Forum Topic

Richmond Park: cyclist who was left unconscious following a head-on collision

The incident happened on Monday.It is being described as a possible hit and run with speed possibly being a factor.Luckily the injured party seems to be making a full recovery but it possibly could have been fatal.Let's hope it was confusion and no other reason why the other party left the scene without giving details.

Ed Robinson ● 977d19 Comments

"For balance perhaps I should add the normal response by some to these events by stating that thing would have been far worse if was a car, bus, lorry and not a bicycle!"Absolutely.  It's a horrendous enough situation already.  The attitude that because you're a cyclist and because the law may not be as strict for you does not mean that you have licence to act irresponsibly. All park users need to be respectful of others as do non park users.More education is needed for everyone.

Philippa Bond ● 973d

Jane, unfortunately people's reactions after an incident are not always logical or in many cases ideal. Shock, panick or perhaps misinterpreting that the situation was under control by others who were not directly in the collision. There is no way of knowing of course.I assume this is why there is a 24hour grace period to inform the police afterwards.Perhaps a tweet from the parks police reminding road users including cyclists of there legal obligation in the case of a collision would be enough to reassure the public that this is not another area where cyclists are exempt.

Ed Robinson ● 974d

Michael,The police do not operate in a vacuum. The Mayor sets the strategy and indirectly the priorities that feed through to operational aspects.I'm not really worried about the pre-emptive arrest during the coronation when London was full of heads of states. The commissioner made a call for right or wrong. If there were to be a coronation every year I would probably have a different opinion.Every day events are my concern although some newspaper reports of Green members being under surveillance and possible intelligence used to prevent peaceful protesters attend the Mayor's presentation are red lines imo. Another reason why local Mayor's should only be in charge of Local police."The Mayor of London was given a direct mandate for policing in London in 2011, as part of the Police and Social Responsibility Act. As such, the Mayor is responsible for setting the strategic direction of policing in London through the Police and Crime Plan."https://www.met.police.uk/police-forces/metropolitan-police/areas/about-us/about-the-met/governance/

Ed Robinson ● 974d

Ed, but the Mayor or other politicians should not meddle in operational aspects of policing. Braverman obviously had nothing to do with the Met pre-emptively arresting protesters at the coronation of King Charles III; the Mayor should not decide who is arrested for running red lights :-)

Michael Ixer ● 974d

As the victim’s wife made very clear in her powerful and cogent response which Yvonne kindly posted from NextDoor onto this thread, the crime here was to leave the victim bleeding on the ground and cycling off, apparent case of hit and run. They should have stayed at the scene and called an ambulance which at that stage would have been more useful than reporting to the police, which , of course, should have been done afterwards.

Jane Carter ● 974d

I wonder how your wife would have reacted, if you had been the one on the floor. Richard does ride a bike as well, Oh dear,it was only another bike hit him, we don't want to have ago at another biker.

Barbara Stevens ● 974d

The Mayor has joint responsibility for the Met and the park police come under the Met.Of course apart from dismissing the Commissioner after agreeing to extend her and holding up her replacement by arguing over the compensation you could quite rightly say the Mayor has nothing to do with policing.Perhaps he should adicate his non-responsibilty?This is all a bit off thread.It does seem odd that there wasn't a parks police response even if it was not immediate.The point I was hinting at on my response to Samara was that it has become the norm for rules to be ignored and perhaps even decriminalised by a lack of enforcement. Under this decriminalisation culture perhaps the other cyclist felt no moral or legal obligation to give their details?The unwise exemption of cyclists from certain rules in the highway code update, which are the norm in other countries perhaps has also added to this culture?The good news is that there seems to be now some hint from  cycling commentators that they must bring the wider public on board and address certain negative elements which have mainly been largely excused.For balance perhaps I should add the normal response by some to these events by stating that thing would have been far worse if was a car, bus, lorry and not a bicycle!

Ed Robinson ● 974d

I really don't understand Samara Achebe's post; cyclists running red lights is a police matter; similarly enforcement of road rules in Richmond Park also has nothing to do with the Mayor of London.

Michael Ixer ● 974d

Achebe was a "firsttime contributor" last October. First contribution was to try and get Michael Winstanley banned from Forum.

David Ainsworth ● 975d

Well, I twisted my trolley round to stop a cyclist at the end of the road as he was going past a red light to stop him, I said you have gone past a red light, yes I know was his reply.

Barbara Stevens ● 975d

I wondered how long it would be for someone to come on here to attack cyclists. For the record and to remind you, the person injured in this nasty crash was himself a cyclist.But no, despite that we have to have the usual cyclephobic stuff, including the comment, irrelevant to this episode, about running red lights. Incidentally, you missed the chance to whinge about "riding on the pavements" and "they don't even pay road tax."

Richard Carter ● 975d

I often drive to Priory Lane to visit my parents, the carelessness/stupidity/recklessness/arrogance of a significant minority of cyclists is astonishing. I am surprised accidents are not more frequent.

Adam Tripp ● 975d

It is a lesser point but I'm still trying to understand how, after such a collision, the other cyclist was physically able to leave. Do we know if he ran or was his bike rideable?

David Ainsworth ● 975d

I have not seen anything to indicate that there is a police investigation into the event.We will probably never know if the other cyclist contacted the police.Perhaps he didn't know it ia a legal requirement to do so??

Ed Robinson ● 975d

Myself and family often walk Richmond Park, and the speed of the cyclists is ridiculous. There needs to be speed bumps fitted or otherwise a total ban of cyclists. Too many times I have seen a close shave. Before long there will be a head on collision resulting in a death.What with cyclists regularly going through red lights, and often up on paths it is time Sadiq acted!

Samara Achebe ● 975d

And I just saw this on Nextdoor — absolutely horrific and unforgivable! Cathra KelliherWimbledon Village • 3 days ago • To the cyclist travelling at speed who ploughed into my husband, also cycling, in Richmond Park yesterday, and then ran from the scene of the accident leaving my husband bleeding and unconscious on the road, shame on you. The force of the impact sent my husband flying backwards. His helmet looks like a cracked egg. The paramedics said that if he hadn’t been wearing it he would have left the site in a hearse. Instead he spent the day in Kingston Hospital trauma unit. Were you looking at your phone? Were you afraid of prosecution? You left an injured father of 4 at the roadside. Thank goodness for the kindness of strangers, two of them doctors, and an off duty firemen who donated his picnic blanket to cover my husband as he lay there. That blanket stayed with him all through the following hours. And to those lovely strangers who cared for my husband until I and the ambulance got there, giving up your own time on a beautiful Bank Holiday. Thank you. Your goodness, humanity and spirit made up for the miserable criminal who behaved so irresponsibly and who thought only of himself as my husband lay injured. I just hope that next time you don’t actually kill someone. You very nearly did this time. And please everyone remember to wear a helmet!

Ivonne Holliday ● 976d

And I just saw this on Nextdoor — absolutely horrific and unforgivable! Cathra KelliherWimbledon Village • 3 days ago • To the cyclist travelling at speed who ploughed into my husband, also cycling, in Richmond Park yesterday, and then ran from the scene of the accident leaving my husband bleeding and unconscious on the road, shame on you. The force of the impact sent my husband flying backwards. His helmet looks like a cracked egg. The paramedics said that if he hadn’t been wearing it he would have left the site in a hearse. Instead he spent the day in Kingston Hospital trauma unit. Were you looking at your phone? Were you afraid of prosecution? You left an injured father of 4 at the roadside. Thank goodness for the kindness of strangers, two of them doctors, and an off duty firemen who donated his picnic blanket to cover my husband as he lay there. That blanket stayed with him all through the following hours. And to those lovely strangers who cared for my husband until I and the ambulance got there, giving up your own time on a beautiful Bank Holiday. Thank you. Your goodness, humanity and spirit made up for the miserable criminal who behaved so irresponsibly and who thought only of himself as my husband lay injured. I just hope that next time you don’t actually kill someone. You very nearly did this time. And please everyone remember to wear a helmet!

Ivonne Holliday ● 976d

Yes. Hopefully he has given his detail to the police after he left the scene.I think the requirement, if unwilling to give details at the scene, is that it should be reported to the police as soon as possible and within 24 hours.He may have done that - I think these reports may be a bit too early to pass judgement if he did or not. They were probably written on Wednesday or based on Wednesday's information.From memory - so may be a bit iffy - I think there was a similar case and the person did report it to the police after they left the scene.covered here:https://road.cc/content/news/cyclist-injured-head-collision-hit-and-run-mamil-301609https://www.met.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/af/how-to-report-a-crime/report-a-road-traffic-incident/

Ed Robinson ● 976d

An unpleasant incident by any standard: was it this one?https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12146355/Owner-BBC-Castaway-island-urges-cyclist-turn-hit-run-nearly-killed-him.html

Richard Carter ● 976d