11 November 2014

Olympic cyclist in hospital following pothole crash

Tuesday, November 11, 2014 | | Edit Post


Following our previous posts regarding the dangers of potholes, and the claims arising from injuries sustained in pothole accident we were very sorry to hear of the accident involving Olympic Gold medallist Dani King.

Dani was injured in a crash when a fellow cyclist hit a pothole during a training ride. King, 23, was taken to hospital by ambulance, and has suffered 5 broken ribs and a collapsed lung, but was fortunately well enough to tweet from her hospital bed ‘Crashed out of training yesterday resulting in five broken ribs and a collapsed lung. Being looked after by the amazing NHS ICU in Wales’.

Dani's father has said that Dani feared spinal damage after he crash, reporting that she was put on a spinal board following the incident. Dani could not feel her feet at one stage, and said to her father she was frightened to cry because she thought she was going to die she was in so much pain.

Dani was out with her usual training partners when one rider hit a pothole concealed by a puddle, bringing down a number of riders in the group. The Olympic and World track champion hit the ground, with another rider falling on top of her.

She is a columnist for the Times, and they reported that she has previously written of her awareness of the dangers of cycling on the roads:-
‘I ride my road bike everyday of the week anyway for the track, whether that’s riding to the track and back or on a training ride.There’s always going to danger on the roads, where you’re sharing space with cars, and it is more likely that you’re going to crash but if I thought too much about that I’d be a nervous wreck. Worrying about crashes won’t help me’.

We have previously written about claimants who have successfully pursued claims in respect of injuries caused by potholes – please see our article about here.


Dani thanked her followers for their messages of support and said that she wished the British riders good luck in the track cycling World Cup in Mexico.
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14 October 2014

BoJo Urged not to give in to 'old men in limos'

Tuesday, October 14, 2014 | | Edit Post


The Olympic Gold medalllist Chris Boardman has urged Boris Johnson not to give into pressure from 'old men in limos', and scrap plans for the cycle superhighways across London.
Following the mayor's proposals for a 'Crossrail for bikes' across the capital, there has been a mixed response from companies and the public alike.
Chris Boardman wrote in an article on the Guardian website that 'There is an intense lobbying operation to destroy the plans, led by just one company, Canary Wharf Group, and by the City of London Corporation'.
Michael Welbank, planning Chairman of the City of London Corporation, said they supported the plans in principal, but claimed the proposals are 'heavily biased towards cycling' - something which Boardman said was like 'opposing Crossrail on the grounds that it is heavily biaised towards trains'.

Full details of the TFL consultations can be found here:-
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/campaign/cycle-superhighway-consultations
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19 September 2014

Cyclists – Happier, healthier and harder working

Friday, September 19, 2014 | | Edit Post
Cyclists – Happier, healthier and harder working
 
There are lies, damn lies and statistics – as the saying goes. But here at Cycle Accident Helpline we are happy to rely upon a couple of recent surveys, concerning cyclists.
Cycling is the mode of transport that makes people most happy, according to a new study using figures from the American Time Use Survey.
Researchers investigated how emotions varied during travel, and by travel methods. Eric Morris, from Clemson University, South Carolina, who led the study, said ‘We found that people are in the best mood while they are bicycling compared to any other mode of transportation’. He added that cyclists tended to be a self selected group who were enthusiastic about their mode of transport.
Then we come to some UK research – which suggests that employees who commute to work are more likely to be successful once they arrive as they are fitter, more alert and take fewer sick days.
A study by Cyclescheme spoke to 2500 cyclists and 100 employers about the effects of cycling on their workers. More than two thirds of employers reported that cyclists were more energetic, and more than half said they take less sick days.
Almost half said that those who cycled to work we more productive.
For the cyclists themselves – 82 per cent said they felt less stressed, and 77 per cent felt more focused.
So there you have it, happier, healthier and harder working – cycling – it’s a revolutionary movement.
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12 August 2014

Ride London - a celebration of cycling - DESPITE the weather

Tuesday, August 12, 2014 | | Edit Post
Last weekend saw the streets of London closed for the annual Ride London weekend.
I was lucky enough to take part in the Ride London-Surrey 100 for a second time this year - though that was badly hit by the after effects of Hurricane Bertha. The amateur event was shortened from 100 miles to 86 miles to avoid the more dangerous parts of the route - Leith Hill and Box Hill.
On Saturday an estimated 60,000 took part in a 10 mile ride through central London and the festivities included the largest bicycle bell ensemble........
Cyclists make their way down The Mall from Buckingham Palace towards Admiralty Arch in the Prudential RideLondon Freecycle along

Sunday was the day for the more serious events - the Ride London 100, followed by the 'Classic' event for elite riders.
I started my ride at 7:50 - when it was fairly drizzly, but not too bad. By the time I reached Hampton Court, about 25 miles in - the heavens well and truly opened - it was like cycling through a power shower. The speed of the downpour resulted in lots of flooding en route - all taken in its stride by the great marshalls and volunteers.
The rain did not seem to put off the supporters - who were out along most of the route - and really did spur on the cyclists.
With 25 miles to go the sun came out - I dried out - and even had the sun glasses on!! It stayed dry until I had 1 mile to go - the sky went very dark, and then the heavens opened again - the wind picked up, knocking over hoardings in the final stages - bt I got through - soaked - again - but delighted to have got through without a puncture - and without coming off.
The whole day was brilliantly organised - and any accidents I did see were being well attended by medics and marshalls.
I was really sorry to hear afterwards that a cyclists had died of a cardiac arrest on the climb up to Newlands Corner near Guildford. My heartfelt condolences go to his family and friends. I was relieved to see that the cyclist behind him has been able to reassure the family that he was really well looked after by the medics and the Police. RIP Kris Cook.
More than 20,709 cyclists defied the wind and the rain to complete the course, making it the biggest ever cycling sportive held in the UK.
Gary Watson and Lisa Russell, of Raynes Park even managed to get married en route - stopping of at Richmond Park's Pembroke Lodge to tie the knot, before completing the course!



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08 August 2014

The Prudential RideLondon Cycling Show 2014

Friday, August 08, 2014 | | Edit Post
Ahead of a weekend celebration of cycling in London I attended the Prudential RideLondon Cycling Show 2014  - partly because you need to attend to collect your pack for the RideLondon 100 - but the show is well worth a visit in it's own right.
Most of the major cycling brands were there - and nearly everyone was giving really good discounts on essential kit for the weekend
Loads to do, things to try, and hourly stunt riding shows - something for everyone - and the kids are definitely well catered for - wth lots of photo opportunites - on Wiggo's throne, at the front of the peloton etc. - and lots of
You have the opportunity to get  last minute massage before Sunday, ad you can wash it all down with a free non alcoholic Erdinger!
and some celebrities along for the ride as well... Go Chemmy!
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The event was opened yesterday by Martin Johnson - who is also taking part on Sunday.

Having been looking forward to this weekend for months it is a bit of a shame that it looks like the weather is going to take a real turn for the worse on Sunday.
Lets hope it doesn't affect the Ride London event - or the professionals Classic - which Bradley Wiggins is due to tak part on on Sunday after the RideLondon 100.
Good luck to everyone taking part - see you on the route!






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01 August 2014

Trailwalker 2014 - 4 People | 100KM | 30 HOURS

Friday, August 01, 2014 | | Edit Post
Last weekend I took part in the Trailwalker.

It involves a team of 4 walkers, covering 100km of the South Downs Way, within 30 hours. Our team, myself, Neale Sterio, Michael Thaysen - Sorenson and Leon Emes, with our fantastic support team of Mette and Debs, set off with the intention of being under 24 hours – how hard could it be??
 
There are 10 checkpoints along the way, where you can meet your support teams - and they are all manned by the Gurkhas and Oxfam volunteers. Our start time was 10:00am on Saturday, so after a breakfast prepared by the Gurkhas, we set off. We got off to a great start, the pace was good, but the temperatures were very high.

We were going brilliantly – faster than our training walks - looking like we would come in well under the 24 hours, when the heat began to take it's toll. Between stage 3 and 4 we had some heat stroke - which meant slowing down, and being much more careful about taking on fluids and food. After an extended stop, we got back on the trail, and were going well again. The support of our crew, and the Gurkhas and Oxfam volunteers was invalauble - but the support that the teams showed to each other out on the course was what really kept us going.

The sunset as we reached the mid point of our walk  - 50k in.

We walked through the night - and that was when the checkpoints became even more important. When you have been walking in the dark for two hours – and then you can hear the strains of The Proclaimers blowing across a valley – you know it’s not too much further to your next break.

And with welcomes like this you need to try to keep smiling!

As the day wore on the walk started taking it's toll on our feet, with everybody starting to get blisters. I have never suffered with them before, and had thought they would not be a problem. By stage 7, I had a few, but we had managed to treat them at the checkpoints.

Our support team, and the Gurkhas kept us going. A hot meal at 3:00 in the morning helped – but everytime we stopped in was more difficult to start again – getting reacquainted with  the pain...

The night walking was fairly hypnotic – just concentrating on the 6 feet in front of you and keep moving. The sun rise was another breakthrough – but we still had a long way to go.

Between Checkpoint’s 8 and 9 my blisters got to the point where I could barely walk – and I was not sure how we – or I – would get to the finish. In the end the team insisted we try to sort them out at the side of the track – so with compeed, bandages, plaster and gaffer tape, 'Dr' Leon mended my feet as best we could and carried on.
24 hours was out of the question – so we reset our target for 26 hours – and carried on.
Through very gritted teeth we pushed on – we had fantastic support from all of the teams around us. At each stop you would see more people having to pull out – but we pushed on through.
We made it in 25 hours 58 minutes.

A specials thanks to our support team, Mette and Debs, who not only supported us all the way round, with very little sleep, but also had to listen to our war stories all of Sunday night.
To Leon, who was a late replacement in our team, for being pacemaker, medic and motivator – if you were in the trenches you would want him next to you. To Michael, for keeping up his humour, and countyside ‘warnings’ all the way round, and to Neale, for suggesting this in the first place, and for lying to me for the last 10k about how far we actually were from the finish line.
If you had asked me on Sunday if I would do I again the answer would have been no – today, as my blisters are at a point when I can almost walk normally again – I’m not so sure.
Thanks to everyone who sponsored us – we smashed through our initial target , and our second and third targets. If you didn’t get a chance to sponsor us it’s not too late – it would be great to break the £3000:
https://www.justgiving.com/MountainGoats1/

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10 July 2014

Hit and Run Driver dramatically caught on camera

Thursday, July 10, 2014 | | Edit Post
Hit and Run Driver dramatically caught on camera
 

A cyclist being hit by a hit and run driver would not normally make the news – but this case was a little different – as it was all caught on camera by the unfortunate cyclist.
Patrick Knetemann was using a ‘bullet’ cam on his handlebars when the incident occurred, and therefore had footage of the driver swerving across his path, the collision occurring, and the guilty driver driving off whilst Mr Knetemann was left lying in the road.
Fortunately an off duty paramedic was soon on the seen, and took Mr Knetemann to hospital.
You would think the driver would be ‘banged to rights’ – but unfortunately not.
It transpired that the vehicle had a false registration number.
At the moment the Thames Valley Police are investigating – but the driver is currently untraced..
Mr Knetemann suffered fractures to discs in his neck and bruising to his upper body.
So what of Mr Knetemann’s injuries and the damage to his bike?
With the driver untraced, and probably untraceable, can Mr Kneteman do anything about his injuries and losses?
Fortunately the answer is yes, thanks to a body called the Motor Insurers Bureau (MIB). The MIB was set up to protect the innocent victims of uninsured and untraced motorists.
It is a government body, funded by all motor insurers.
The MIB is known as a fund of last resort -meaning that they only become involved where no other source of compensation is available. The amounts claimable against the MIB are not the same as the full amount that could have been claimed had the guilty party been identified, but it remains a safety net for those, like Mr Kneteman, who find themselves the victim of such criminal behaviour.


At Cycle Accident Helpline we are specialise in cycle accidents, including those involving uninsured and untraced motorists. If you want to discuss a claim, or possible claim, or just have a query – please don’t hesitate to contact us for free, no obligation advice.
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01 July 2014

Roads 'too dangerous' for cyclists BBC poll suggests

Tuesday, July 01, 2014 | | Edit Post

Roads 'too dangerous' for cyclists BBC poll suggests

CyclistsOnly a third of Britons agreed roads in their local area were designed to be safe for cyclists

Related Stories

Half of British adults believe their local roads are too dangerous to cycle on, a BBC poll has suggested.
The Tour de France, the world's biggest annual sporting event, starts in Leeds on Saturday and will take in Harrogate, York, Sheffield,Cambridge and London.
But cycling campaigner Martin Lucas-Smith said "people felt unsafe to cycle" in many UK places.
The Department for Transport (DfT) said it had "doubled funding for cycling to £374m to help deliver safer junctions".
Mr Lucas-Smith from the Cambridge Cycling Campaign, added "things like narrow cycle lanes" and "badly maintained roads" led to cyclists feeling unsafe.
"We'd like to see proper allocation of space on these roads which can almost always be achieved simply by a bit of redesign, so people can cycle safely and easily."
Cyclist in the countryside"Cycling is more popular than ever before" said Olympian Chris Boardman
The poll showed older Britons were more likely than their younger counterparts to believe the roads were too dangerous: 61% of those aged 65 and over, compared to 45% of 18 to 24 year olds.
Chris Boardman, Olympic medallist and British Cycling policy adviser, said: "It's clear...people don't feel safe when riding their bikes on our roads.
"In order to rectify this we need a clear commitment from government and local authorities to prioritise the safety and needs of cyclists in all future transport schemes."
The DfT spokesman added: "Cycling isn't just great exercise, it has wider benefits for the environment and the economy, which is why we are committed to ensuring more people feel safe enough to use two wheels."

Poll results

QuestionAgreeDisagreeDon't know
BASE: 3,012 BRITISH ADULTS - SOURCE: COMRES
It is too dangerous to cycle on the roads in my local area
52%
47%
1%
The roads in my local area are well designed to be safe for cyclists
34%
64%
2%
Employers don't do enough to encourage and facilitate cycling to work
55%
37%
9%
The Tour de France starting in Britain this year has encouraged me to cycle more
20%
78%
2%
The research also showed that more than half of adults questioned said they felt employers failed to encourage cycling to work.
Claire Francis, head of policy for the walking and cycling charitySustrans, said: "Employers who encourage cycling can increase their profitability and have employees who take fewer sick days but without decent facilities and support, many businesses miss out on these benefits.
"Cycle parking and showers in an office should be as common as a printer and a coffee machine.
"But we also need the government to deliver better infrastructure and slower speeds on our roads, so that people feel safe to leave home on their bike."
Scene from Le Tour de France 2012Cycling is on the "crest of a wave", said Olympic gold-medal cyclist Ed Clancy
Only one in five of people interviewed said the Tour de France had encouraged them to cycle more - but with the Grand Depart happening in Leeds, nearly a quarter of people in Yorkshire and the Humber said they had been inspired to spend more time on their bike.
Ed Clancy, a double Olympic gold-medal cyclist, said: "I live in Yorkshire and the Tour de France is a massive deal up there right now.
"Perhaps it's now the next step in making cycling more popular having a home Tour de France if you like. It's the sort of thing that's once in a generation...so it's definitely worth giving it a watch.
"We're really riding the crest of the wave and the more people that get involved in cycling, not just as a sport but for the commute to work or just having a laugh on the maintain bike at the weekend, is good all round."
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03 June 2014

15mph Cycle Streets proposed by Department for Transport

Tuesday, June 03, 2014 | | Edit Post

Robert Goodwill, the Minister for Cycling, is championing a scheme proposed in a recent government consulation, for Cycle Streets, with a 15mph speed limit.
In these streets, in addition to the speed limit, it would also be forbidden to overtake cyclists, and Police would be aboe to issue a fixed penalty fine o £100.00 and 3 points to motorists who ignored the 'no overtaking' rule.
This is currently being considered by some 'Cycling Cities' and London.

 The Minister said:
'I am pleased to announce that today we are launching a consultation on revised Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions.
These updated regulations will include many measures developed in discussion with cyclists.
These include low-level signals for cyclists, new types of crossings for pedestrians and cyclists, and new designs of advanced stop line. We will also trial new dedicated cycle streets. This will provide councils the opportunity to put cyclists on an equal footing with motorists on popular cycle routes by banning overtaking.'
It is good to see that cycling remains high on the political agenda, especially given the recent series of cyclist's deaths in London. The hope would be thatthese changes would not only improve safety, but encourage more cycling in our cities.
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21 May 2014

Cyclist badly injury by pothole wins £70,000 payout

Wednesday, May 21, 2014 | | Edit Post

Cyclist badly injury by pothole wins £70,000 payout

As widely reported in press and on the news – Alan Curtis has been awarded almost £70000 in a High Court settlement.

Mr Curtis suffered a fractured skull and was left with brain injuries and a broken arm after being thrown from his bike when it hit a pothole in a residential street in Rickmansworth in October 2009.
Mr Curtis lost his £96000 a year job and was forced to take a less demanding post, receiving approximately £30000 a year less.
In arriving at his Judgement Judge Pittaway QC said that Mr Curtis had been traveling at approximately 18-20mph when he crashed – either as a result of his wheel being caught in a linear pothole or him being forced to swerve suddenly in an attempt to avoid a pothole.It would not be appropriate for me to conclude that he bears any responsibility for the accident.’
Councils owe you a duty of care to maintain the roads – this means that they are responsible for the maintenance and repair to keep the highway ‘in a fit state to accommodate the ordinary traffic which passes or may pass along them – that is cars, lorries, buses, motorcycles, cyclists etc
Whilst this was hailed as great news for cyclists it must be borne in mind that Hertfordshire County Council, and there insurers, could have resolved this matter an awful lot sooner – which would have saved putting Mr Curtis through the added stress of a Court case, and would have dramatically reduced the cost to the Council – and therefore to the Council Tax payers of Hertfordshire.
We often here of the rising cost of claims, from local councils and the NHS – when the subject of ‘compensation culture’ raises its ugly head. Here is a case where someone suffers significant injuries as a result of the negligence of the council.
Rather than deal with the matter in a reasonable manner, and negotiate settlement at an early stage - Mr Curtis and his solicitors were forced to proceed to a Hearing at the High Court.
It is probable that the costs in forcing the matter all the way to a trial, both in respect of Court Costs, the solicitors and Barristers for Hertfordshire, and the solicitors and Barristers for Mr Curtis, will far exceed the award that Mr Curtis received – and a large proportion of those costs could have been avoided with an early admission of liability from the council – and an early negotiated settlement.
Please remember that next time someone mentions the cost of compensation culture!!
At Cycle Accident Helpline we specialize in Cyclists Accidents. If you have been involved in an accident as a cyclist, and have suffered injuries, contact Cycle Accident Helpline for help and advice.

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17 March 2014

Kingston wins share of £100m Mayor of London cycle funding for 'mini Holland' project

Monday, March 17, 2014 | | Edit Post

Last weeks Kingston Guardian carried this story - great news for cyclists in and around Surrey

Kingston wins share of £100m Mayor of London cycle funding for 'mini Holland' project

10:30am Monday 10th March 2014
Kingston has won a bid to turn the borough into a 'mini-Holland' cycling haven as part of a £100m initiative by the Mayor of London.
The announcement was made at City Hall in London this morning.
Kingston is one of three winners, along with Enfield and Waltham Forest, who will now share a £100m pot to turn their boroughs into cycle friendly districts with a series of innovations.
Each winning applicant will receive up to £30m to turn its vision for cycling into a reality, with the remaining £10m to be divided between four other shortlisted boroughs, including Richmond and Merton.
The Greater London Authority will be writing to the winners within the next two weeks informing them of how it wants the money spent, based on their applications.
Your Local Guardian:
Yes: The 700m Thames Boardwalk will almost certainly be built following Kingston's winning bid
Your Local Guardian:
Maybe: The proposed Superskyway (above and below) next to Kingston Bridge is also a possibility
Your Local Guardian:


Kingston's application included an elevated 'superskyway' cycle bridge over the Thames, as well as a 700-metre boardway along the river.
There were also radical plans to turn the front of Kingston station into a pedestrian and cyclist only plaza, with car traffic passing underground through a newly-built underpass.
The underpass proposal has already been written off, as it is likely to cost about £40m - more than the bid money itself.
But the idea to transform the front of the station is still a priority.
Councillor Simon James, lead member for transport, said it was almost certain the boardway idea would go ahead, as mayor Boris Johnson mentioned it in his speech at City Hall today.
He said: "I don't think that would have been in his speech if he didn't want it.
"The whole underpass thing isn't going to happen, but this money will allow a lot more at the station and make access to the town centre much better.
"The plaza and the boardway are in the yes category - as for the rest we'll have to wait and see."
New cycling routes connecting Kingston town centre with Surbiton and New Malden are also on the cards.
At the launch, Kingston Council leader Liz Green said: "We are a cycle-loving borough. So we are naturally delighted to have secured funding through the Mini Holland initiative to transform cycling infrastructure in Kingston in the coming years.
"We have many innovative plans including landmark projects, major network improvements and a range of complementary measures."
Your Local Guardian:
Not quite: Kingston station will still get a new plaza, but not the proposed underpass
Your Local Guardian:
Hopes are still high that Surbiton station will also get a new plaza and cycle hub as part of the successful bid
Your Local Guardian:
Your Local Guardian:
New cycle routes connecting Kingston with New Malden and Surbiton are likely to be built
Your Local Guardian:
Your Local Guardian:


Your Local Guardian:
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