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Tributes paid to cyclist killed on London BridgeBroken bike (CC licensed image by garryknight, www.flickr.com)

Tributes paid to cyclist killed on London Bridge

Rider fell into path of oncoming traffic in "tragic accident"...
by Simon_MacMichael
Wed, Aug 06, 2014 14:00
9

Tributes have been paid to a cyclist killed on London Bridge on Saturday evening in what eyewitnesses described as a “tragic accident.”

Chris Tandy, a manager with the British Council, was thrown from his bike after clipping the central reservation of the bridge and fell into the path of oncoming traffic, reports the London Evening Standard.

A British Council colleague of the 28-year-old from Hackney said: “It’s tragic. He was such an honourable guy who did so much for so many people. His team are devastated.

“Chris’s death goes beyond the borders of London. He worked with people from 80 countries and there’s been messages coming in from all over the world.”

The organisation’s director of education, Rebecca Hughes, added: “Chris Tandy worked in the British Council’s Education team as the manager for our Going Global conference, and was a hugely talented, dedicated, respected and a liked colleague to all he worked with, who will be dearly missed.

“Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with his partner and his family.”

One of his friends said: “He was wonderful, he was so optimistic and looking forward to the future. His family and girlfriend are devastated. He had been in training for a bike ride.”

City of London Police did not arrest the driver of the vehicle involved in the fatal incident, which took place at around 7.30pm on Saturday evening.

Passers-by tried in vain to resuscitate Mr Tandy, who had been riding his bike northbound across the bridge, with one running to the nearby Monument Underground station to fetch emergency equipment.

London Bridge
London
Fatality
City of London Police
Chris Tandy
Simon MacMichael

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.

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9 comments

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harrybav | 10 years ago
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Looks like 6 lanes of "can't quite find the room for bikes".

Here's one of the main artery bridges above Nice. Three lanes. Google streetview predates them turning 1/3 of the lanes over to a barrier-separated bike lane.

http://goo.gl/maps/xQplF

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A V Lowe | 10 years ago
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Crashed opposite the large traffic island that splits Northbound traffic - l/h lane (bus lane on bridge) drops down to junction leading down to Upper Thames St. Most cyclists and most buses go left of this island and may have to slow to let traffic in from left/vehicles make sharp left turn.

Once past this island many buses then veer sharply across to centre or right hand lane (3 'narrow' lanes) left turn (1) goes earlier than right turn (2) but often blocked by buses crossing as noted. Left lane - for Cannon St, St Pauls, Bank. Middle lane for Liverpool St (and Hackney) Right lane mostly as middle lane but some limited turning right for Tower via Cheapside.

Heading for Hackney I usually go right of the island and middle/right lanes jiggle to right. You need to be especially wary of motor traffic coming in from left after island, and get primary position for the right-left reverse curve to head North, to avoid being cut in on by lazy cornering drivers, and dodge street ironwork which is often in poor condition.

From description this is a crash which would have been very difficult to foresee, and much still needs to be explained.

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mrmo | 10 years ago
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thanks, makes a bit more sense, I guess he moved into the lane because of his direction of travel, ie straight on, and for whatever reason moved too close too the kerb and clipped it.

I guess one lesson*, ride in primary, do not try and be nice by moving towards the kerb/gutter to avoid holding up traffic. * I can't say that was his motivation but it does seem to fit the situation.

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mrmo | 10 years ago
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time for a stupid question as I don't know the road.

Riding next to the central reservation??? just seems a very odd place to position yourself???

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Zee replied to mrmo | 10 years ago
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mrmo wrote:

time for a stupid question as I don't know the road.

Riding next to the central reservation??? just seems a very odd place to position yourself???

The central reservation is a 2foot wide raised (~20cm) pavement that divides the North and Southbound lanes - no barrier.

If it was clipped at speed, it is quite possible to tumble over the reservation into the oncoming traffic. A momentary lapse of concentration.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.508868,-0.087467,3a,75y,19.6h,65.41t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sjbyKOmPEsyTA9dYjXoN3UA!2e0

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SimonS replied to mrmo | 10 years ago
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Not sure where he was. ES article says 'after getting off a train at London Bridge' which suggests he would have been heading North.

However, the photo on their story shows Police vehicles here (google street view link) which is the Southbound carriageway.
http://goo.gl/933nJX

Regardless - no separate, safe, cycle facilities in either direction.
Parked cars allowed on southbound carraigeway outside rush hour so heading South you are often push near to central reservation by buses .

If he was heading north (but fell into southbound carriageway at that point) it would seem highly likely he was following cyclecraft, behaving like a car, and taking the lane in order to go straight ahead. Perhaps a fast close pass from behind by a vehicle pushing through angry at him being 'in the middle of the road' causing him to lose control? Suspect the car in question wouldn't even have stopped.

Again saw cars travelling at well in excess of 50mph on a 30mph residential street in South London today (speed sign stops reading at 45). It's a road that's meant to be a backstreet cycle route, part of LCN 25. Exactly what we're going to get as 'Quietways'

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balmybaldwin | 10 years ago
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I thought all vehicles were supposed to leave enough space in front of them to stop incase the vehicle ahead of them has an accident?

Not always possible I realise, and we don't know the timing of the fall off, and being run-over

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jacknorell replied to balmybaldwin | 10 years ago
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balmybaldwin wrote:

I thought all vehicles were supposed to leave enough space in front of them to stop incase the vehicle ahead of them has an accident?

Not always possible I realise, and we don't know the timing of the fall off, and being run-over

The bloke clipped the central reservation and fell into oncoming traffic, so wouldn't have changed the outcome here.

In general, yes, but goes for your lane only.

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rasalati replied to balmybaldwin | 10 years ago
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"Oncoming traffic" would suggest that he fell into the opposite lane after hitting the central reservation, in which case it's quite possible that there was nothing the driver could do to avoid him.

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