Outside Holborn station on kingsway

by zephya

20 Apr 2009

Late afternoon, rush hour fri 17/4/2009 raining hard, I was cycling down Kingsway, past Holborn station - est spped 10 mph.
A taxi overtook me too close, I had to steer into the edge of a puddle to avoid him. My front cycle wheel fell into the pothold about 50cm from the kerb and the bike stopped dead. I was catpaulted over the handlebars and fell hard, full length into another large puddle. Another taxi driver's fast reaction saved me from severe injuries - he missed me by a couple of cm.

Passers by helped me up and got me and my bike out of the road. I caught a glimpse of the taxi drivers face - he was white and shaking - I wanted to thank him but by the time I had reassured myself and a number of kind witnesses that I hadn't broken anything he had gone. I was extremely shaken and bruised my hip and leg and badly jolted my back and shoulder. I had to spend most of the w/e in bed as I was too stiff to move.

I was wearing a helmet and had reflective strips on by bikes bag and the back of the saddle and a reflective belt around my jacket. The bike also has front and rear reflectors and pedal reflectors. My front light was not on ( as it was daylight ) but both sets of rear lights ( one mounted high, one low) were on.

My bike ( a Bromption ) had the handlebars twisted out of true (since realigned), but beyond a tear to my jacket and soaking wet and dirty cloths I escaped relatively unscathed -with just bruises and with sore shoulder, arm, hip, thigh knees and wrist. My helmet saved my head and will have to be replaced even though there are no major signs of damage. Had it not been for the taxi drivers lightning reactions I couold easily have been run over.