Woman badly injured by cyclist at same spot in London where pensioner was killed

[libraryguy]

Pedestrian upset that ‘speeding’ bike that hit her was at park where 81-year-old was fatally injured.

A dog walker suffered severe facial injuries and was knocked unconscious after she was hit by a “speeding” cyclist overtaking a car at the same spot in Regent’s Park where a pensioner had a fatal collision.

Paolo Dos Santos was struck in the Outer Circle of the north London park after a male cyclist apparently strayed into the wrong side of the road as he “overtook a car”.

Ms Dos Santos was entering the park to walk her dog on May 1 – her 52nd birthday – shortly after 7.30am when the collision took place as she crossed towards a pedestrian island.

She suffered multiple skull fractures to her eye socket, jawbone and cheekbone, as well as musculoskeletal injuries after apparently being hit by a bike travelling in the wrong direction.

“I was going to cross the road near Hanover Terrace. But the only thing I remember next was waking up in the ambulance,” the mother of three told The Telegraph.

“Initially, I didn’t want to pursue any criminal case; after all accidents do happen and I’m certainly not anti-bike. But what changed my mind was what the police told me witnesses saw.”
Ms Dos Santos said that she was impressed that the cyclist did not flee the scene after the collision.

Speaking from her home in Marylebone, Ms Dos Santos, who is from France but Portuguese and has lived in London since 2011, said: “The male cyclist was seen coming up behind a car which was said to be observing the 20mph speed limit.

“Apparently, the cyclist didn’t slow down but overtook the car by going around the pedestrian island on the wrong side of the road where I was crossing.

It means he was very likely speeding and was on the wrong side of the pedestrian island.

“I believe I had looked for oncoming traffic coming from the right. I would not have been expecting a bike coming from the left against the flow of traffic.

“The Metropolitan Police have told me I have a very good case.”

The collision happened the day before an inquest heard how Hilda Griffiths, 81, suffered fatal injuries after being involved in a collision with a cyclist riding in an aerodynamic “pace line” race formation speed at the exact same location.

The court heard despite Brian Fitzgerald admitting travelling at up to 29mph in a 20mph zone he could not be prosecuted because speed limits do not apply to pedal bikes.

Mrs Griffiths died 59 days after receiving severe head injuries.

Ms Dos Santos said she read about Mrs Griffiths’ death and was “deeply upset” that two serious collisions had taken place at the same spot.

“I am lucky to be alive. I was apparently unconscious for about 20 minutes, it was a very violent collision,” she added, explaining how the pedestrian island is used by families with toddlers crossing to the Hanover Gate children’s playground in the park.

“Why has nothing been done to make that crossing safer for pedestrians? It needs speed bumps or a zebra crossing,” Ms Dos Santos said.

“The cyclists who race around the park need to know that that perimeter road is not a velodrome and is used by pedestrians of all ages.”

Ms Dos Santos is waiting to see whether the Metropolitan Police will charge the cyclist.

‘Attitudes need to change among cyclists’

A London Ambulance Service spokesman said: “We were called at 7.40am on Wednesday May 1 to reports of a road traffic incident outside Hanover Terrace, NW1.

“We sent an ambulance crew and treated a woman at the scene before taking her to a London major trauma centre.”

Gerard Griffiths, the son of Hilda Griffiths, said: “I believe attitudes need to change among cyclists who use Regent’s Park for training.”

He added that since his mother’s death he had conducted his own research about how the park is used by cycling clubs.

“Many group together and travel at excessive speeds,” he continued.

“But it takes time to consider pedestrians, who are number one in the hierarchy of road users and should not be looked upon as an inconvenience that gets in the way of their pursuit of timed laps.”

He added: “Hearing of a similar case to my mother’s of a lady being mowed down at exactly the same location and suffering from serious head injuries on the day before my mother’s inquest sends shivers down my spine and proves that my mother’s case is not an isolated incident.

“And there is a high risk of another fatality happening again due to the cycling culture that puts laps before life.”

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/202...lision-london/

[libraryguy]

A car observed to be adhering to the 20mph speed limit and the cyclist passing the car on the wrong side of the road going faster!

That's really going to twist PNP's on how to defend this! LOL.

[The PNP]

A car observed to be adhering to the 20mph speed limit and the cyclist passing the car on the wrong side of the road going faster!

That's really going to twist PNP's on how to defend this! LOL.

Same answer as before: look to engineering solutions. In this case, I'd recommend putting in a zebra-crossing, preferably raised to pavement-level!

[Alikado]

She can't remember anything but believes she looked.

Roads should not be used for racing except when the road has been officially closed for a specific organised event. If cyclists want to ride in that fashion they should use a velodrome or hire a race track or aerodrome.

[silver fox]

Same answer as before: look to engineering solutions. In this case, I'd recommend putting in a zebra-crossing, preferably raised to pavement-level!

It just needs everyone to abide by the same rules, it would appear that this area is used by cyclists almost as a training patch. How the hell do you intend to put a raised crossing across a road?

The Lycra clad zombies need to either behave or go and play off road.

[libraryguy]

Same answer as before: look to engineering solutions. In this case, I'd recommend putting in a zebra-crossing, preferably raised to pavement-level!

And cyclists still ignore zebra-crossings. Seen video of it.

[The PNP]

It just needs everyone to abide by the same rules, it would appear that this area is used by cyclists almost as a training patch. How the hell do you intend to put a raised crossing across a road?

The Lycra clad zombies need to either behave or go and play off road.

First, you'll never get everyone abiding by the rules.....If you recall, I posted on here a couple of years ago, about a motorist who did the self-same thing. Returning via the Plough along PNR at a steady 30mph, I was overtaken by some fool who went flying past at speed, on a move that took him/her the wrong side of a pedestrian refuge. Lucky for them, nobody was crossing on foot at the time!

Nothing wrong with raised crossings, e.g. there's one right here in Southport on Bispham Rd.

[The PNP]

And cyclists still ignore zebra-crossings. Seen video of it.

So zebra crossing are useless? Then best remove them all then - duh!

[silver fox]

So zebra crossing are useless? Then best remove them all then - duh!

Only useless to Lycra clad zombies.

[justbecause]

Same answer as before: look to engineering solutions. In this case, I'd recommend putting in a zebra-crossing, preferably raised to pavement-level!

Just as LG predicted, you have managed to defend this reckless cyclist.

Given that this cyclist was, (a) riding above the speed limit, (b) rode on the wrong side of the road, and (c) rode in a dangerous manner, what makes you think that a zebra crossing would have saved this poor lady from the catastrophic injuries she received? And before you tell me that there is no speed limits for bikes, do you believe it’s acceptable for cyclists to ride above any posted speed limit?

[The PNP]

Only useless to Lycra clad zombies.

Sadly not...Tragically, we had a ped fatality right outside the POW a while Back. A dumb-a$$ed motorist went straight through the lights-controlled crossing on red at 28mph, killing a male outright. The victim was in town for the day with his father. They both began to cross on the green man, but only one lived to tell the tale. Fyi, it made front page of the Visiter.

[The PNP]

Just as LG predicted, you have managed to defend this reckless cyclist.

where did I defend him?

Given that this cyclist was, (a) riding above the speed limit, (b) rode on the wrong side of the road, and (c) rode in a dangerous manner, what makes you think that a zebra crossing would have saved this poor lady from the catastrophic injuries she received? And before you tell me that there is no speed limits for bikes, do you believe it’s acceptable for cyclists to ride above any posted speed limit?

Read my earlier post...I recommended a raised crossing. Advantage of a raised crossing over a simple painted one, is the way they force traffic to slow down, just as any other speed-hump does.

[Alikado]

It just needs everyone to abide by the same rules, it would appear that this area is used by cyclists almost as a training patch. How the hell do you intend to put a raised crossing across a road?

The Lycra clad zombies need to either behave or go and play off road.

To make people abide by the rules it needs enforcement, if there's no enforcement it is a waste of time having the rule.
There are many raised crossings on roads it actually makes things easier for the disabled if the crossing is on a cushion raising it upto kerb height and it saves putting in a dropped kerb.

[justbecause]

where did I defend him?

Read my earlier post...I recommended a raised crossing. Advantage of a raised crossing over a simple painted one, is the way they force traffic to slow down, just as any other speed-hump does.

By blaming the incident on a lack of infrastructure instead of the cyclist.

Please answer my question, re, should speed limits apply to cyclists?

[The PNP]

By blaming the incident on a lack of infrastructure instead of the cyclist.

Nah, not 'blaming' the infra per-se, though it did play a part. No doubt back in the day when the island (ped refuge) was installed, there would have been less traffic and less cyclists. Times change and in light of these incidents, the Local Authority now need to look again at this location and improve it.

Simply calling for stiffer penalties to castigate cyclists is never going to solve things - it certainly hasn't done so for errant motorists.

Please answer my question, re, should speed limits apply to cyclists?

Maybe they should. But bikes don't have speedos, so how is that going to work?

N.B. Cars do have speedos and are subject to speed-limits. Yet how many motorists abide by the limit, in particular the 20mph limit?