2011-06-21 - Rider Down, Hackney Road

This morning just after 8:30am, just down from Cambridge Heath Station by Temple St. Looked pretty rough, traffic blocked both ways, guy lying in the middle of his road with his shirt off covered in cuts and scrapes. Ambulance staff were attending to him, he appeared to have avoided anything too serious. Hope he's okay.

I'm sure others on here saw it, since it's a common commute route.

I saw it but couldn't tell if he was a cyclist or not. When I went by the paramedics had cut all his clothes off and were about to lift him into a stretcher.

Hope it isn't as bad as it looked.

Twitter reports say it was a lorry vs cyclist hit and run.

Any info on the bike or rider?
Many of us have friends who ride that route daily

I didn't really get a good look to be honest - I wasn't even sure if it was a cyclist.
There was a vehicle bumper lying in the middle of the road and police were interviewing a group of school kids. There were loads of people around when I went through so if it was a hit and run hopefully they can trace them.

I cycled past around 8-45, use this road morning and night. Police had taped over the crossing so I had to walk it on the pavement, no sign of the cyclist (presumably in ambulance) but saw a blue mtb / hybrid up on the pavement in a hell of a mess - both wheels buckled, tyre of the front, top tube and seat stays bent. Not nice at all. Best wishes to the cyclist and hope its just bruises.

Christ.

Sounds nasty. Finger crossed

jesus, an awful start, I hope he'll pull through.

I passed through about 10am and the road was still closed.

There was a bus parked up just down from the bike, but it didn't seem to be directly involved. Also heard a driver giving a statement to police about a car driving off afterwards, which supports a hit and run :/

Best thing we can do right now is to not make any speculation, however tempting it sounded.

Let wait for the official story to appear on the news, victim's family may be reading this topic.

This was right outside my house (but i missed it completely, even though i was working next to the window overlooking hackney Rd at the time!)

Coppers are still there now but the road is now open. I spoke to one of them and he just said that a cyclist was knocked off their bike and he didn't tell me any more. There was a CCTV camera on our block of flats that they wanted to use to work out what happened, but it turned out to be a dummy deterrent. You spend your life going on about CCTV being an infringement of civil liberties, then the one time you actually need one the bloody thing doesn't work!

[/obscure fawlty towers reference]

When I was there the bike had been moved to the side of the road, a mashed up blue ATB with black and orange panniers. I hope the bike took most of the damage and the rider is ok.
The bus wasn't involved but it had broken down while stuck in traffic jam. The hydraulic oil from the power steering ran out all over the road.

London24 have a story up. They report that the cyclist is thought to be in a stable condition.

http://www.london24.com/news/politics/cyclist_hurt_in_hackney_road_collision_with_lorry_at_improved_road_junction_1_928808

As someone who rides that stretch twice a day, I agree with the sentiments of the residents. Cyclists really need to be paying full attention when approaching the crossroads, because people do stupid shit there quite often.

That seemed very much like a *"victim blaming" *by telling cyclists to watch out for lorries, and not the right place to talk about in this topic since his relative/family may be reading it.

fair point we shouldn't says, undertake lorries for instance, but this isn't the topic for it.

Cyclists don't need to look out for lorry's...?

You talking shit Ed

Come on people, let's not do this again here. Articles always come out after an incident such as this, quoting local opinionators who bang on about 'not wearing helmets' or 'RLJing'. None of which have any actual connection to the poor chap who is currently having the shittest day of his life.

Truth is that we know nothing about blame on this one as yet, beyond our collective responsibility to raise awareness of the issues... on another thread!

Heal up rider. I hope you faired better than your beloved steed. x

I hate this junction, it's near my house and makes getting across the Hackney Road if you're going north / south (as I do most weekends to get to the market) a real hassle.

Crap Cycling Waltham Forest has more info, with some grisly pics:

http://crapwalthamforest.blogspot.com/2011/06/hackney-road-cyclist-critically-injured.html

Can't believe the driver didn't stop, hope the cyclists is going to be okay. Good luck to him. I hate tipper lorries, there's lots in the area at the moment - going east bound on the Bethnal Green and Hackney Rds is horrible in the AM rush hour. Assume they're all going to the Olympic park from their depots. Not great.

Jesus. Another horrible week. An old lady died on Marylebone rd on Friday, a 30 yr old guy in a mobility scooter was hit on a pedestrian crossing, and now this poor cyclists. All lorries.

I'm in court on July 4th because a lorry knocked me off my bike in August. Really hoping the law is catching up. Will let you all know how I get on.

Yeah, I cross there most days, from Temple Street across Hackney Road and into Prichards Row.

I second the opinion in East London Advertiser that the widening of the road actually makes it less safe. Traffic often slows down there as it is a junction with no lights, but in Hackney Road there is just enough space for eager motorists to attempt dodgy overtakes instead of waiting for the cars in front of them to clear. But focusing on these narrow/tricky overtakings they forget to also look out for cyclists. I've had several near misses there.

http://www.eastlondonadvertiser.co.uk/news/witness_appeal_after_cyclist_is_critically_injured_in_hackney_road_tipper_lorry_collision_1_929631

There have been two cyclists and a pedestrian killed by tipper/skip lorries in this area in the last few years. Hackney council has tightened road junctions and put a weight limit on the canal bridge, it seems the problem has just moved over the border to Tower Hamlets.

http://www.hackneygazette.co.uk/news/cyclist_dies_after_collsion_with_tipper_lorry_1_944599

rip

So sad...RIP.

Glad they caught the hit and run driver.

Ah shit. Sorry to hear that.

Mrs G just told me, RIP man, so so sad.

Awful. The case sounds as grim as it gets. I hope the Road Death Investigation Unit manage to find witnesses. :(