Article on Eilidh by Cycle Girl in the Sunday Times InGear

They didn’t talk much in the morning in the flat in Kentish Town, north London, that Eilidh Cairns shared with her friends. Who does? On the bitterly cold morning of February 5, though, Eilidh told her sister, who was staying, not to fret, that she looked good for a meeting but that she “shouldn’t wear boots with that suit”. Eilidh lent her sister a cool pair of shoes.
She set off on her usual route of nearly 10 miles to her office in Chiswick, a journey she often made with her boyfriend Giles as far as Connaught Street, near Marble Arch, before they parted ways. She rode a “pretty damn cool” Daniel Salmon fixie in metallic pastel shades and was a good cyclist.
A few months earlier Giles had forwarded her a piece on a courier webzine, Moving Target, about HGV blind spots.
At Notting Hill Gate, Eilidh slowed at the pedestrian crossing outside Waterstone’s, and there, at 8.58am, she got stuck on the driver’s side and was dragged under the wheels of a tipper lorry. The fire brigade cut her free and she was taken to the Royal London hospital in Whitechapel. At 10.59am she died.

     The driver is on police bail pending the investigation.  

Eilidh’s memory is very much alive, not just for her family and many friends, but for anyone who passes the memorial that has sprung up on a traffic island near where the collision happened: it includes a pair of bright pink wheels, photographs, candles, memories and flowers.
On March 7, about 300 of her family, friends and fellow cyclists rode her route to work in her memory, gathering at the traffic island.
I met Don Simpson, the investigating officer, as he trawled the shops for any CCTV that might explain why a sensible and experienced cyclist was involved in an accident of this nature. No witnesses to the collision have come forward. HGVs are involved in more than 50% of London cycle deaths, according to Transport for London.
Eilidh’s sister, Kate, said: “The government is trying to encourage everyone to reduce their carbon emissions. Cyclists are doing their bit every time they choose to get on their bikes. Instead of being made safe they are being penalised. More to protect cyclists.”
Eilidh died at 30. She loved life-affirming activity: sailing, snowboarding and, that simple pleasure more and more of us are discovering, cycling.
Witnesses can contact the police on 020 7388 6806, or Kate Cairns on <%20WhatHappenedOnFeb5@ymail.com>

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/driving/article5945315.ece

HGVs are involved in more than 50% of London cycle deaths, according to Transport for London.

Spooky stat! Not seen that before.

Last year, I think I am right in saying, that all but one cycling death in London involved an HGV. Oliver will have the statistics.

Avoid HGVs and earthmoving vehicles, in particular.

has anyone seen the actual paper version of this? were there any pics of the ride?

Bill has also been a big campaigner in the cyclist vs. HGVs issue:
http://www.movingtargetzine.com/search/?q=statistics

no pics.

Avoid HGVs and earthmoving vehicles, in particular.

Earth moving vehicles can be pretty terrifying. Earth is very heavy, yet the speed that a truck with a full load can reach is really scary. I literally steer well fucking clear of them.

This is such a sad thing. I remember reading the thread as it panned out. I hope everyone involved is feeling better.

I know in Ireland 7 out of 8 deaths last year are as a result of HGVs.

Peace

Last year, I think I am right in saying, that all but one cycling death in London involved an HGV. Oliver will have the statistics.

Avoid HGVs and earthmoving vehicles, in particular.

Complete stats for last year haven't come out yet. They'll be out later this year. I can't remember if it was all but one, but it was certainly close to that and a much higher percentage than usual. That said, again, the collision trend is downwards.

After reading about it here I felt really gutted as a cyclist that something like this had happened, but a few days ago I drove past the traffic junction that it had happened at and saw all the flowers and tributes place there and my heart sunk and it really bought it home how vulnerable we all are when on two wheels.

this is something that needs some ass kicking judges working on, at present drivers who kill riders can get away with a 6 month ban and a fine!, I have even been told by laughing bus drivers when confronting them " if i kill you mate ill only get a fine"

believe there is some individuals in london who have been family victims of this who are working on it, anyone know any links/contacts?

Bill has also been a big campaigner in the cyclist vs. HGVs issue:
http://www.movingtargetzine.com/search/?q=statistics

And in general takes a very well-judged path between the wilder extremes of cycling advocacy and the almost apologetic tone of some of the big cycling organisations. His stuff is always worth reading.

Last year, I think I am right in saying, that all but one cycling death in London involved an HGV. Oliver will have the statistics.

http://www.movingtargetzine.com/article/cyclist-killed-by-lorry-notting-hill-gate-5th-february-2009

The Met Police’s Traffic Unit recently staged another hgv/cyclist awareness day, of [the sort that they have been organising since 2007](http://www.movingtargetzine.com/article/lorry-blind-spot-demo-in-trafalgar-square). In the press release that I received from the Met, there is the following statement: “last year 13 cyclists died on London’s roads, nine of those in collisions with a lorry.”

The actual Sunday Times article is here:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/driving/article5945315.ece

The unofficial numbers for last year are that 15 cyclists died in London, 9 as a result of collisions with HGVs. The press release Bill quoted was written before two people died in separate crashes with cars on christmas eve. The 50% of deaths being HGV related was noticed a long time ago. Bill and some others have been trying to get things improved but progress is far to slow. The new London Cyclist magazine has a cover story on Lambeth Council lorry drivers getting cycle training, so that they understand what its like down here and take more care.

Thanks for that information, Bill and Charlie. I had thought (and hoped) the number of cyclists killed last year was lower than 15.

Let's hope that awareness raising of cyclists, HGV drivers and drivers in general, can bring that number right down this year. Keep up the good work.

Reading about this just makes me sick inside.

Bit scared by finding out where this happened, as it's a junction I often use.

Do we know if any junctions are worse than others or when there are road works or building work involving these trucks, that work is done to warn of the danger or reduce the risk.

I am thinking here of East London in general in the run up to the Olympics and of the Dalsston Lane, Kingsland Rd, Balls Pond Road junction at present.

The ODA has listened to us on this one, and is taking action to highlight the dangers:

http://www.movingtargetzine.com/article/olympic-delivery-authority-takes-action-to-reduce-lorry-deaths

More than 1,000 safety lenses that help lorries spot cyclists are being given to HGV drivers around the Olympic Park. It comes after two riders died and another was seriously injured in collisions with trucks in the capital. The Olympic site in Stratford will generate thousands of extra truck journeys to support the construction programme in the run-up to 2012.

Today John Armitt, chairman of the Olympic Delivery Authority, and campaigner Cynthia Barlow will start handing out 1,600 of the safety aids, called Fresnel lenses. They are fitted to the cab window so lorry drivers can see cyclists on the passenger side of the vehicle, where they would otherwise have a blind spot.

“Fresnel lenses are an effective way of increasing the view of the road and reducing injuries and deaths of cyclists in London,” said Mr Armitt. “Fifty per cent of our construction materials will be transported by rail and water, which means we are taking thousands of unnecessary lorry journeys off London’s roads. “We are a responsible neighbour and expect the same high standards of health and safety of our contractors.”

I was passed by an articulated lorry fitted with one of these this morning, and I'm not sure whether it was me spotting it and just thinking this, or him genuinely taking a lot of care, but he seemed to give me more room than any other artic ever has before.

Possibly just because he could see me?

Thanks Bill

Who is in charge of junctions like Dalston Road and Balls Pond Road?

Thanks Bill

Who is in charge of junctions like Dalston Road and Balls Pond Road?

Do you mean Dalston Lane and Ball's Pond Road (and Kingsland Road and Kingsland High Street)? (There is no 'Dalston Road' in London.) The highway authority for that is TfL.

Who is in charge of junctions like Dalston Road and Balls Pond Road?

Dalston Lane and the first bit of Balls Pond Road is run by Hackney. Kingsland Road, the High Street and the junction at Dalston is run by Transport for London.
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/finesandregulations/953.aspx

Reading about this just makes me sick inside.

You're already sick inside...

You're already sick inside...

I feel like we can be friends; clearly you do not take life too seriously. :)

good work,thanks all, will get reading on this, there is a friend whos son was killed in my area in dodgy circumstances while cycling and she needs advice. ride on.