Harry Simon McArthur (29) was scheduled to go on trial in the Dunedin District Court yesterday but instead pleaded guilty to the charge of careless driving causing injury.
Counsel Anne Stevens said her client was keen to participate in restorative justice with former Brockville School principal Craig Hickford. But the victim dismissed the offer.
"That’s not appropriate," Mr Hickford told the Otago Daily Times.
"It’s been 11 months since the accident ... He’s not at any stage tried to contact me or my wife since the accident. He’s not even asked the police about how I’ve been."
Mr Hickford suffered a major brain bleed when he was knocked off his bike in Main Rd, Fairfield, on February 14 last year.
His wife and two children endured a traumatic few weeks while he was unconscious in intensive care and doctors even considered turning off the life-support machine.
Since then he has moved to Christchurch with his family to continue his recovery.
News of McArthur’s guilty plea provided some relief to Mr Hickford but he had always been confident he was in the right, as had police.
The summary of facts said the defendant was driving his Isuzu ute west in Main Rd at 8.15pm, preparing to make a right turn into Flower St.
The victim was pedalling in the opposite direction on the other side of the road.
McArthur hit Mr Hickford while making the turn, "propelling the victim through the air" before he landed on the grass verge.
The driver told police the sun, which was "quite intense", had impaired his vision and it was only some trees up the road that briefly allowed him to see.
By that stage Mr Hickford was right in front of him.
Mr Hickford believed the long wait for a guilty plea was because McArthur was in "self-protection mode".
"He tried to challenge the police findings," Mr Hickford said. He reckoned the offer to attend restorative justice was a gesture at best, Mr Hickford said.
"I genuinely believe he’s doing it now to save face, not for any genuine human reason."
He would not be attending the sentencing, Mr Hickford said.
"I think we’ve moved away from Dunedin and put it behind us. I’ve got to focus on my recovery," he said.
That recovery featured daily challenges, many of which were psychological.
"I’ve got to work so hard to get back into my life," Mr Hickford said.
"We’re not at the stage where we’re ready to forgive him for what he’s done."