Harringay online

Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!

Cyclist hit by a car tonight; I'd guess at about 6pm tonight. Near the pelican crossing where New River crosses Green Lanes, Northbound direction.

The traffic was delayed, police & ambulance attending, it did not look nice!

I cycle down that hill at least 3 times a week, there are 1 or 2 nasty potholes by that crossing. Of course this is my speculation but maybe the cyclist hit a pothole & then collided with a passing car.

I hope the rider is OK, if anyone has more info please post here.

If I'm right (above) then the council is at fault for the pothole (plus the street lighting is poor) &, if the car was overtaking the cyclist, the motorist would be at fault for passing too closely.

Furthermore: there was another ambulance positioned further North; under the railway bridge. (I did see a bicycle leaning against the wall but no-one lying on the road).

Motorists: please don't overtake cyclists when it is not safe (they may suddenly wobble if there is a pothole).

Cyclists: please overtake motorists on the right, it's safer than passing down the left by the curb. AND, move out into the centre of the lane to prevent motorists from overtaking you if it is not safe for them to do so (use your position to control the traffic behind you, the gutter is the most dangerous place to ride).

Tags for Forum Posts: cyclist

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I've cycled down here every weekday night for 6 years. Those potholes have always been lethal and they were my first thought when I saw two cyclists down at the exact same spot recently. Well done those for getting the holes filled (and shame on the others for others for their mere conjecture about what might have happened). As for the passing on the left or right argument, it's not even close. Stay on the right and NEVER undertake vehicles down this stretch of the road. Stay to the right and take the centre of the lane when the road splits into two lanes. This stretch of road is crying out for a proper cycle lane - there's one going up the hill but not down it. Strange. 

I heard a BBC R4 programme recently (More or Less) where they look at stats and numbers. I wish it was still available, but something I heard that was really interesting is that (apparently), cycling for 1 hour will add 1 hour onto your life expectancy...

So the secret of eternal life is finally revealed unto us. It's finding ways to do absolutely everything  on a bike. Day and night. Forever.

Unless you hit a lethal pothole, of course.

_____________________

BTW all the More or Less programmes should be available as podcasts.

Thanks Alan- sadly I will have to listen to them all (the last 4 weeks anyway) to find the right part of the programme.

I already shower on my bike, easting should not be a great leap! I *will* outlive the lot of you...

I'll stick to doing yoga but not on a bike! Downward dogs and cat/cow seem easier and safer way of adding years to my life ::))

"Downward dogs and cat/cow"- Oh, my life!

Too much Omming for me.

I mentioned that I emailed a Hackney councillor about the cycle accidents and the potholes and lighting. I've now had a reply. For future reference here are both emails.

----- Original Message -----
From: Alan Stanton
To: Feryal.Demirci@hackney.gov.uk
Sent: Tuesday, December 03, 2013 9:43 PM
Subject: Second accident involving cyclist in the Hackney part of Green Lanes just south of the New River boundary

Hi Feryal,

This seems to be your "Cabinet" area - and perhaps your own ward?

It's not my ward but I'm a member of Harringay online community website and people have been very worried about cycling hazards in the Hackney stretch of Green Lanes just south of the New River boundary with Haringey. The factors seem to be potholes, plus poor lighting made worse by overgrowing tree branches.

It's been reported after an accident few days ago. But this earlier this evening someone walked past a second accident with a cyclist and an ambulance. Please see the discussion thread: http://www.harringayonline.com/forum/topics/cyclist-hit-tonight

Is it your area and could you help urgently - perhaps even to avoid a further serious accident? Please let me know.

Thanks

Alan
Tottenham Hale ward councillor

----- Original Message -----
From: Feryal Demirci (Cllr)
To: Alan Stanton
Sent: Tuesday, December 17, 2013 5:31 PM
Subject: Green Lanes

Dear Mr Stanton

Thank you for your email of 3 December regarding the above matter. I am of course very concerned about any accident within Hackney and particularly cycle accidents, given the Council’s extensive efforts to promote cycling as a safe and sustainable form of transport.

In terms of the most recent accident, there is a suggestion that it has been caused by a pot hole and I agree that this needs to get resolved quickly. Council officers have undertaken some immediate repairs and some more permanent repairs in the vicinity of the pelican crossing will be carried out within the next month. Overall, however, the Hackney section of this length of road is generally in good condition and I am informed by officers that it is in similar – if not better – condition than the Haringey section. I have been assured that Hackney’s highway inspectors will continue to inspect this road on a monthly basis and order any repairs that are necessary.

I understand that the Council’s arboricultural officer has also visited the site and has identified a highway tree that requires some pruning work. The tree is casting a shadow over the carriageway, though I understand the darkest area on the western pavement is due primarily to the lack of lighting on that side and the neighbouring trees in Finsbury Park. Council officers are currently programming this work, and I am told that they have identified three or four trees in the park that are also causing issues with shadowing, which they have notified Haringey of.

With regard to your concerns regarding cycle safety on the Hackney stretch of this road, Council officers have checked the accident history for this road. The recent accident will not, of course, have been included within the formal statistics yet, but I have been advised that otherwise there have been no reported cycle accidents in the Hackney section of road within the last four years. In fact, I am told that there have been no accidents north of the junction with Woodberry Grove in the last three years - with one accident (involving a motorcyclist) near the pelican four years ago. I understand that in the last three years there have been two cyclist accidents in the Haringey section of the road – one in 2010 and another in 2011.

I hope that this information helps to clarify the situation and Hackney’s response to the issues. If you have any further queries please do let me know.

Yours sincerely

Cllr Feryal Demirci
Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods

Alan. I menat to come back to you earlier on this. Thanks for following it up, and at least they recognise the patch they have in place is temporary, as it is clear it will sooon wear away back into a hole again.

I think your Hackney colleague is right that most of the Hackney length of Green Lanes is in good nick (generally), but the part just down from Manor House is where the spring water is breaking the metalled surface in several places.  

I was slightly worried by her comparison of the Hackney vs the Harringay side of the road:

"Overall, however, the Hackney section of this length of road is generally in good condition and I am informed by officers that it is in similar – if not better – condition than the Haringey section."

This is possibly true, but I hope it will not be seen as a reason to not keep up the Hackney side, as (as several of us have said) the Harringay side is not in very good condition.

Has anyone heard anything back form the Harringay folks at all, has anyone reported it?

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