Car hit rider in Barnes/Putney marathon sunday. Witnesses?

martinwilly

Hi all

I was involved in an incident on Sunday in Barnes, approaching Putney Bridge (I don't remember exactly where but working back, I figure that's about right).

Parts of the incident and aftermath are a blank to me but I remember the crash, I remember talking to the driver and I remember another rider had stopped and was also talking to the driver. Anybody at all know who that cyclist might have been?

Please get in touch if you know anyone who might have seen this.

The incident:
I was cycling along towards Putney Bridge, from Barnes. I was wearing quickerbybike.com kit. It was about 10.15 on the Sunday of the London Marathon.

A large, silver 4x4 thing passed me much too close, nearly touching the bike. I hit the back of his car with my hand to get some room.

The driver's reaction was to brake and steer left.

I was doing maybe 18mph.

I don't remember much of what happened next.

I was on the floor, dazed and cut up.

The driver asked why I had hit his car. I swore at him. The other rider had stpooed and was talking angrily to the driver. I caught "I can only tell you what I saw".

I asked a passerby to hand me my watch, which had come off.

I am then blank from that moment until sitting in front of a house on the kings road for an hour, bleeding and making confused calls to friends, one of whom came to get me. I was sat there an hour.


I think now that the driver hit me deliberately. I didn't hit any street furniture, so my injuries are just bad cuts and grazes to my elbow, face and right hand. My watch is badly damaged and my front wheel is wobbly.

Because I had hit my head, I had little idea what was going on. This must have been obvious to all at the scene since I was still scaring my friends with my confused jabbering 45 minutes later.

So the driver passed me too close. Recated angrily when I hit his car and used his car as a weapon. He got out to check I wasn't dead and then left the scene, knowing that I was cut to ribbons and punch drunk.

I was fine about it but now I'd like to talk to him.

Anyone?

07708 866891
martin@quickerbybike.com

jonginge

That's awful. Martin, please tell me you contacted the police. The witnesses should have called an ambulance at least... and of course given contact details (ha, ha )

Christophe3967

Tino4444 wrote:

Can I ask though were you wearing a cycle helmet? and if not do you think that by wearing one it could have stopped you from becoming ''punch drunk''?

Tino.

What the fcuk has that got to do with anything?

Christophe3967

JonGinge wrote:

That's awful. Martin, please tell me you contacted the police. The witnesses should have called an ambulance at least... and of course given contact details (ha, ha )

+1. And go and see a doctor if you haven't already done so.

Sewinman

That is awful, sorry i can't help but I agree with the above - call the police and report it to them. I think its a crime to leave the scene of an accident for a start...

greg66_tri_v2.0

Any CCTV masts overlooking the scene? Go back, and look. If there are, contact the police. ASAP.

Sorry to hear about this. It sounds pretty dreadful.

martinwilly

Hi Tino. Yes, I always wear a helmet. It wasn't damaged as I was able to absorb the impact with my face.

I have not reported the incident to the police.

I think it's about my scenario for the day, which was to get to the marathon.

I lost an hour after the crash but I was just glad to be able to ride and I pressed on into central london, where I washed the cuts and got them dressed with help from a marathon medic.

I felt good about the crash. I wasn't badly hurt.

It's only now that I've become angry.

It doesn't really matter. I'm still cool about it.

But it isn't right that the driver left the scene, or allowed me to leave the scene in the mess I was in.

I just want to talk to him. I realise I've missed all the proper chances to do so but I wasn't really conscious.

So I'm here trying to find that rider who stopped.

Cheers for the replies.

Martin

Tino4444

Christophe3967 wrote:

Tino4444 wrote:

Can I ask though were you wearing a cycle helmet? and if not do you think that by wearing one it could have stopped you from becoming ''punch drunk''?

Tino.

What the fcuk has that got to do with anything?

There is no need to be so agressive with your post I was simply asking a question and would be interested to know the answer to.

This subject has been raised a lot on this site. If a helmet was used and the outcome was ''punch drunk'' ill bet he was pleased that a helmet was used as the outcome could have been much worse?

I was not being funny about the issue in a ''I told you so manner'' and I am shocked that any driver could react this way....As I say I was only asking....

Tino.

Sewinman

Have you been to the doctor? Losing an hour from a head injury is something that should be checked out asap in my inexpert opinion.


Its quite a serious incident - you should tell the police.

greg66_tri_v2.0

martinwilly wrote:

But it isn't right that the driver left the scene, or allowed me to leave the scene in the mess I was in.

Trouble is, you need the cyclist who stopped. You're memory's gone, and so if the driver says "I stood by you for 20 minutes, insisting we call an ambulance and the police, but you said you were ok and insisted on continuing your journey", what do you do then?

Kieran_Burns

Aren't there other London based Cycling forums that this question could be asked in?

I also 2nd / 3rd / 4th the opinion that you should:

a) see a doctor immediately, speaking as a 1st Aider any period of memory loss MUST be checked
b) contact the Police and report the incident. For all you know, the cyclist that stopped may have already done so, and they are waiting for you.

georgee

what road were you on, if on lower richmond road, worth asking in Holdsworths if anyone mentioned anything when stopping by.

G

roger_merriman

Tino4444 wrote:

Christophe3967 wrote:

Tino4444 wrote:

Can I ask though were you wearing a cycle helmet? and if not do you think that by wearing one it could have stopped you from becoming ''punch drunk''?

Tino.

What the fcuk has that got to do with anything?

There is no need to be so agressive with your post I was simply asking a question and would be interested to know the answer to.

This subject has been raised a lot on this site. If a helmet was used and the outcome was ''punch drunk'' ill bet he was pleased that a helmet was used as the outcome could have been much worse?

I was not being funny about the issue in a ''I told you so manner'' and I am shocked that any driver could react this way....As I say I was only asking....

Tino.

it' looks very much like you are, you need to be careful how you frame your words if your to taken at your word, wether or not he had a helmet is doesn't prove one way or another.

have you (martin) tried other cycle forums? possibly the police also? might be lucky. get well soon any way with the head i'd be better safe than sorry and off to have it checked out.

Christophe3967

This is the second recent posting about the same thing, viz cyclist hits car as he understandably believes he is in some danger. Driver then uses car as a weapon to deliberately injure cyclist.

Clearly there will be situations when hitting the car might be considered the safest option i.e. the cyclist believes that the driver isn't aware of his presence. However what these posts may be telling us is that if a car is being driven in an aggressive manner, their drivers are likely to respond with more aggression if they are provoked. They are much more likely to see the striking of their car as an act of aggression simply because of the way they are driving their cars in the first place.

I have occasionally considered hitting cars to let them know I'm still there (assuming that they've been paying attention). Having seen from these posts what the consequences might be, I doubt that I will do this.

roger_merriman

Christophe3967 wrote:

This is the second recent posting about the same thing, viz cyclist hits car as he understandably believes he is in some danger. Driver then uses car as a weapon to deliberately injure cyclist.

Clearly there will be situations when hitting the car might be considered the safest option i.e. the cyclist believes that the driver isn't aware of his presence. However what these posts may be telling us is that if a car is being driven in an aggressive manner, their drivers are likely to respond with more aggression if they are provoked. They are much more likely to see the striking of their car as an act of aggression simply because of the way they are driving their cars in the first place.

I have occasionally considered hitting cars to let them know I'm still there (assuming that they've been paying attention). Having seen from these posts what the consequences might be, I doubt that I will do this.

other possibity is if the driver is unaware of you the sound will startle and may not be clear as to where it's from and may pull in and brake....

much like people if you do startle some one walking they can step into rather than away from you.

thats not to discount that some one may be aggessive enought to hit or 'brush' some one on purpose.

bigmat

Sorry to hear about the crash Martin. I'm nursing some nasty cuts and bruises from an off yesterday myself so I can sympathise. Is it possible the driver wasn't trying to knock you off / use the car as a weapon? Just thinking about it, if I heard an unexpected bang on the back of my car I'd be inclined to pull over and stop asap. If he was a bit of a careless driver (he went by too close in the first place) maybe he just pulled over without looking when he heard the bang and clipped you in the process? Just a theory, as people seem to be jumping to conclusions a bit. Hope you find a witness anyway, as sounds like the driver was in the wrong one way or another.

Christophe3967

roger merriman wrote:

Christophe3967 wrote:

This is the second recent posting about the same thing, viz cyclist hits car as he understandably believes he is in some danger. Driver then uses car as a weapon to deliberately injure cyclist.

Clearly there will be situations when hitting the car might be considered the safest option i.e. the cyclist believes that the driver isn't aware of his presence. However what these posts may be telling us is that if a car is being driven in an aggressive manner, their drivers are likely to respond with more aggression if they are provoked. They are much more likely to see the striking of their car as an act of aggression simply because of the way they are driving their cars in the first place.

I have occasionally considered hitting cars to let them know I'm still there (assuming that they've been paying attention). Having seen from these posts what the consequences might be, I doubt that I will do this.

other possibity is if the driver is unaware of you the sound will startle and may not be clear as to where it's from and may pull in and brake....

much like people if you do startle some one walking they can step into rather than away from you.

thats not to discount that some one may be aggessive enought to hit or 'brush' some one on purpose.

Good point, never overlook the fact that you may simply be dealing with incompetence.

el_presidente

Christophe3967 wrote:

This is the second recent posting about the same thing, viz cyclist hits car as he understandably believes he is in some danger. Driver then uses car as a weapon to deliberately injure cyclist.

Clearly there will be situations when hitting the car might be considered the safest option i.e. the cyclist believes that the driver isn't aware of his presence. However what these posts may be telling us is that if a car is being driven in an aggressive manner, their drivers are likely to respond with more aggression if they are provoked. They are much more likely to see the striking of their car as an act of aggression simply because of the way they are driving their cars in the first place.

I have occasionally considered hitting cars to let them know I'm still there (assuming that they've been paying attention). Having seen from these posts what the consequences might be, I doubt that I will do this.

I hit a cab once, he then drove his cab at me and got out and tried to fight me. I have really tried to stop hitting cars since that.

cjcp

Martin - if you were in the residential area along the Lower Richmond Road, have you considered putting notes through the letter boxes appealing for witnesses and giving them your mobile number? If

graeme_s-2

I've already posted in Commuting General about an absolutely identical attack (squeezed into curb, tapped window, driver pulled in and braked hard) that I suffered last Monday. I was doing 25mph, and landed on the tarmac on my head and right shoulder having gone over the handlebars. My helmet took the brunt of the impact, but I was left with a concussion (which is still causing occasional headaches a week later) and a badly sprained shoulder. The shoulder is still causing me enough pain to warrant 400mg of ibuprofen every 4 hours and waking me up in the early hours of every morning once the pain killers have worn off and I roll onto it.

I also had to have my handle bars and helmet replaced, costing me just under £70.

In my case there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that it was a deliberate act by the driver, not least because the driver accelerated so quickly that I landed on the ground instead of his boot lid after hitting his rear bumper. There were many witnesses, a couple of whom I spoke to, but I was too dazed to get their details, and nobody (including me) got the car's registration number.

Sorry to hear you've suffered a similar accident, it sounds like you probably came off worse than I did. Hope you have more luck than I have done in tracing the driver. Some people are just absolute scumbags .

jonginge

el_presidente wrote:

Christophe3967 wrote:

This is the second recent posting about the same thing, viz cyclist hits car as he understandably believes he is in some danger. Driver then uses car as a weapon to deliberately injure cyclist.

Clearly there will be situations when hitting the car might be considered the safest option i.e. the cyclist believes that the driver isn't aware of his presence. However what these posts may be telling us is that if a car is being driven in an aggressive manner, their drivers are likely to respond with more aggression if they are provoked. They are much more likely to see the striking of their car as an act of aggression simply because of the way they are driving their cars in the first place.

I have occasionally considered hitting cars to let them know I'm still there (assuming that they've been paying attention). Having seen from these posts what the consequences might be, I doubt that I will do this.

I hit a cab once, he then drove his cab at me and got out and tried to fight me. I have really tried to stop hitting cars since that.

I once flicked a BMW 7 series when it apexed a corner missing my handlebars by inches. The driver went ballistic. Thing is I'd only tapped the bodywork but it rang like a bell and the driver thought I'd put a massive dent in it from the sound... I shout a loud 'Oi' these days

robmanic1

martinwilly wrote:

Hi Tino. Yes, I always wear a helmet. It wasn't damaged as I was able to absorb the impact with my face.



Martin

Glad to see you didn't lose your sense of humour fella, and glad you're ok-ish now.

You London riders should seriously consider all-over bubble wrap suits, there's some mentalist drivers down there.

[Deleted User]

The user and all related content has been deleted.

woodford2barbican

I think I saw mention of this incident on cyclechat or londonfgss.....

woodford2barbican

I think I saw mention of this incident on cyclechat or londonfgss.....

sorry - just checked, I was wrong....

martinwilly

Many thanks all for the replies.

Briefly - I've been to the walk-in centre, where I had the wounds dressed, got a tetanus and a pile of antibiotics (which I haven't taken). I say I lost an hour, I wasn't unconscious but I was pretty dazed. The part I really don't remember is between talking with the driver and sitting down on the Kings Road to recover my head.

Yes, Upper Richmond Road, I think it was just past that big restaurant, so just before the road ramps up to the bridge. I guess I could ask in Holdsworth, good idea.

The best suggestion yet is that the other cyclist has already spoken to the police. I'll try that avenue. I had hoped he would remember the quickerbybike.com logo all over me and try to get me through that.

Restraint from tapping cars for fear of reprisals? Yes, I agree there's a lot to be said for that. On the day it will come down to how scared you are of being squashed and how angry you are at being squeezed off the road.

Is it possible he just braked and steered left as a panic reaction to hearing a bang on his car? Yes, absolutely. That was my first reaction and that train of thought contributed to my "I don't want to be any trouble" quitting of the scene.

On reflection, it makes more sense that it was deliberate. "Why did you hit my car?" Not "what was that noise as I passed you?"

Many thanks for the description of the similar incident. My lesson is that if I'm ever near a similar incident - don't let the caualty leave! They're not capable of it! Plus it's a road traffic accident and the police shoudl attend. I was not fit to make the decisions I made.

Thanks alos for checking the thread elsewhere. I thought for a moment we'd found my man.

Many, many thanks indeed for your help people.

Martin

mrchrispy

any incident where there is damage or an injury then call the police.

downfader

I'd echo the sentiments of seeing the police. Regardless of what little you remember he's commited hit and run, leaving the scene of an accident and probably failure to report an RTA.

There is NO way on earth that you were responsible for your actions after the accident and both the driver and other cyclist should have realised it and called an ambulance. There is also a massive risk of neck and back injuries that they should have realised (IIRC these things are mentioned in the highway code under dealing with accidents)

I do wonder why you didnt tell the guy the sound was your handlebar being hit by his car if he was being overly aggressive? Mind you given your state. I'll admit and no one should hit cars imo. For all he knew he could have been putting words into your mouth when you were dazed and not with it.

A loud, frank vocal warning is always prefered. If you can make it sound like "WHOA!!" with fear then it might draw the attention of witnesses. :?

Hope you heal up ok! See the police!

Kieran_Burns

martinwilly wrote:

The best suggestion yet is that the other cyclist has already spoken to the police. I'll try that avenue. I had hoped he would remember the quickerbybike.com logo all over me and try to get me through that.

Martin

Naturally. I'm just brilliant


I hope you recover well Martin. I think it's safe to say that our thoughts are with you

cjcp

martinwilly wrote:

Yes, Upper Richmond Road, I think it was just past that big restaurant, so just before the road ramps up to the bridge. I guess I could ask in Holdsworth, good idea.

Martin - the UR Road doesn't ramp up to the Bridge as such; that's the Lower Richmond Road, the one closest to the river with the Duke's Head pub on it by the zebra crossing.

Good luck and keep us posted.

dilemna

This incident sounds awful Martin. +1 all the other posts saying seek medical help. It might be a long shot but do you think there was any CCTV in the area? If so contact the local authority. You might have to pay a token £10 to view footage but it may reveal the identity of the driver or registration plate details of the vehicle. As I say it is a long shot. Alternatively get the police involved who can access any CCTV as part of their investigations. It was definitely a hit and run. Hitting the side of a vehicle that is about to squash you could be argued as reasonable if it is to warn the driver they are so close they are going to knock you off - self defence. Don't feel guilty about it. Just be thankful you weren't more seriously injured. For a cyclist to actually reach a vehicle to hit the side the vehicle would actually have to be in pretty close proximity.