Wednesday, September 05, 2012

Keep your eyes open

Some cyclists jump red lights. Some weave dangerously in and out of traffic lanes. And yes, some are rude and obnoxious. But most of us are law-abiding road-users who obey the Highway Code.

On Monday, Dave, who is one such law-abiding cyclist, was wearing a bright blue jersey. It was fine and bright and the traffic was light, but a car knocked him off his bike. The driver drove up behind him and turned left into a car park. Unhappily,  Dave was between her and the car park. She said “I didn’t see you.”

I was going to show you a photo of his worst injury, but it’s too horrid to have on a pretty blog. And actually, it doesn’t show you how sore it is. He has no broken bones, and he is alive and happy and doing the ironing at 6 in the morning, as per usual. But that is Dave. If I had his wounds I’d be limping around feeling as if I’d been kicked by a horse (as the nurse in A & E said). I’d be in bed having people bringing me cups of tea. He takes the T E Lawrence approach to injury - “The trick is not caring.” It works for him. (It does not work for me.)

Dave does not give in to injury. He won’t even take arnica (the noo-nah.)  His biggest stated worry is when will he get his bike back from the bike shop where it’s being assessed for damage. Oh yes, and will his wounds have healed by the time we go on a narrowboat at the end of the month?

The driver has accepted responsibility.  I still feel very cross, which is probably why the tone of this post is so odd. There is rage underlying it.

Earlier this year my friend was cycling down a main road and knocked off her bike by a driver emerging from a side road, a driver who “didn’t see” my friend. My friend’s injuries were worse than Dave’s: she had to have a new hip.

Please drive safely. Please overtake cyclists with plenty of room between you and them. Please check when turning right or left that NOTHING is coming down the road. Cyclists can go fast: you’ve seen the Olympics. Please don’t overtake cyclists and turn immediately in front of them.

Please keep your eyes open.

This is Dave last year, in happier times, when he got his new bike

Aug 2011 010

No comments: