A Cambridge man who broke both arms and a foot while riding his bike when another cyclist crashed into him in a hit and run incident has appealed for all road users to slow down and show consideration for one another.
Simon Lee, a former soldier who served in the Balkans and who later worked in private security for VIPs, also called for the local council to improve cycle infrastructure to make the roads safer for cyclists.
He told Cambridge News: “I’ve been shot at, stoned and set on fire, but I’ve never been injured like this.
“I said to him ‘What are you doing?’ He just looked at me, picked up his bike and off he went. It’s ridiculous.
“The only time I’ve ever been injured was when I was knocked off my bike by a car or cyclist. I survived Bosnia, but not cycling in Cambridge.”
He did not report the incident, which happened on Friday 17 October near the city’s new CB1 development, to the police.
“What are they going to do? Even if they found him, he’d only got a telling off. I don’t see much point in that.
He added: “Just slow down if you’re in a car or on a bike, slow down and have some respect for each other.
“If I was an older person, it could have killed me. At least have the decency to stop and apologise.”
Mr Lee, chairman of Cambridge City Conservatives, also called on the local council to take action to improve cycle infrastructure in the city.
“We’ve got so many bright minds in Cambridge, for goodness sake get together and sort out the traffic problems,” he said. “The council should listen more to the cycling community in Cambridge.
“We need proper cycle lanes, we need proper junctions and we need action now. Nobody does anything about it - it’s always these piecemeal non-events.”
Recent incidents in which cyclists have been injured in Cambridge include one at the city’s new ‘continental’ roundabout in which a 12 year old boy was knocked off his bike.
His mother said the roundabout, aimed at making cyclists safer, actually made the situation more dangerous.
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11 comments
Well, we don't know that the other chap was a prat, just that from the side put forward by Mr Lee, he sounds like an absolute chump!
As for the them and us brigade... I'm not sure where or how the brigade are supposed to get involved here...
Its akin to two car drivers running in to each other... teh anti-cyclist brigade would struggle to invoke cycling hatred over that one too I suspect.
I hope Mr Lee gets well soon and is not too deterred from the bike. As I always say... you are very unlucky to have a serious accident on the bike, but once you have had one, you are statistically unlikely to have another.
Simon Lee seems like a decent bloke and I hope he gets well soon.
The other cyclist is clearly a prat, and like car drivers who do the same everyday to bike riders.
It's not the mode of transport that is the issue in most of these cases. It's the human involvement. The selfishness and lack of concern is apparent because of the individual and not the vehicle.
It is an offence to not stop and provide your details when you cause an accident. All road users, including cyclists must comply with the road traffic act. With 2 broken bones the person would be looking at 7-8 points on their license and a fine.
To those who say the cyclist doesn't have a license, the points will go on and if they ever apply it will arrive with the points.
No.
No it won't.
It would be like having your gym membership revoked because you were late bringing back a library book.
Can I just point out that leaving the scene of an accident on a bicycle is not an offence, although the person who did just that is obviously a heartless sod.
Breaking someone's arms and a foot surely is though.
"He did not report the incident, which happened on Friday 17 October near the city’s new CB1 development, to the police.
“What are they going to do? Even if they found him, he’d only got a telling off. I don’t see much point in that."
This is a major problem. No wonder councils and the gummint think all is fine on our roads - most bike injuries/collisions go unreported. Hospitals are pretty useless at returning stats too.
How are we to secure extra funding at council, county and national levels, if injuries/crashes like this aren't reported? His treatment and rehab will cost tens of thousands. Could be a perfect justification for the council to maybe spend a few grand redesigning wherever it happened.
"I survived Bosnia, but not cycling in Cambridge.”
Well, technically he survived cycling in Cambridge too, unless he is speaking from beyond the grave.
If the perpetrator had been driving a car you would have all been leaping up and down, a crime has been committed why so quiet?
Agree, amazing how the us against them brigade remains quiet on this one. The victim should have reported this hit and run. just goes to show that people's actions and the behaviour is the problem not their chosen mode of transport. How you can leave someone behind who must have been in serious distress after suffering multiple fractures is beyond me.
The headline is a little misleading, isn't it? Given he goes on to say:
“The council should listen more to the cycling community in Cambridge.
“We need proper cycle lanes, we need proper junctions and we need action now. Nobody does anything about it - it’s always these piecemeal non-events.”