2013-09-04 - Rider Down/Fatality, Thurlow Park Road

A few days on & just wanted to update, and thank all again for your kind thoughts. It's not getting any easier, and still doesn't seem likely or believable.

Chiara, like anyone killed on the road, is more than a stat, whatever the timing of her death. The Standard's piece is actually pretty good in giving a fuller picture (they obviously did a bit of trawling to find out more), but doesn't mention that Chiara was a very experienced cyclist. She was also extremely responsible and aware. No mention that she was using a "cycle lane".

A friend phoned me from the place on Thursday afternoon, & I went to leave flowers (one of the grimmest experiences of my life) at the weekend. I'm not sure if the flower place is where she was hit, or maybe has been moved?, but even at the weekend I could tell it's a sneakily horrible bit of road. (A couple of us had reckoned her new job commute, East-West Dulwich, would be loads nicer and safer than her old Tate one around Vauxhall or the Elephant.) I didn't hang round long. but it looks to me & friend (don't want to get into dangerous conjecture at all) like the road is too narrow for the number of lanes - filter lanes both directions for motors, with a bend. Add a large vehicle, and eg. distraction / excess speed / lapse in attention and it's not good. The cycle lanes on both sides are stupidly narrow, & look like in a few weeks will be full of leaves and road dirt run-off.

There was no yellow 'incident witness' sign I could see. Not sure if they don't go up straight away, or if it was elsewhere. If anyone can update on this that would be good. The driver's been arrested / bailed to December.

V early discussions in family / bikey friends about anything to do next, eg donations / publicity / ghost bike??. There's no rush with any of that. I got some great info from Oliver S about Roadpeace, and LCC of course.

To be honest right now it all seems futile as none of it will bring her back, and it seems totally crass to think in terms of anything good coming from our lovely Chiara's death. I'm feeling the environment for cyclists in London is broken beyond repair; so much depends on good will and responsible attitudes. In the UK we've gone too far the other way and the roads do seem to be just a battleground with very unfair rules of engagement.

Sorry to vent slightly – hope y'all understand it's from the heart. Ride safely.

Thanks Shiniqa

Take care