2012-01-10 - Rider Down, Victoria Street

I'm the guy who posted on yacf. It was shocking - something you hear about but never expect to see. I can't add anything to what I said there, I have to give a statement to the police - other than the phone call I had earlier. I can confirm there was a second accident. I didn't see it, I was looking the other way.

The main point of my post here is to say if anyone sees Andy give him my very best wishes. I'm sure every cyclist in London's heart goes out to him.

....and sorry for the awful circumstances of my first post here.

Take it easy man.

Hi, I've joined the forum just to comment on this because I was present today at this horrendous accident. I was crossing the road heading towards Westminster Abbey and my friend turned round and saw the first cyclist go under the truck. We then witnessed the events following the accident. I thought I would try to clarify what I understood to have happened with the second accident. A truck coming from the same direction as the original truck and cyclist tried to turn left and clipped another cyclist. This person seemed to be quite lucky and although their bike was mangled they seemed to escaped uninjured - although we couldn't make this out at first because they were hidden by the second truck. The person on the second bicycle seemed to disappear pretty quickly and so we assumed was healthy, but by this point there was lots of people around and so it was hard to see.

I must say that the response of the people around the accident was unbelievable, as they moved barriers to protect the injured person and attended to him. And the emergency services responded incredibly quickly. Although the scene was harrowing and something I never wish to see again I couldn't help but think how it had brought out the best in so many people who rushed to the aid of the guy.

My friend and I are trainee priests and happened to attend Mass in Bethnal Green later that day and we prayed for everybody involved - including the driver who looked pretty cut up, and the people who saw it. But obviously most of all for the poor guy who was run over. I hope that he makes a full recovery. Thanks to everyone who posted on here as well; we were pretty restless until we managed to search the internet and get some information about his well-being. Pass on our best to Andy if that is possible.

Awful news, my thoughts go out to all involved and wish cyclists a speedy recovery.

God this sounds awful. I've stopped using this section because with so much traffic, especially all the works traffic, just means that it is far too stressful.

Thanks for the posts CptBob and ant - I hope you hang around to see the less gruesome side of this forum.

Any word on Andy this morning?

The police officer I spoke to yesterday rang me to make an appointment for me to give a statement. She told me that last night he was sitting up in bed talking. That's a miracle after what I saw yesterday. In a way I'd like to go and see him, but perhaps that's not appropriate, but I know it makes a big difference if you know there are people around who care about how you're doing. So if anyone does know him and see's him let him know that we're all rooting for him and we want to buy him a pint - several pints when he's out of hospital.

Now I have to do my lunchtime ride on a hire bike. I'll be very careful.

Glad to hear he is on the mend and it sounds like he will make a full recovery. I'm sorry for all those who witnessed the accident first hand. For me it was bad enough just seeing the mangled bike and personal belongings all over the road. As I approached that corner today I saw a massive lorry, the kind that delivers those big steel cables for foundations turning at that junction. It was one of the biggest things I have seen on the road in recent years and it's just insane they are allowed on narrow London roads during peak hours :(

Really glad the cyclist is OK. What time of day did this happen? I cycle that way pretty much every day and saw nothing (fortunately, for purely selfish reasons).

Loads of construction traffic around there at the moment I think because of the time I ride by I miss the majority but I've seen some complete twatish driving by some of the big 'tipper' lorries. Wouldn't say it's the majority as you tend to forget the good ones but one is enough (not saying that was the cause etc).

Heal up soon!

Hi Everyone this is the first time I have used this site. I have been searching everywhere to find out about this accident.I unfortunatly saw the whole thing from a vehicle I was traveling in and I was stationary at the lights right in front of the accident.I really hope Andy as I have now found out his name makes a full recovery after what I saw I cannot believe how strong the human body is.

The police officer I spoke to yesterday rang me to make an appointment for me to give a statement. She told me that last night he was sitting up in bed talking. That's a miracle after what I saw yesterday. In a way I'd like to go and see him, but perhaps that's not appropriate, but I know it makes a big difference if you know there are people around who care about how you're doing. So if anyone does know him and see's him let him know that we're all rooting for him and we want to buy him a pint - several pints when he's out of hospital.

Now I have to do my lunchtime ride on a hire bike. I'll be very careful.

A few of my courier mates went to see Andy last night.He has had an operation and is hopefully going to be ok though his leg is in a bad way.My friends are going to visit him again tonight again so I'll post an update on his condition soon.
Thanks for your concern.

J.

A few of my courier mates went to see Andy last night.He has had an operation and is hopefully going to be ok though his leg is in a bad way.My friends are going to visit him again tonight again so I'll post an update on his condition soon.
Thanks for your concern.

J.

Please pass on my regards to Andy and best wishes to his family and friends.

Yeah, this ^^ and thanks for the update Overdrive : )

Oh, and it happened at about 11am I believe - but there are HGV thundering around at all times, an especially worrying amount at rush hour.

A few of my courier mates went to see Andy last night.He has had an operation and is hopefully going to be ok though his leg is in a bad way.My friends are going to visit him again tonight again so I'll post an update on his condition soon.
Thanks for your concern.

J.

Overdrive, thank you for that news.
Robert

sounds like it could have been a lot worse.

lets hope and pray both riders make a good recovery.

i wonder what is being built that is generating the construction traffic ?

There are three major construction sites within a square mile of where the accident happened;
62 Buckingham Gate (demolition and new build) - on the corner of Victoria St and Buckingham Gate
Wellington House (demolition and new build) - Further up Buckingham Gate
123 Victoria St (major internal and external refurb)- closest site to the accident. In fact it sounds like the accident happened metres away from the the site HGV entrance.

There are also three more large developments planned for the area in the next year, which will mean the number of massive construction sites open in the immediate area goes up to 6

All of these projects are owned and administered by a guy called Robert Noel at Land Securities if you feel like making yourself heard

don't forget Victoria Transport Interchange there is alot happen underground with LUL..
Land Securities i know well, as i have dealt with them alot with regard to Victoria Palace Theatre (former client) and the impact all the work is having. new tube entrance goes directly below the stage house acoustically it's fucked, esp as LUL have a policy of running victoria line trains hard to meet timetable targets.. cityhall (westminster) on the doorstep.. a building full of cunts..sorry if you work there, spent many hours/days/weeks/months/years of my life arguing the toss over trivial stuff, schools, theatre projects, planning, licensing, building control, environmental health.. http://www.skyscrapernews.com/picturedisplay.php?ref=5708&idi=VTI2+Building+6a&self=nse&selfidi=5708VTI2Building6a_pic1.jpg&no=1

hope both riders make good recovery..
what a rant.............sorry

Just seen this now. MikeC - I'm sorry you had to see this dude.
You're right, it's absolutely insane that these vehicles are allowed on the roads.
Glad this guy is ok. Too many have not been so lucky.
A

Glad to hear Andy is doing ok, good to hear he is sitting up and talking. What is really sad is they fact that there is 21 pages in this section on the forum. I haven't gone through every thread but I can imagine that 90% of them involved some sort of HGV. If the government and local authorities need any more proof that hgv's should not be allowed on London's roads during peak hours and that a better infrastructure is needed for cyclists then all they need to do is look at this topic. 1 thread is one to many let alone 21 pages

get well soon Andy, hope to see you back on the road very soon

Has anyone heard the latest on Andy ! I hope everything is ok.Can anyone let me know please.I have checked this site every couple of hours but know one seems to be commenting.

Haven't heard much since I last posted unfortunately.Apparently Andy has some internal damage to his lungs and liver but he is conscious and talking.That's all I know at the moment.

Hey guys, i'm Dan one of Andy's colleagues, he is doing ok, in good spirits, mostly dude to the amount of morphine he is on....Phil our fleet manager has been in contact with him everyday and went to see him last night, although he was not in today so couldn't ask how things were. He appears, by all accounts to be very concerned about Andy and is making the effort to see that he is being looked after properly, which is good to know.....this industry doesn't have perhaps the best reputation for caring about riders an all. Me and Bones (for those that may know him) are gonna go see him on Tuesday as he could do with all the support he can get right now. The police estimate that the lorry involved was in or around 32 tonnes.....lucky is'nt the word.

Thanks for the update. Poor guy. Thoughts with him, his friends and family. Is there anything we can do? Alex

Dan
When you get to see him, tell him there's a lot of people thinking of him and hoping he gets well soon.