Passers-by including drivers from a nearby cab firm teamed up to lift a car off a female cyclist after she became trapped underneath it following a collision in London’s Spitalfields on Monday evening.
The 10 bystanders lifted the vehicle and put it onto its side to free 27-year-old Claire Pepper, reports the Docklands & East London Advertiser.
That meant that paramedics did not have to wait for the arrival of the fire brigade to start treatment.
The incident took place at around 8.30pm at the junction of Commercial Street and Hanbury Street.
London Ambulance Service duty officer Nick Osborne commented: “The patient was trapped under a car but around 10 bystanders lifted the car off the patient and rolled it on its side.
“The patient was very unwell and by moving the car our medics could get immediate access to her.
“We called London Fire Brigade who arrived to make the car safe.”
Ms Pepper, who had been riding her bike home to South London, received treatment at the site of the incident for a head injury. She was subsequently taken to the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel.
Speaking today from the hospital, the fashion photographer told the newspaper:
“I’m in a bit of pain as the pain killers have worn off. I have a broken collarbone and some bruises but I feel pretty lucky.
“I don’t have any recollection of the accident at all.”
The incident left her concussed and she said that she believed that the new cycle helmet she was wearing for the first time had saved her life.
“Its the first time I have worn it. I just bought it on a whim and I was thinking I should have asked for it for Christmas but I’m glad I did buy it.”
Her boyfriend, Jonathan Gales, agreed: “It definitely saved her life. It was a brand new helmet and it was absolutely smashed, her head was stuck under the car.”
Ms Pepper added that she was “super grateful” to the Good Samaritans who had come to her aid.
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18 comments
How long before the bystanders get sued for damage to the car...
Perhaps everyone who rides in London could have some free cycle training. Yes it's the car drivers faults for not looking properly, but we can help ourselves by being where they tend to look, particularly at junctions which could be front of them or not too far away to the side of them, but not and never by the kerb. This allows drivers to stop beside you and if they are turning left and you are going straight on there could be trouble!
Also never go up the inside of a stationary lorry stopped at lights. The driver can't see you and if the lorry is going left and you want to go straight on even more trouble. Best to wait behind in the the stream of traffic if you can't get to the front and wait in primary position in full view of drivers behind you.
Cool stuff, least some care. Get well soon. Wear a helmet it makes sense.
It's not the cars, buses and Lorries that are the problem it's human beings who don't take a few seconds to look properly because they think getting home or to work is more important than anything else in the world!
Restores faith in humanity, professional motorists and bystanders helping a cyclist, great to hear.
That is awesome that people took action to help someone rather than just stand around and take pictures
Please don't turn this into another helmet debate, that's been done to death recently!
Good work from the bystanders too - all too often people just stand there gormlessly (usually videoing it on mobiles). Hope she recovers fully.
+1
No car, no accident, maybe it is time to stop looking at what cyclists can do to mitigate the results of a collision and ask what can be done about the real problem on the roads, cars, trucks, buses!
Its called the bystander effect and is a known psychological phenomenon.
Good on those passer by, lets hope when they need a hand they recieve it too.
Glad she's ok, very nasty.
Don't know the circumstances behind the incident but if motorist at fault would welcome comments from Kate Hoey given cyclists are freeloading louts and motorists are hard done by pillars of society.
Positive community action and spirit by a small group. Great stuff.
Now let's wait to hear the news story about the driver suing the by standers to cover the additional damage to the car by rolling it on it's side !!
Well done to the bystanders, to often you only get people rubber necking with their camera phones out recording it for bloody facebook or you tube.
Glad she is ok.
Fuck science, let's make our up minds based on knee-jerk, flawed analyses of a small, biased selection of anecdotes!
Each to their own? You can choose 6 days waiting for somebody to die in HDU, I chose life.
Nice work by the people who lifted the car, to often we stick to health and safety rules in this country, although not in this case, waiting for the fire brigade could mean the difference between life and death.
As for the helmet, each to their own
Well done those chaps.
And I'm very glad she was wearing a lid. Too many victims recently already.
And yet the Telegraph reports she was trapped by her head.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/road-and-rail-transport/10445109/...
Might never have been trapped without one. Who knows.