I am pleased, frightened and appalled by this article in today’s FT
As most readers know, I am in neurological recovery more than a year after having similar injuries to Gabby, the lady reporting herself. My message to Gabby is that you should not feel guilt, if you want to talk, I live a few hundred years from where you were hit on Cheapside by the M&S.
Yes there is a lesson for all cyclists here but the real lesson is that we have to make the City of London and other places as safe for everyone (including pedestrians).
Pleased
I don’t know Gabby Stonkute or journo Leyla Boulton but I will give away shares to the article if this “share” runs out. (henry@agewage.com). There’s a video of Gabby’s accident, there’s no video of mine (only witness accounts). You can read my story here.
I am pleased because Gabby is a brave woman and is doing what she can to alert those in the City (who read the FT) that the dangers are real. I hope she makes a full recovery, I am pleased that she is back on her feet.
Frightened
The statistics are scary. My accident was straight down Queen St and on the Southwark Bridge Road. Cyclists are now involved in 50% of road injuries in the City of London.
The number of us using cycles to get from place to place in Central London and the City in particular has rocketed and it is frightening that we have not got recognition of what looks like the City being more cycle than motor. I have written recently that cyclists should be required to wear a helmet in the City of London, it is out of fear that what happened to me and Gabby could happen again. Helmets will not stop you getting injuries but they’ll put us all in a more aware frame of mind
Appalled
It is appalling that anyone should think that Gabby could be trolled, but no doubt she will be (I was) and like Gabby, I am not happy but appalled at the recklessness I’ve shown over the many years I’ve spent on the City roads (I used to cycle to Bevis Marks from Eton in Berks).
I am appalled that trolling exists and that people do feel vulnerable when they are in recovery from neurological and other injuries.
We need to take cycling more seriously both in the City of London and around and about. I am appalled that the situation is where it is with pedestrians shouting at cyclists, cyclists being reckless and motorists finding themselves the guiltless perpetrators of terrible injury.
All the anger and the guilt and the injury result from the huge changes that are happening because of the way we want to live our lives. On the upside, we are cutting down on emissions, on the downside the new powered cyclists can do the damage that they give cyclists moving faster than anything around the City and London Boroughs.
It is appalling that we are cycling at this pace and seeing cycling increasing at this pace. The story Gabby tells is a brave story but I bet most cyclists can remember times when they’ve put themselves in danger. It is appalling we are doing nothing about cyclist behaviour.
A way forward
Can I ask that we look at the situation from the City of London. I have reported the cycle lanes which now channel danger into a few feet not capable of holding all the cyclists, especially the fast ones.
We have many short journey cyclists taking to the road without helmets.
We have some cycling spots (north of Blackfriars Bridge, Queen St and Southwark Bridge Road and both ends of Cheapside) which are lethal to all (because of cycling).
The way forward is started here by Leyla and Gabby – I hope boosted by others. We are changing our behaviours faster than we can manage the danger this new biking brings.
Footnote on NHS; I am being treated for neurological damage in the Royal London Hospital where Gabby went, I ended up in St Thomas AE and then Kings neurology because I was hit on the south side of the bridge! I have nothing but good for Kings or Royal London but I wish I’d not spent so much time with their neurosurgical people! Dr Raj and I will catch up soon!