2012-11-23 - Police Car Incident, Essex Road, N1

Just coming home. Major crash Essex Road approximately 30 minutes ago, corner of Halliford Street I believe. Appears to be a cyclist underneath a police car. Bicycle propped up against wall. Helmet in middle of the road. Police car on right hand side of road heading north, large dent in front bonnet.

Paramedics, London Air Ambulance medics and Fire Brigade also in attendance.

Does not look good.

Ride safely.

'large dent on the bonnet' makes me feel sorry for the rider.. hope he's not badly injured..

or she. although i think having a police car on top of you is probably worse :/

fuck...

there's a photo of the scene on twitter, the car looks pretty badly smashed up. hope all involved are ok.

My thoughts go out to the rider.
Hoping for a full and fast recovery.

there's a photo of the scene on twitter, the car looks pretty badly smashed up. hope all involved are ok.

https://twitter.com/SebzArtist/status/271973391521697792

I hope the cyclist is not too badly injured!

Hope you're safe, rider.

Me and scoot are on the bus going north to ikea,saw the road all sectioned off but couldnt see a cause of it. There was a few other vehicles just hanging around so it was confusing. Best wishes to the cyclist.

The Islington Gazette doesn't mention a rider:
http://www.islingtongazette.co.uk/news/police_car_in_islington_road_smash_putting_two_officers_in_hospital_1_1707044

A spokesman for Scotland Yard said: “A marked police vehicle was involved in a road traffic collision at 12.55am in Essex Road at the junction with Halliford Street. Two police officers who were travelling in the vehicle have been taken to hospital. No other vehicle was involved in the collision. The car was answering an emergency call.”

I just rolled past. Police car had driven straight into the brick wall corner on the opposite side of the road.
Picture of the crashed police car

"No other vehicle was involved in the collision.”

Hope this is true.

I'm trying to find some confirmation of who was involved.

Twitter has everything from 1 cyclist to 2 pedestrians being involved.
There are no other current published news reports aside from the Islington Gazette one linked to above.

There's already been one incident involving a police car running over a cyclist in Islington this year.

I've also edited erikjonsson's post to change it to a link, rather than a posted image.

I just went past again and saw the police car imbedded in the wall. Doesn't look like any other vehicles were involved, the car is scrap now.

hi, to clarify, i didn't say it was a cyclist, i said it appears to be a cyclist (subtle difference). there was definitely a bike leaning against the wall, a helmet in the middle of the road and what looked like a person under the vehicle.... but it may well have been a pedestrian underneath or, indeed, i may have confused by paramedics working on someone next to the vehicle, and the bike helmet and bicycle could have just been incidental.

Here's a link to a different news source which also quotes the "no other vehicle" statement.

At this time, I think we must assume that the statement is true. I've amended the thread title accordingly.

One hopes that no other road users were hurt.

.... but the police car could have a person rather than the wall.

i have concerns about the merits of 'emergency' vehicles speeding around our community.

i am further concerned they are doing more harm than good.

Go and tell that to someone having a heart attack.

Go and tell that to someone having a heart attack.

This, but let's not go off piste

i have concerns about the merits of 'emergency' vehicles speeding around our community.

I think the rule of thumb is that roughly 1% of traffic fatalities are caused by emergency vehicles, but I'd have to look it up again to be sure.

Generally, emergency service drivers are very well qualified, highly skilled and competent. I would imagine (without knowing details) that the driver hit the wall as the better judgement call.....i.e., rather than another vehicle/pedestrian/cyclist.

it is not just the deaths that the 'emergency' vehicles cause......

..... the need for 'emergency' vehicles to get through is often quoted as a reason to block 20 mph proposals.

and not going to 20 mph is causing loads of road deaths etc.

(but i think what really snarls up 'emergency' vehicles is blocked streets caused by congestion).

(and imo 20 mph etc would help reduce congestion).

i have concerns about the merits of 'emergency' vehicles speeding around our community.

i am further concerned they are doing more harm than good.

this is correct. "blues and twos" should be used for warning other traffic to get out of the way so that the emergency vehicle can get through otherwise crowded streets. any good ambulance driver will tell you that. certainly, whenever i've transported sick patients (i used to do this regularly) it was more important for the ride to be safe and smooth than to arrive quickly.

I think the rule of thumb is that roughly 1% of traffic fatalities are caused by emergency vehicles, but I'd have to look it up again to be sure.

Could you also look up emergency vehicles as a % of all traffic in London Oliver?