I'm on his side a little more, I mean.. there's no excuse for not looking, & it is poor driving, but if he drives that road every single day and suddenly there's heaps going on on the side of the road, it's obviously going to distract him - on a blind left bend... 90% of accidents on roads within a mile of your house etc.
I think it's inexcusable that they can all be stood there and no one thought to mark the road off as a hazard.