Biker died on Shropshire road following split second decision

Richard Smith died after being hit by a 12-tonne recovery lorry on the A49 on April 14 last year.

Mr Smith, 62, of Killamarsh, Derbyshire,was one of four motorcyclists riding together when the accident happened near Ludlow.

He pulled out of the A4113 junction on to the A49 and was struck by a 12-tonne Renault lorry.

Mr Smith was airlifted to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, with multiple injuries, including a serious brain injury.

He was later transferred to the Northern General Hospital in Fir Vale, Sheffield, where he died on July 31.

Doctors found he died as a result of bronchopneumonia, secondary to a brain injury.

Robert Till, a tractor driver who saw the incident from a lay-by, told the inquest held in Sheffield: "As the lorry was coming down the road I saw a group of bikers.

"The first pulled out in front of the lorry. I thought 'that's close'.

"I just couldn't believe my eyes when the second biker followed."

Asked if there was anything the lorry could do to avoid the collision, he replied: "No, not at all."

Assistant Coroner Louise Slater concluded that Mr Smith died of a road traffic collision.

She added: "At no point in this inquest has anybody questioned Mr Smith's competency.

"It seems he was a very experienced and very good rider.

"He made a split second decision, which we probably all do on a daily basis, which had very wide-reaching consequences.

"There are inquests that stay with you and I will remember this. We don't really know what happened with the decision making. We can only really speculate.

"But it seems there was a lot going on with that junction. It was a split second decision made and perhaps not the wisest one.

"Please accept my condolences."