Cyclist died in a driver 'blind spot'

A cyclist who died in a collision with a lorry in Belfast had been in the "blind spot" of the driver, a coroner has found.

Gary McMahon, 58, had been on his way to work in November 2024 when he died on one of the busiest roads near the city centre, Clifton Street, close to Carlisle Circus in north Belfast.

The inquest heard that Mr McMahon, who worked at the supermarket Asda and also the BBC, had not realised a lorry was turning and had cycled through a red light at a crossing.

The coroner Anne-Louise Toal said he appeared to have "misinterpreted" the lorry's intentions.

As for the driver, the coroner said "she was making the appropriate number of checks" during the turn and the vehicle had indicated in advance but the cyclist had been in a "blind spot".

The inquest heard that the vehicle had been fitted with an additional safety feature to provide alerts about people or objects nearby, but this had not been working properly on the day.

The inquest was told that the lorry driver had been on a hands-free telephone call at the time of the collision but there was no evidence that this had distracted her and she was driving slowly at 8mph.

An eyewitness said the driver "did everything right".

Mr McMahon, from west Belfast, died at the scene due to chest and stomach injuries.

The inquest heard he was deeply loved by his family, and was a devoted owner of two dogs and was a fanatical Manchester United supporter.

The coroner said his death underscored the dangers posed by blind spots in driving.

She said that cyclists and pedestrians should be aware of how vulnerable they can be sometimes.

She pointed to cyclists wearing helmets, reflective clothing and using lights to increase visibility.

Drivers too need to be acutely aware of cyclists and pedestrians, she said, and ensure any safety systems are functioning properly.

A so-called ghost bike has been left at the scene of the collision on Clifton Street.

There are three such bikes in Belfast, marking where cyclists have died in recent years.

The so-called ghost bike was created by cyclist John Wright, who attended the inquest.

Afterwards he said he hoped it would be the last death of a cyclist in Belfast.

"The whole incident should be a learning experience for everyone including the Department for Infrastructure (DfI)," he said.

"It (cycling) is the most efficient form of transport. It should be a critical part of our roads culture and our roads planning that cyclists should have some form of priority on the roads."

Also at the inquest was Anne Madden from the Walk Wheel Cycle Trust, previously known as Sustrans.

She sent her sympathy to family of Mr McMahon and called for urgent action to be taken at Clifton Street.

"It's not safe for people walking or cycling," she said.

The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) offered condolences to the family and friends of Mr McMahon.

A spokesperson said: "As with all fatal collisions we worked closely with the PSNI to assist them with their investigation."

The spokesperson added that DfI was "currently progressing" a number of cycling infrastructure improvement schemes.

They also said that "potential changes to the future road layout in the Clifton Street area will be considered" as part of the development of the Belfast Rapid Transit (Glider) Phase 2 scheme.