed the longer the traffic lights stayed green the less likely somebody would walk across the road and had focused on two people waiting to cross at the pedestrian pole.
He was about 5km from the crossing when he saw a puppy Mr MacKenzie was walking and less than 1m away when he saw the retired teacher, who was crossing from the beach side.
Mr Remick thought there was nothing more he could have done to avoid the crash but agreed if he had slowed to half the speed or less things may have been different.
He was aware road users had a responsibility to take into account others may break the law.
The Coroner recommended submissions from the Bicycle Network and Victoria Walks be provided to VicRoads to consider when planning roads and bicycle lanes.
Victoria Walks noted the crossing was designed to maximise traffic flow, being linked to nearby intersection lights, and pedestrians tended to ignore signals when they faced a lengthy wait and it looked safe to cross.
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