Reader views (23)

 Add your view

Many cyclists don,t stop when the traffic lights are red for them (green man for me) they don't allow me to cross when I am in a zebra crossing but very quich they protest when someting like this happens. Cyclist should been forced to be more respecful whith all the travel signs and many accidents wouldn't happen.

- Rosa, London, 10/02/2010 14:22
Report abuse

Most cyclist deaths occur in zone 1. Why don't TFL provide some cycle routes along quiet traffic free paths along the river Thames in central London? That would provide a segregated West East route throught the city. Surely thats better than encouraging cyclists to use narrow and dangerous Upper Thames Street or High Holborn, where there isn't enough room for cyclists. Surely cycle paths along the river would save some lives? For example, two way cyle lanes only need to be 1.5metres so theres plenty of room along the 5metre Victoria Embankment river pathway that leads 2km through central London from Westminster to Blackfriars.

- Joseph M, Motorist, London, 11/01/2010 13:57
Report abuse

I was actually the first person at the scene and attended to the victim as a ‘first aider’. Mr Higgins is not being truthful in his statement.

Never mind, as long as the victim is alright, that is the thing that really matters!

By the way the man was 30 years old and from Spain.

- Denny Frost, London, UK, 24/09/2008 19:23
Report abuse

I cycle up High St Ken every morning and actually happened to pass on foot yesterday morning just after this accident had happened. My sympathies to the cyclist for a speedy recovery.

High Street Ken is dangerous for cyclists, with two lanes of slow moving traffic and no cycle provision. This need to be addressed. However, I have to stress how angry it makes me to see so many cyclists flouting the law, behaving as if they're invinsible and endangering pedestrians, other cyclists and motorists.

I cannot comment on this particular incident, but in general if cyclists took more care, observed rules and realised their vulnerability there would be less horrific accidents. Wear helmets and high vis, stay off the pavements, be mindful of lorry's blindspots, watch for motorists indicating and for goodness sake, stop at red lights.

The sight of this poor man yesterday reminded me how little protection we cyclists have, but if motorists and cyclists alike took a little more care, and rushed slightly less there would be less aggression all round and hopefully the roads would be safer.

- Emily, London, 19/09/2008 14:03
Report abuse

I was on my bicycle waiting at the lights just past the junction. I heard a bang and turned round to see the lorry go over the cyclist - he was staring up at the axle as it went over him - luckily only over his legs. The lorry driver seemed ok at the time, saw the cyclist on the floor being looked after. Before I cycled on though, one pedestrian said he was coming down the pavement. Whether this is true I don't know, but I'd already seen cyclists on the pavement before as it's so packed on High St Ken. Later, as I came to the Ken Church St junction I saw a cyclist shouting at a bus that had cut him up - then I noticed he was wearing his i-pod. As cyclist / pedestrian / occasional car user I think cyclists - often the fascistic black lycra ones - are often the worst example of 'me, first' Londoners

- Nt, London, 19/09/2008 13:21
Report abuse

I cycle up there every day.
Yes cyclists can be stupid sometimes, but the High St is so poorly thought out - the pavements are huge so the roads have barely any margin for error and no cycle lanes.
How many more serious injuries before they fix it?
Im amazed and relieved to hear that guy survived - that truck was massive.

- Dg, London, 19/09/2008 10:52
Report abuse

Firstly my sympathies with the unlucky victim but the real story here is the incompetent complacency of the government and local councils about cycle safety. There is a particular irony about the site of this accident - I was badly injured last year in the same area and wrote to the leader of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea to ask that they plan for separate cycle lanes. The response was that mixing trucks, cars and cycles was safe and gave the redesigned Kensington High St - where this accident took place - as a shining example of good planning. Until London and other UK cities follow the examples of Munich, Amsterdam and the Hague, this terrible and unecessary carnage will go on and on.

- Michael Stock, london sw7, 19/09/2008 10:24
Report abuse

I think that as a cyclist, you have to resign yourself to the fact that - contrary to rumours - London is not a 'cycle-friendly' city. I make a point of submitting to every traffic light order, unlike an apparent 60% of cyclists. I cycle 40 minutes each way in and out of central London 6 days a week. At 36, I have never learnt to drive, so I have picked up the highway code on two wheels. Certainly, it is more of a mental than a physical feat, because there are many, many scenarios where a rule is not in place to protect you. In some areas (Charing Cross & Tottenham Court Roads, a good example), pedestrians treat 'our' part of the road as an extension of the busy pavement, forcing us to swerve - as do the many holes in the tarmac.
I think that those cyclists who disregard the rules of the road, flagrantly ignoring those red lights, do the rest of us a disservice - and so lose the right to complain about jay walkers.
Cyclists need to keep a keen eye out for the left-turning vehicles at all times. Bike lanes can lull you into a false sense of security.
I find that pedestrians 'listen out' for an engine and step out on to the road on sensing it's quiet, which infuriates me.
Taxi drivers aren't overly keen on indicating, either - so I'm wary of a black cab.

- Lindsay, London, UK, 19/09/2008 10:03
Report abuse

There were only three such 'hooking' deaths in Copenhagen last year. London appears to achieve that in a week...
Maybe it's because, in Denmark, when a motorist hooks a cyclist they receive a ban and have to retake their driving test. It's not rocket science: just remove the bad drivers from the roads. Bad drivers cause most of the congestion too, (by their erratic driving,) so removing them means all road users win.

- Threaded, Roskilde, Denmark, 19/09/2008 07:38
Report abuse

Good to hear the cyclist's injuries are not life-threatening. I live right oposite the turning into Campden hill Road and it is a lethal turning and over the years many people have been hurt. I had my camera handy when the helicopter landed then took off.

- Caruthers Melchamp, London, W8, 19/09/2008 01:09
Report abuse

I drive a 32 ton people killer up and down upper thames street, I go up and down each direction at least 5 times a day between half 6 in the morning till 4 in the afternoon. I drive with caution and you still can't help idiots on the road. The cycle lane is not too narrow for the fact that 1000cc motorbikes use it with ease at 40mph plus through forward facing average speed cameras that can't recall their number plates. As for bicycles, the city is renound for couriers driving like mad men, then you have the office worker that doesn't have a license and has no road sense, then there are those with headphones on who swirve in your path to avoid a drain cover!! Most are looking in the wrong place at the wrong time and its all because they are on a mission to get somewhere cause they are late. Why is it that motorcylist, cars, taxi's, truck drivers etc need to take a test to be allowed to use the highway, I personally think there needs to be a test because they are putting themselves in the blind spot areas whilst im stationery or they should use the bus, you all blame us truck drivers but its the idiotic people that are putting themselves in danger and its always the truck driver that gets the blame for the cyclist putting themself in the blindspot and causing them injury, agreed some lorry drivers are too blame but why should all lorry drivers get the blame??

- Joe Nolan, London, 18/09/2008 22:55
Report abuse

"Maybe it's the two in one day that made them newsworthy?"

Or the fact they have a 'dramatic' picture to go with the story. I cycle along Kensington High Street every day to and from work and the story sent a shiver down my spine - here's hoping for a speedy recovery for the injured cyclist.

- Simon, London W6, 18/09/2008 20:12
Report abuse

My experience of having visited London (I didnt dare cycle) was that everyone is in such a rush or is impatient. People need to slow down and take time to think. I cite my experience of 4 people shoulder-barging me (guys in suits at that) as I walked the highstreet by the V&A - this is the attitude. Sadly you're not gaining anything from impatient action.

When on the bike I have been cut up by drivers who just want to get one vehicle ahead - at a red light!

Then there is the road layout. Cyclists and motorists both need to be in contact with councils and planners more than they have been or roads will not be effective and traffic flow will corrupt or become dangerous. Road planners are often also guilty of thinking they know best and/or wont consult the people affected.

- Dan Aka Downfader, southampton uk, 18/09/2008 19:24
Report abuse

I work close to the junction of Upper Thames Street and Southwark Bridge and see lots of "near misses". Sometimes these are the fault of the lorry/car/bus, but more often (and believe you me, it pains me to say this) it the cyclist that is often at fault. You would not believe how many ride up the cycle lane on the INSIDE of a lorry that is indicating left onto Southwark Bridge. I am surprised that there are not more fatalities there. In no way am I saying that today's tragedies are in anyway the fault of the cyclists. It is just sad that someone will not be going home tonight. And spare a thought for the drivers-how would you feel if you ran over a cyclist (or anyone for that matter) knowing that you were not at fault and there was nothing you could do to prevent the collison?

Drivers AND cyclists need to be more alert to each other. I ride a cycle (fortunately NOT in London) and ride a motorbike to and from work 6 days a week, and I ride aware of the fact that I am not invincible.

- Colin, London EC3, 18/09/2008 19:13
Report abuse

i imagine it was the helicopter that attracted their attention - "ooh lookie lookie: whirly bird"

- Anon, London, 18/09/2008 18:34
Report abuse

There needs to be a 'CBT' type scheme for cyclists to be more aware of larger vehicles on the road.

- Paddy Cutts, London SE1, 18/09/2008 17:30
Report abuse

This shows that it is not safe for cyclists to be on the roads. It is absolute stupidity to undertake an HGV a fact of which cyclists seem to be blissfully ignorant. They also seem to believe that red lights are advisory and the pavement is a cycle route. If you are the most vunerable of road users you have a duty to protect yourself by excersising the relevant degree of care. It is strange that cyclists have not been banned from using the roads on health and safety grounds. However, perhaps the prevailing case is one of social Darwinism

- Mike, london, 18/09/2008 17:22
Report abuse

WHen will cyclists stop blaming everyone else for their accidents. Why is it you rarely hear of motorcyclists (not scooters I put them in with cyclists) getting squashed by trucks. Probably due to the fact that if you ride defensively you don't get in to these situatins in the first place. I have lost count of the times I've seen the ipod wearing cyclist change postion without looking behind them first. Those of us who have been riding motorcycles for a long time know how you learn the hard way. literally.

- Jon, London, 18/09/2008 17:11
Report abuse

I don't understand why the Mayor and politicians are encouraging people to cycle. This is another prove that cycling is not safe in London's streets

- Ad, London, 18/09/2008 16:47
Report abuse

Maybe because it has a dramatic picture to it. Agreed, all accidents should be publicised to bring home vunerability of cyclist on our roads, especially here in London. All I want to do is get from A to B safely. That should be my human right.

- Navin Tharan, London, UK, 18/09/2008 16:33
Report abuse

Regrettably many cyclists still have themselves to blame. I cycle to work daily and I am constantly horrified by the antics of some cyclists in particular those who move alongside vehicles already signalling to turn left.

- Patrick Griffin, Dalston, London, 18/09/2008 16:32
Report abuse

This is the 8th London cyclist to have died as the result of a collision with a HGV/LGV/lorry in 2008. There's a narrow cycle lane at this site on Upper Thames St with lots of metalwork in the ground.
Additionally there are bollards along the edge of the pavement and often pedestrians waiting to cross.

That all adds up to any cyclist using the (far too narrow) cycle lane having NO escape route whatsoever. Expecting all but the tiniest minority of motorists to have any concept of allowing an escape route for other vehicles not even in the same lane is naive in the extreme.

We shall have more and more HGVs on London's busy roads leading up to 2012, and drivers are STILL killing cyclists and getting away with derisory fines, and blind spot mirrors are STILL not compulsory for HGVs.

The other part about this particular cycle lane is that it restricts the roadway and should never have been put in the first place, the road is too narrow for the addition of 'restricted' road space. It then forced all the motorcycles that previously shared the centre space between rows of traffic with bicycles to use the new cycle lane perched at kerb; the latter being on particularly poor repair.

We must encorage more cyclists to make the roads safer, enforce existing road traffic laws and clamp down on killer drivers.

- Lousie Fletcher, London, 18/09/2008 15:51
Report abuse

Thanks for covering this story, though why last Monday's fatality on Holloway Road (where a female cyclist was hit by a lorry) or last Friday's on Blackfriars Bridge (where a female cyclist was hit by a lorry - and survived with serious injuries) were not deemed newsworthy by yourselves seems strange to say the least. Especially given your give cyclists room campaign. Maybe it's the two in one day that made them newsworthy?

- Helen, London SE1, 18/09/2008 15:44
Report abuse

Add your comment