Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Story of a local bike crash!
This is rather a long story but I think it will be of interest to fellow cyclists and pedestrians too.
Story of a local bike crash:
- I was happily cycling home late on a sunny afternoon on Friday 19 April using a route that will probably be familiar to local cyclists. That is - north from Highbury/ Clissold Park, Riversdale Road and along quiet Finsbury Park Road to cross Seven Sisters Road into Finsbury Park.
- I crossed Seven Sisters Road as the cycle crossing lights switched to green and I had almost reached the other (northern) side of Seven Sisters Road when I was hit hard on my left. I was knocked off my bike, landed hard on my bottom and ended up on my back in the kerb with my head on the footway just outside of the Finsbury Park gates.
- I lay inert in pain and shock while helpful passers-by and witnesses stopped to help. A first-aider by the name of Saba (thank you Saba) insisted that I should not be moved and called an ambulance. Two community support policemen (CSOs) were quickly on the scene and talked with witnesses and bystanders.
- Surprise, surprise - it was clear that I had been hit by another cyclist riding east along Seven Sisters Road, riding hard out from a gap between stationary traffic and jumping the red light. It was his head that had hit me hard on my shoulder knocking me clear of my bike. I think he was in the air clear of his own bike at the instant of impact. He said he was sorry, admitted fault and I told him he was a bloody fool. His bike was leaning against the post by my head – I observed that it was a courier-type minimal bike.
- People stayed around to help and one locked-up my bike (thank you Grigor) to be retrieved later while I lay immobile for about 40 minutes for an ambulance. By this time a ‘proper’ police officer was on the scene, talking to the CSOs and the other cyclist.
- I was taken to the Whittington A&E where it was first thought that the only thing wrong might have been shock and a dislocated shoulder, and attempts were made to re-locate it. Then an x-ray showed a smashed collar bone and severed ligaments that required surgery,
- Two days later I went in for surgery and a 10 cm titanium plate with seven screws, two titanium buttons and plastic tie–lines were fitted in my shoulder – to be there for ever.
- Out of hospital and ten days later I contacted the police to find out more about the crash, fully expecting that there would be details of witnesses and an intention to prosecute the red-light-jumper.
- To my dismay, nothing! There was a report than an incident had occurred but they were waiting on the PC involved to make his report. It turned out that he was not a local bobby but part of a central London safer transport team.
- Over the next two weeks the gaps in the story became clear. The police had taken no record of any witnesses and could not trace the shoulder tag numbers of the CSOs who could and should have taken details of witnesses. No evidence had been sought from the third-party who had caused the accident and the police had closed the file. At no time was I asked to give my account of the incident.
- I spent ages on the phone and tramping the streets of Finsbury Park trying to find out who the CSOs were in the hope they had recorded witness statements – all in vain. I had hoped that the other cyclist might have insurance and I might be able to claim damages. Eventually, the police gave me the name (and incomplete address!) of the other cyclist – I wont give his real name, let me just call him Vlad the Impaler! (Contact me if you want to know more about Vlad.)
- I had Vlad looked up on Facebook and there he was – enthusiastic rider of a newly acquired fixed-wheel bike that he proudly described as “his destroyer”. And it has no brakes at all, which is in itself unlawful!
- I tried to interest the police in this new ‘evidence’, but there was no interest in taking it further.
- I decided to track down Vlad and confront him – his Facebook page referred to his place of work in Upper Street Islington and that is where I found him on 23 May. Vlad readily admitted responsibility (for wrecking my life for months!) and when I asked him what the hell he thought he was doing in riding fast over a red-light, his response was to shrug his young shoulders, smile and say: “That’s me, that’s the way I am – that’s what I do!”
- I sought out Vlad again on 12 June – still smiling he told me that he ceased to ride fast and had slowed down, although his bike (the Destroyer) still has no brakes. I wondered - had he really reformed and again looked at his Facebook, which had an entry for 5 June bragging about averaging 40 kph on a ride from Tottenham to Kings Cross! So much for mending his ways.
- On 4 June I submitted a formal complaint to the Haringey Borough Commander of Police – my five point complaint is that the Met Police mismanaged the whole process of reporting and acting on my crash. I made the point that they seemed to regard cyclist-on-cyclist crashes as trivial, and that had a pedestrian or motor vehicle been involved they would have taken it all more seriously.
- My shoulder should be strong enough for me to return to cycling by mid July – three months after the crash and I have just been able to resume driving.
- My messages to fellow cyclists (and pedestrians too) are:
- beware riders of “little-fixies” with no or minimal brakes, they could do you serious damage and think it’s all part of their culture
- have no confidence in the police, who seem to regard cyclists as willing victims
- if you are involved in a crash, injured as you might be, try to get details of witnesses and be prepared to take your own legal action
- don’t rely on lawyers who offer to act on a “no-fee-no-win” basis (such as the one on the LCC lists) – they quickly lose interest when the culprit has no assets and there is no money in it for them.
Hopefully none of this will ever be relevant to you.
Colin
15 June 2013
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Richard Woods on
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If you have any names of witnesses etc them you should seriously consider suing Vlad for damages. And this just shows that the time is coming when bikers are going to have to have insurance and maybe even be registered (heaven help us!) so that victims like you have half a chance and the police HAVE to tske it seriously. By the way - approach your local MP and make sure the cops know you have... can work wonders!
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Permalink Reply by Shem Law on
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Colin,
I came across this a few months ago and thought, as many people have commented on, what an appalling set of events it all was. I then forgot about it until last Monday night (20th of October) at about 7.40pm. I was crossing Green lanes on foot with my dog at the pedestrian crossing at the corner of Green Lanes and Salisbury Road, not the one from the post office side but the other one. Anyway about six people were crossing with me, we had nearly reached the Salisbury Road side of Green Lanes when a bicycle went past narrowly missing me and fractionally missing my dog. It was going up Green Lanes (towards Turnpike lane) on the wrong side of the road and must have been travelling at between 25 and 30 miles an hour. A woman beside me screamed. If it had hit any of us it would have undoubtably ended up in a similar situation to your own, with hospital, being the least of it. The bike was black, but with very white wheel rims, the man on board unrecognisable as it was over in a flash. If I was a betting man, I'd say it was Vlad 'the impaler' up to his old tricks again…
If anyone reading this was there or seen this individual pull a similar stunt recently please get in touch, if it is Vlad, (and how many other, utter arse-hole, cyclists are there out there?) It might be time to complain to our local Police and see if they'll pay him another visit...
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Permalink Reply by John McMullan on
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There are many more "utter arse-hole" drivers thank you very much.
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On the whole John, they tend to stop at pedestrian crossings… Really didn't want this to turn into a whingy 'not all cycle warriors are bad' debate. This particular cyclist was behaving in an utterly reckless and arse-hole like manner, I don't think all cyclists behave like that. Some motorists are rapists and paedophiles too I should imagine, the law of averages determines that some cyclists will be too, but that really isn't what I'm talking about here, is it. Do you actually have anything useful to add? If you do I'd love to hear it.
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I'm just sticking up for cyclists. They were not responsible for the death on Green Lanes last weekend for instance. I think the term "utter arse-hole" is what got me typing. You'll find that Vlad would be a bit of a prick if he drove too I would imagine.
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You're probably right John, but as a non-driver, who used to cycle a great deal, you don't need to stick up for them on my account.
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Permalink Reply by John D on
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John, if you read Shem's last sentence again, I think you'll find that he is saying that there are NOT many cyclists as bad as Vlad.
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"and how many other?".
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" if it is Vlad, and how many other ..."
I think he is saying it must be Vlad because nobody else could be such a prat.
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Permalink Reply by Philip on
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Since you have indentified the other party, and should you be able to find any witnesses, surely a civil case is a real possibility, as is a case for damages against the police being party to an act of causing bodily harm. Personally I know many people would be going the pick axe handle route towards Vlad, who seems to think it's nothing for him to worry about.
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Permalink Reply by L F T Snowflake on
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Sad to read, but sadly too, all too typical.
About 18 months ago, after a gap of about 25 years, I got back on a bike and now cycle everywhere.
I quickly perceived that apart from our fifth world road 'system' (ha, ha, ha!), by far the biggest threat I now face is from other cyclists and in particular cyclists like the utter schmuck that is Vlad ( and that is not a word I use lightly because of its meaning) who seem to think that the laws of this land do not apply to them.
That particular junction is in my view one of the most dangerous I have to use in London and if I can avoid it, i will at all costs and cyclists are by far the worst offenders here.
I note that you have tracked down where he keeps his bike. Can I suggest a bit of perfectly legal direct civil action that ought to make him come to his senses? Just go find a couple of decent D-locks and 'clamp' his bike, leaving the phone number of your lawyer and inviting him to come to some arrangement to compensate you.
In the meantime, as a cyclist I would hope that the police do another hit on cyclists who jump lights and I am now very much in favour of compulsory number plates for bikes and cameras at lights that are sensitive enough to pick them up if they jump them.
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Number plates? Like the ones on cars that people can't remember? That argument has been thoroughly debunked, here for a start.
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