Post by Bracken Van Ryssen on Sept 20, 2013 14:20:27 GMT
"On September 18th this year, Hope Fennell should have turned 15 years of age. Yet she will never enjoy another birthday, as she was killed on Kings Heath High St travelling home from school on her bike in November 2011. Her bike went under the wheels of an 18 tonne truck, driven by Darren Foster. Foster had driven across Birmingham sending texts to his girlfriend. Distracted, he pulled away in his truck, not noticing Hope in front of him. Rather than taking any responsibility for his actions, he sat in the... cab of his truck, callously attempting to delete his texts and to cover his tracks.
After 2 years of agony for Hope's family, in which Foster has repeatedly changed his plea, he has just been sentenced- receiving a derisory prison term of six months, of which he is likely to serve no more than 3. Nothing has changed. Trucks continue to roll down the High St at all hours of day and night, as our children try to find their way home. And driver after driver can be witnessed on the High St using their mobile phones, without the slightest regard to the safety of other road users.
We've had enough. So at 11.30 on Saturday, September 21st, we will be meeting at the entrance of Highbury Park to walk, ride and process up the High St, sending the message to Birmingham City Council and to the Courts that our children's lives are worth much more, and that we are not prepared to sit back and wait for another avoidable tragedy caused by another driver's arrogance and selfishness. Please join us." From: www.birminghamcyclist.com/events/ride-for-hope
After 2 years of agony for Hope's family, in which Foster has repeatedly changed his plea, he has just been sentenced- receiving a derisory prison term of six months, of which he is likely to serve no more than 3. Nothing has changed. Trucks continue to roll down the High St at all hours of day and night, as our children try to find their way home. And driver after driver can be witnessed on the High St using their mobile phones, without the slightest regard to the safety of other road users.
We've had enough. So at 11.30 on Saturday, September 21st, we will be meeting at the entrance of Highbury Park to walk, ride and process up the High St, sending the message to Birmingham City Council and to the Courts that our children's lives are worth much more, and that we are not prepared to sit back and wait for another avoidable tragedy caused by another driver's arrogance and selfishness. Please join us." From: www.birminghamcyclist.com/events/ride-for-hope