This week, a story hitting the headlines centred on a cyclist who knocked over a yoga teacher after she stepped into the road while looking at her phone.
Robert Hazeldean was ordered to pay what could amount to £100,000 in compensation and court costs after 28-year-old Gemma Brushett sued him - despite the fact that she wasn't paying attention to the road.
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It wasn't looking good for Rob, who was facing filing for bankruptcy as a result of the charges.
That is, until the public stepped in to help.
A woman named Brittany Maher-Kirk set up a GoFundMe page on behalf of the cyclist and already over 3,000 people have raised more than £46,000 in just two days - over double its original target of £21,000.
Robert took to Twitter when he caught wind of the news to write: "Incredibly, @Brittlovebike's crowdfund has reached its goal.
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"I'm hopeful the final hearing won't add anything significant but the page will stay up, with anything raised beyond final costs going to @ActionAidUK."
He added that he's 'forever grateful' to all the people who have offered their support.
The landscape designer, who now lives in France, previously sponsored a child through the Action Aid charity, although had to stop in light of the financial pressures.
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Regarding the case, the pair were both knocked unconscious and Brushett, from Kent, suffered damage to her front teeth and facial scars when Hazeldean crashed into her on July 20, 2015. The pair collided at a busy junction at the north end of London Bridge.
Hazeldean was left 'reeling' when a judge ordered him to pay Brushett for damages despite the fact that the lights were green for him, Brushett 'was looking at her phone' and Judge Shanti Mauger called him 'a calm and reasonable road user'
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The judge added that the costs the cyclist is set to pay 'appeared to be disproportionate', but nonetheless Brushett - who works for a finance firm in the city as well as running yoga retreats - had won her claim for damages.
The judge explained that 'cyclists must be prepared at all times for people to behave in unexpected ways'.
"Ms Brushett and Mr Hazeldean were equally culpable in this accident and Mr Hazeldean, for whatever reason, hasn't made a claim and so only Ms Brushett is getting a payout."
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It was all looking pretty dismal for the poor guy, but hopefully the generous donations from the public should help with the costs and keep him afloat.
Warning about the significance of taking out insurance as a cyclist, Hazeldean said: "I can only hope that the focus on this case highlights the vulnerability of cyclists, both physically and against the courts, and that it might help reform a legal system that appears to leave certain road users disproportionately exposed."
Featured Image Credit: Champion NewsTopics: Court Case
