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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
   
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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,
   
7. 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.
   
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. 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.)
12. 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!
13. I tried to interest the police in this new ‘evidence’, but there was no interest in taking it further.
14. 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!”
15. 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.
16. 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.
17. 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.
18. 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