Endurance cyclist Mike Hall's death avoidable, says Australian coroner | Australia news
Australia news This article is more than 5 years oldEndurance cyclist Mike Hall's death avoidable, says Australian coroner
This article is more than 5 years oldHope expressed that fatal collision near Canberra will be ‘catalyst for change’
The death of a renowned British endurance cyclist who was hit by a car while competing in a 3,500-mile race across Australia was avoidable, a coroner has concluded.
Mike Hall, 35, died almost instantly when he was struck from behind by a vehicle on a stretch of the Monaro Highway about 25 miles south of Canberra on 31 March 2017.
The coroner, Bernadette Boss, said the death of the “exceedingly experienced ultra-endurance cyclist” should be a “catalyst for change” to improve safety on the country’s roads.
She said it was regrettable that errors in how Hall’s clothing was handled by investigators resulted in the inquiry into his death being compromised, but she did not single out any party for criticism.
Hall, from Harrogate, North Yorkshire, had set off from Fremantle in Western Australia on 18 March 2017 with other riders for the Indian Pacific Wheel Race. After 12 days and about 3,000 miles, he had crossed most of the continent to reach Cooma in New South Wales and was second in the competition.
Riding unsupported, competitors were expected to complete the race within 14 days. On 31 March, Hall had set off along the Monaro Highway, which had a 100km/h (62mph) speed limit, shortly before 3am. An inquest held last year heard that at around 6.20am he was hit by a car in the northbound lane of the road, which narrowed near an intersection.
The driver of the car, Shegu Bobb, was at first unaware he had struck a cyclist and thought he had hit a kangaroo until he found Hall’s bike embedded in the passenger side headlight. There was no evidence that the driver had been driving fast or recklessly, or with alcohol or prescribed drugs in his system, the coroner noted.
A postmortem examination found that the cyclist had suffered multiple injuries to his head, fracturing of the spine, and multiple chest and abdominal injuries and his death had been “almost instantaneous”.
The design of the road and its shoulder rendered it unsuitable for cyclists, particularly at night, the investigators said.
The inquest heard that Hall had been wearing dark clothing with reflective panels, although the items were not dealt with in accordance with normal police procedures for retaining evidence so their reflective properties could not be tested.
Dr Boss said: “Mr Hall’s death was avoidable, which makes the loss of this remarkable person even more keenly felt by his family and the community. It is unfortunate that the investigation into his death has been to some degree compromised by the loss of significant evidence in the form of his clothing and bicycle accoutrements.
“There is, however, sufficient evidence for his death to be the catalyst for changes that will enhance rider safety into the future.”
The coroner made six recommendations including a call for the Australian Capital Territory and other state governments to require cyclists to use a flashing rear light when driving in low-light conditions on rural roads.
Dr Boss also recommended that Australia’s national standards body review rules on lighting equipment for bikes. She referred the matter to the federal police to review whether any offence had been made.
Hall won numerous long-distance races during his career including the 29,000km World Cycle Race, the Tour Divide and the Trans America.
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