Family apologises to driver who killed son
The father of a cyclist killed on his way to work has apologised to the taxi driver who knocked him off his bike.
An inquest heard driver Chand Singh Johal was travelling at less than 30mph and would not have had time to react when Michael Winsper rode out in front of him.
The victim's father Edwin Winsper apologised to Mr Johal, saying: "I would just like to apologise for Michael. We have lost him for the rest of our lives, and you have got to live with his death for the rest of your life. There's no ill feeling towards you whatsoever, you weren't to blame."
Michael was due to introduce his parents to a new girlfriend on the night of the accident, the inquest at Smethwick Coroner's Court heard yesterday. The 22-year-old from Anson Road in West Bromwich, was hit on November 27 as he crossed New Swan Lane. He died in hospital three days later.
Mr Johal was carrying a passenger to Black Lake Metro station when he struck Michael. Eye witness Christopher Green told the inquest that he was sitting in stationary traffic when Michael rode his bike off the pavement and across in front of the car ahead of him. He then rode out into oncoming traffic and was hit.
Pc Kate Hall, a forensic collision investigator, told the inquest Michael would have taken a second from the time he emerged from stationary traffic to when he hit the car, and drivers have a reaction time of between 0.9 and 1.5 seconds. She said it was 'a low speed collision' and Mr Johal 'most likely had insufficient time to react'.
Mr Winsper senior said the route his son was taking that morning was not his usual way to work at The Public. He told the inquest: "Michael was an outgoing lad, he wasn't shy, he would talk to anyone and help anyone. The day he went out he borrowed money from his mum to get cigarettes but he didn't get them from the shop he usually went to, he went to get them from Hill Top.
"We heard he argued with the shopkeeper over the price. He rode down the high street towards New Swan Lane. Normally he would have come down the opposite side of the Metro line and he wouldn't have been there. Why he went down that way I wouldn't know. That morning he just said 'see you later dad'. He was going to bring his new girlfriend home that night."
He said it was possible Michael was angry when he crossed the road because of the argument, and that 'he was obviously thinking about something else when he crossed the road'.
Coroner Robin Balmain recorded a verdict of death by road traffic collision.
