- News
- Reviews
- Bikes
- Accessories
- Accessories - misc
- Computer mounts
- Bags
- Bar ends
- Bike bags & cases
- Bottle cages
- Bottles
- Cameras
- Car racks
- Child seats
- Computers
- Glasses
- GPS units
- Helmets
- Lights - front
- Lights - rear
- Lights - sets
- Locks
- Mirrors
- Mudguards
- Racks
- Pumps & CO2 inflators
- Puncture kits
- Reflectives
- Smart watches
- Stands and racks
- Trailers
- Clothing
- Components
- Bar tape & grips
- Bottom brackets
- Brake & gear cables
- Brake & STI levers
- Brake pads & spares
- Brakes
- Cassettes & freewheels
- Chains
- Chainsets & chainrings
- Derailleurs - front
- Derailleurs - rear
- Forks
- Gear levers & shifters
- Groupsets
- Handlebars & extensions
- Headsets
- Hubs
- Inner tubes
- Pedals
- Quick releases & skewers
- Saddles
- Seatposts
- Stems
- Wheels
- Tyres
- Health, fitness and nutrition
- Tools and workshop
- Miscellaneous
- Tubeless valves
- Buyers Guides
- Features
- Forum
- Recommends
- Podcast
news
Police tape (CC licensed by freefotouk on Flickr)Police appeal as Paisley hit-and-run puts road.cc reader in hospital
A road.cc reader from Scotland was the victim of a suspected hit and run in the early hours of Saturday morning, resulting in him sustaining a broken collarbone and head injuries and needing surgery.
Alun Gifford, who has had videos of close passes published in our Near Miss of the Day series, was found lying in Glasgow Road, Paisley at 0430 hours on Saturday 14 September after people living nearby heard a bang and went to investigate.
Yesterday evening, Alun emailed us a link to an STV report of the incident as he waited to be operated on for his injuries.
He said: “As a wee point of interest I’m the victim! Currently in hospital awaiting my op for the shoulder.
“Pulled muscles etc in hip region, bruised ribs, loads of road rash on left side. No idea what state bike is as at station but all kit destroyed.
“Apart from all that I seem to be doing well!”
All of us at road.cc wish Alun a very speedy recovery from his injuries.
Inspector Tracy Harkins of Paisley Police Office appealed for information that could help officers piece together what happened.
She said: '"We are unsure at this time what type of vehicle was involved in the accident and it may be that the driver is unaware that he struck the cyclist.
"It is imperative that anyone driving in Glasgow Road around the time in question comes forward if they recall seeing the victim on his bike or if they observed the accident occurring.
"Thankfully the victim appears to be making a good recovery, however, he is still detained in hospital receiving treatment.”
Anyone with information is requested to contact Police Scotland on 101 quoting incident number 0781 of 14 September, or the charity, Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
Latest Comments
- hawkinspeter 0 sec ago
Ridiculed or is it just jealousy?
- belugabob 10 min 58 sec ago
I had to double-take the headline... https://www.kentonline.co.uk/sandwich/news/takeaway-driver-19-who-left-e...
- Rendel Harris 25 min 55 sec ago
Thank goodness for that. I don't suppose anyone would want you to. You certainly behave like one though.
- Eton Rifle 33 min 37 sec ago
You do see some utterly ridiculous examples of car use....
- Eton Rifle 55 min 54 sec ago
Exactly. Every road death is a tragedy but this is at the "twat deserved it" end of the spectrum, looking at the state of that car.
- Rendel Harris 1 hour 3 min ago
I'm not the editor of this article, nor indeed of anything on this website. One would have thought that didn't require explaining.
- Eton Rifle 1 hour 3 min ago
I think the answer is in your question. I genuinely didn't know he was married to her. It does kinda explain it. Disappointing, nevertheless.
- Daclu Trelub 5 hours 49 min ago
In a perfect world, we'd have a measure of how easily distracted someone is, as part of their driving test....
- Sredlums 6 hours 16 min ago
These products are nothing but ridiculously expensive and superfluous, and they bring nothing but bragging rights....
Add new comment
18 comments
Get well soon!
Doesn't Scottish law state the incident must be witnessed by 7 virtuous men or it didn't happen?
Thanks Rick
Corroboration requires two independent witnesses. Though with today’s modern technology one of these could be CCTV, data or whatever. This means that certain crimes can be processed under Scots Law. I think that driving offences don’t require the corroboration. Though in my case if there is no image of the guy driving through me then I’m stuffed. If the polis can piece together the individuals journey. They can maybe get him/her to fess up. Especially if there is unexplained damage to the near side of their vehicle.
I hope you heal up soon. It's hard to imagine how a driver didn't know they'd hit a cyclist. Maybe they were listening to Motorhead turned up to 11? Or maybe they just did a runner.
Thanks for that. Part of my recollection is banging off the near side of the vehicle as I was spun round after the hit. Now sitting in my hospital bed thinking how the hell can you not hear 68kg slamming against your precious vehicle when the flat occupants 30metres away hear the impact through double glazing! The police stated in the Paisley Daily Express that they are now hunting for the culprit. Hoping something happens and I don’t get let down by the Sheriff
"We are unsure at this time what type of vehicle was involved in the accident and it may be that the driver is unaware that he struck the cyclist."
However neighbours in their houses heard the thump and went to investigate . . If people in their houses heard it, and the driver was "unaware" then the driver requires their licence removed and shredded urgently.*
Alun : Hope you're soon on the mend and back on 2 wheels.
One of my neighbours has just been sentenced to 4 years in prison for growing cannabis plants in his spare room.
4 years!, you couldn 't make it up could you, yet if your an ignorrant, couldn't give a shit arsehole, in charge of a metal killing machine and you run someone over, giving life changing physical or mental injuries or kill someone, do you get 4 years in jail? not bloody likely.
The law in this country stinks, and if your a cyclist, you are right at the bottom of the pile and will be treated like an obstacle and a minor irritation, just like a pot hole that gets in the way of the motorists daily God given right to drive like a fu*king lunatic.
And it's not going to change anytime soon as far as I can see. It is a sad reality that the only chance of catching these bastards is if you have front a rear cameras running everytime you go out and then they will most likely get off with a fine!
How very sweet of Inspector Tracy Harkins to help construct the drivers statement for them. Best stop now as I could go on to theorise if one of their own were to get knocked down whether that would be an acceptable excuse, but it wouldn't be appropriate to do that.
RIP PC Andrew Harper
It’s Alun here. Thanks for your thoughts. Reallly appreciate it. Loving some of the comments. Have brought a smile to my face and sum up my thoughts as well. It has lessened the tedium of my stay here. Once out of here will see state of bike. Not looking forward to that.
Best wishes to make a swift and full recovery. Am sure the road cc forum members will happily look into their spare parts drawer / cupboard/ shed if the bike is repairable and you need any assistance.
Speedy recovery Alun, thanks for uploading your videos. Really hope the bike is repairable. Oh and welcome to the clavicle club:
https://www.cycologygear.com/products/clavical-club-navy-cycling-tee
According to a driver of big trucks on the comments section in a StreetsBlog article I read, he could feel the bump if hitting small animals in the road, and it would affect him deeply.
yeah, i don't get it. I hit a chicken while i was driving. It had ran out of a farmyard that was adjacent to a main road. i felt the whole thing and it was totally unpleasant. I too stopped.
About 6 months prior to that i was driving through some road works behind an HGV in a narrowed off section of road. the HGV hit some cones and one of them went under the front of my car. I had to stop and get the cone out.
How you could hit a human and not notice i just don't know. I'm bemused by this, and sickened that people could hit a person while driving and not notice. it doesn't make any sense to me.
When i think of the Alan Mason case, didn't the driver say she thought a bag of potatoes hit her car. Like, WTF why would a bag of potatoes be randomly going through the air to hit your car,
But, I don't understand. They already have the guilty party. Why has Alun Gifford not been charged with being on a bicycle in a public place?
Really?
I hit a pigeon the other day and was immediately aware I had hit something solid, stopped and got out to investigate. I really cannot fathom the circumstances in which I could hit a cyclist and not realise it.
I gather its easier than you'd imagine.
If you recall, one Gail Purcell thought a bag of potatoes had materialised in mid air and hit her car, which was her explanation for why she didn't stop after driving into the back of Michael Mason on Oxford Street a few years back...
I gather its easier than you'd imagine.
If you recall, one Gail Purcell thought a bag of potatoes had materialised in mid air and hit her car, which was her explanation for why she didn't stop after driving into the back of Michael Mason on Oxford Street a few years back...
[/quote]
And she got away with that load of bull as well!!!!
Best wishes for a full and speedy recovery
Good luck in your recovery Alun.
Unaware?