CYCLING SHOES that clip to the pedals were a factor in a collision in which a cyclist was fatally injured when his racing bike was struck by a car driven by his son, an inquest has heard.
Emmanuel “Manzor” Thackaberry (70) of Nurney Bog, Kildoon, Co Kildare died at Tallaght Hospital on July 7th, 2010, more than two weeks after what was described by coroner Dr Kieran Geraghty as a “particularly tragic and freak accident”.
The coroner at Dublin County Coroner’s Court said it had been “an awful experience for the Thackaberry family.”
Giving evidence, Sgt Donal Prendergast, who examined the scene, told the inquest that Mr Thackaberry was wearing special cycling shoes which were locked into the pedals of the racing bike.
“I would believe he wasn’t able to get them [his feet] out quick enough. I believe it was a contributory factor,” added Sgt Prendergast.
The presence of a hedgerow also restricted the view of the cyclist to his right and the view of the driver, the inquest was told.
They “had less than a one second view of each other. They hadn’t sufficient time to brake and avoid the collision,” said Sgt Prendergast.
Sgt Prendergast agreed with the coroner that the cyclist should have stopped at the junction at which there was a stop sign.
“These professional cyclists seem to put their heads down and just go for it. I believe he wasn’t aware of the junction and was cycling straight on,” he said.
Mr Thackaberry was not wearing a cycling helmet.
A daughter of the deceased man, Rose Thackaberry who was a passenger in the car, had spotted her father and was just about to wave to him when the incident occurred on June 20th, 2010.
“It looked like he was going to stop . . . I could just see the car hit the back wheel of his bike and then I saw his face on the windscreen,” said Ms Thackaberry, whose daughter Michaela was a back-seat passenger.
“I just covered my face with my hands then. I remember Michaela screaming and I looked over and he was on the ground,” Ms Thackaberry said.
The Thackaberry family members had left a birthday celebration in Nurney a short time earlier.
They had taken separate routes.
Motorist Micheál Thackaberry, who was giving his sister a lift to work, said his father looked like he was going to stop.
“As I approached the crossroads I could see him cycle to the left . . . I started to brake then and he swerved out to the right. It happened so fast,” he said.
Another motorist who witnessed the incident, Damien Forristal, said it appeared that Emmanuel Thackaberry could not stop in time because he was a bit “wobbly” on the bike.
A jury returned a verdict of accidental death and recommended the cutting of the hedgerow near the crossroads so that oncoming cars could be seen better at the junction.
The inquest heard that the hedges have since been cut.
Cycling Ireland chief executive Geoff Liffey said he could not comment on the individual incident, but he stressed that modern cycling shoes are designed with safety in mind.
They are secure when a cyclist is pedalling, but if a cyclist falls off or has to stop suddenly, he or she can free themselves by kicking left or right.
Mr Liffey added that this was a safety feature which was not available in the old standard toe clips used by cyclists like Seán Kelly.