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MASSBUG NEWS 2009

Thurs 04 Mar

Hi Massbug,

We met nearly a year ago now at the Cooks River Festival. I hope that the year has treated you well and you’re enjoying yourself.

I believe that we spoke little bit about the Cooks River Sustainability Initiative and its subcatchment planning approach. We have recently embarked upon the second stage of planning for the Eastern Channel (EC) East Subcatchment – (south) Newtown, Enmore and St Peters. This process involves holding community visioning sessions and subsequent planning forums for community, businesses and stakeholders within the Subcatchment.

I am hoping to pass on the attached invitation to the CRSI_-_Subcatchment_EC_East_-_Invitation_to_vision_sessions_v3.pdf (1.3Mb) to any and all stakeholders that I can get onto in the Newtown, Enmore and St Peters area. If you are still active with Massbug and it’s not terribly intrusive to send out this invitation to the Inner West Massbug members (it's great if they live in the area, but anyone who works here or uses the facilities is considered a stakeholder) it would be greatly appreciated.

If you have any further questions, or if you would like to come along! Please feel free to contact me on the number below.

Thanks kindly,

Kate

Kate Christianson | Environmental Project Officer | Cooks River Sustainability Initiative
9748 9649
http://www.ourriver.com.au

8 Councils with 1 vision for a healthy river

Driver denies trying to run cyclists off road

Harriet Alexander January 29, 2009

CYCLISTS tumbled topsy-turvy into the rear of a car that stopped abruptly in front of their pack travelling at up to 50 kmh, some falling into the path of traffic and many running into one another.

The Olympian Michelle Ferris was sent flying into the air, landing on the boot of the car with her face squashed against the rear window.

But the driver, Hassan Bakr, who sped away from the accident in May last year, told Downing Local Court yesterday it was "just an unfortunate incident … that I couldn't help".

"I have nothing personal against cyclists," he said.

About 60 cyclists had met at a Darlinghurst cafe that morning before riding to Cronulla as they did every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, the court heard, and by 6.35am they were travelling two abreast in the left lane of Southern Cross Drive in Kensington.

Glen Vigar, who was at the back of the group, said Bakr's Ford Falcon overtook the group in the right lane, but repeatedly veered into the left lane within half a metre of the riders before finally pulling in front of the pack and coming to an abrupt halt.

Most cyclists did not have time to swerve out of the way and either hit the back of the car or those who had already fallen.

Bakr told the court he had been out since about midnight and was keen to get back to his Claymore home. But he was unable to get around a slow vehicle in front of him and edged several times into the left lane occupied by the cyclists to see if there was room to overtake it - which there was not.

As he neared the front of the cycling pack he tried to accelerate, but his car backfired and he moved into the left lane with his hazard lights on, at which point he accidentally pushed the gear into park rather than neutral, which pulled the car to a sudden stop. Then, surrounded by irate cyclists, he felt intimated and made a dash for it.

The police prosecutor, Matthew Breeze, asked: "But weren't they hurt and lying on the ground behind the car?"

Bakr: "What, so I'm going to get out and let them bash me?"

The magistrate, Chris Clisdell, gave Bakr the benefit of the doubt yesterday, fining him $1200 after finding him guilty of failing to stay within his lane, negligent driving and failing to supply particulars at an accident.

The cyclists claim Bakr deliberately caused the accident, which caused damage of $45,000.

But Mr Clisdell said that on Bakr's version of events the level of negligence was low.

Bakr declined to comment on his sentence.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/driver-denies-trying-to-run-cyclists-off-road/2009/01/28/1232818532178.html

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