Plan B Forum

A mother in Norfolk has released footage of the moment her 38-year-old son was killed in a motorbike crash to remind motorists and cyclists alike of the dangers of driving.

The shocking and distressing footage was released by the Norfolk Constabulary on their YouTube page to ensure drivers of all vehicles thought seriously about road safety.

David Holmes was killed while riding his silver Yamaha on the A47 near Honingham, Norfolk on the evening of Saturday 8 June, 2013. He died after his bike collided with a Renault vehicle travelling in the opposite direction. Holmes had been riding motorbikes for 22 years.

A motorcyclist travelling at 97 miles per hour down one of Norfolk’s busiest roads died when he crashed with a turning car. David Holmes, 38, was riding his silver Yamaha towards Norwich from King’s Lynn on June 8 last year when he crashed with a Renault Clio travelling in the opposite direction, an inquest heard yesterday.

Mr Holmes, a former North Walsham High School and Paston College pupil, had been at a bike meeting in King’s Lynn and was making his way back along the A47 to his home in Sprowston. The inquest heard the Clio had taken the correct position in the road to turn at a crossroads as the Yamaha travelling in the opposite direction went to overtake. As the gaps between the two vehicles closed, the Clio had turned right across the path of the motorcycle and Mr Holmes was thrown from his bike into a nearby hedgerow.There was a digital recording of Mr Holmes’ journey from King’s Lynn.

Speaking at yesterday’s inquest, PC Graham Brooks said both motorists would have been in each other’s available view for seven seconds before impact. PC Brooks said: “The average speed of the motorcycle was almost 97 miles an hour, well above the 60 mile per hour limit.” He said the footage showed Mr Holmes had made no obvious acknowledgement of his speed and showed a disregard for his own safety.

He said: “If the Yamaha had been driving at 60 miles per hour the collision could have been avoided.” PC Brooks said there was no reason why the driver of the Clio, Benjamin Austin, had failed to see Mr Holmes approaching on his bike. He said: “Witnesses behind Mr Austin say they had seen it and were aware of its presence.”

Austin pleaded guilty in April to causing death by careless driving, admitting he had not seen Mr Holmes.. Assistant coroner Johanna Thompson said Mr Holmes had lost control and collided with the Clio.

Benjamin Austin, 29, of Long Lane, Stoke Holy Cross, pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving and was sentenced at Norwich Magistrates’ Court yesterday. The court heard Austin admitted he had not seen Mr Holmes before making the turn, and has always accepted he should have done.

Simon Shannon, mitigating, argued special reasons for his client not to be disqualified from driving or to have his licence endorsed, relating to the speed Mr Holmes was travelling – said to be 97mph. But district judge Peter Veits did not accept the argument and said it was Austin’s actions which caused the accident.

In mitigation, Mr Shannon said his client, a dad-of-two who works in King’s Lynn, had a clean licence that he had held for 12 years and he had never had an accident. He added: “He’s the sole breadwinner. If he were to lose his employment it would have a great impact on his family.” Mr Shannon said Austin was “genuinely remorseful” and had pleaded guilty at the first listing of the case.

In passing sentence, the judge said no one had suggested Austin had been driving dangerously, but he had made a mistake that “sadly” too many other drivers also make, of “simply” not seeing the motorcycle. He sentenced Austin to a 12-month community order, with 130 hours’ unpaid work, and disqualified him from driving for 18 months. He also ordered him to pay a £60 surcharge and £200 costs.

Mr Veits added: “Nothing I can impose can turn the clock back and undo the tragic consequences of the accident that sadly took away the life of Mr Holmes. I only hope the family of Mr Holmes can now move on as this case is concluded and attempt to rebuild their lives.”

MajGenl.Meade wrote:I weep for the biker's stupidity, for the Clio driver's stupidity, for the loss of one's life and the loss to his family and for the driver of the Clio who was hit by a speeding bullet.

60mph is 88 fps x 7 seconds = 616 feet
97mph is 140fps x 7 seconds = 980 feet

Mr. Holmes should have been 360 feet away from the Clio if he'd been obeying the law instead of tearing down a busy road breaking the law.