A ‘careful and experienced’ motorcyclist from the Isle of Wight had less than 2 seconds to react before colliding with a tractor near Shalfleet, an inquest has heard – more than 3 years after the fatal crash.
51-year-old Lance Stuart Daish, from Shalfleet, died instantly when his black Kawasaki Z1000 SX struck a tractor pulling out of a field on Yarmouth Road (A3054) at around 16:30 on 11th August 2022.
Despite efforts from emergency services and members of the public, including an off-duty firefighter, he was pronounced dead at 16:50.
The inquest, held at the Isle of Wight Coroner’s Court on Friday (31st October), heard that Mr Daish had been travelling from his home – just a mile from the crash site – to attend a new bike meet at The Fighting Cocks in Hale Common. Several motorists described seeing his motorcycle moments before the collision, with one noting it overtook just before the Elm Lane junction but did not appear to be travelling excessively fast.
Forensic collision investigator PC Robert Giles explained that reconstruction data showed visibility from the tractor’s position was around 72m in the direction of travel – roughly 3 seconds at the national speed limit. However, the bend in the road meant Mr Daish would have had less than 2 seconds to see the tractor and react before impact.
PC Giles said the experienced rider was travelling at about 56mph when he braked, just under the 60mph speed limit. He found no mechanical issues with either vehicle and confirmed Mr Daish’s protective equipment was in good condition.
A post-mortem examination determined the cause of death as severe multiple traumatic injuries. Toxicology results showed no trace of alcohol or drugs.
At Friday’s inquest, Mr Daish’s family spoke of their distress at the length of time taken for the case to be heard, as well as a 5-week delay in the release of his body following the crash. Coroner Caroline Sumeray apologised for the delays, citing staffing shortages and administrative issues.
Mr Daish’s widow, Lisa, raised concerns over the absence of warning signage for field exits used by heavy machinery and asked the coroner to consider guidance for improved safety measures. Mrs Sumeray agreed to contact the landowner to discuss potential improvements.
The family described Mr Daish as a loving husband and father, a careful and experienced rider, and a former director of the family business R. A. Daish and Sons. He had been looking forward to a weekend away with his wife in their campervan at the time of his death.
Mr Daish’s father, Robin, said:
“The family and I would like to say a sincere thank you to all the witnesses, doctors, medics, and police who attended to Lance. You were all incredible.
“I would personally like to say to the tractor driver that he should not blame himself, as he was only doing his job, and I am sorry for the distress and trauma this accident has brought him.”
Mrs Sumeray told the family that Mr Daish’s death was instantaneous and that he would have known nothing about it.
She concluded that he died as a result of a road traffic collision.
Another case that has been waiting for over three years to be heard. The coroner “apologised for the delays, citing staffing shortages and administrative issues”. But the coroner is the head of service on the Island so if there were staff shortages or admin delays it was her responsibility to address them. Meanwhile, the family has had this hanging over them for three years. This is a tragic, sudden death which must have been hard enough to deal with without a Coroners Cort incapable of fulfilling its primary function adequately,