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news
Jan Binning injury (picture via Dorset Police)Cyclist seriously injured as rope strung across Christchurch promenade
Paramedics told a cyclist she was lucky not to have had her neck broken after she sustained serious injuries when she rode into a rope that had been strung across Christchurch seafront promenade.
Jan Binning, a grandmother of 10, sustained a broken collarbone, black eye and cuts and bruises after she was knocked off her bike at Friars Cliff in the Dorset town, reports The Daily Echo.
She suffered a rope burn to her neck, and paramedics who treated her also said that she was fortunate not to have sustained damage to her windpipe.
The 63-year-old, who lives in Friars Cliff, told the newspaper: “This was probably done by youngsters who thought it was a prank but they don’t appreciate the damage they could do to somebody.
“I want them to know how serious it is – I suffered a lot of injuries and it makes me quite emotional to think what could have happened.”
She shared her recollection of the incident, which happened as she returned home from Mudeford Quay with her partner Steve Page at around 10.15pm last Wednesday 26 June.
“We chose to go along the prom because there are so many potholes on the road,” she said. “I have bright lights on my bike but I was looking towards the ground to make sure I didn’t ride into anything.
“I was riding in front of Steve when suddenly I felt a pain and I was thrown to the ground. I think I passed out for a short time because I couldn’t really work out what had happened.”
Her partner, who was described as being in shock, called an ambulance but it did not arrive for two hours.
She said: “I was lying on the ground in pain and I was shaking uncontrollably. Three boys came along and helped us. They covered me with their sweatshirts and two of them went up to the road to look out for the ambulance – I can’t thank them enough.”
After being treated in the A&A+E department of the Royal Bournemouth Hospital, she was released at 6am the next morning.
Ms Binning continued: “I look after my grandchildren which is proving to be difficult because I am in so much pain.
“There is little you can do with a broken collar bone except wait for it to heal and I have to return to the fracture clinic next week.
“I would just like this incident to be publicised as a warning to cyclists to beware, to the perpetrator so they realise the harm they have caused, and to anybody who might think about doing anything similar that the consequences can be very serious indeed.”
Dorset Police said that the rope is one that is attached to a pulley and used to lift the front hatch of a beach hut, but it had been tied across the path to railings opposite.
PC James Prowse said: “This was a mindless and very dangerous act that has left the victim with serious injuries.
“The person or people behind this may have believed it was just a silly prank and I would urge them to contact us so we can establish what happened.
“I would also ask anyone who has any information about this incident to please come forward.”
Anyone who has information is requested to contact Dorset Police on 101, quoting occurrence number 55190097494, or the charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.
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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13 comments
This is no “prank”.
As to route choice the exit from the beach there (assuming she does live in Friar's Cliff) is steep with barriers to prevent cycling meaning unless you've got decent bike handling skills you'll have to dismount. Same applies to the entry to that section of the prom.
Here's the exit from the beach in that area
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B7jgT2UIQAACn1Q.jpg:large
https://www.thebeachguide.co.uk/south-west-england/dorset/friars-cliff-c...
This is Friar's Cliff prom, note the massive No Cycling painted sign (there are also the required road signs to enforce that).
Not excusing the culprits and sorry she's been injured but the prom is narrow and very busy during the day. There's also a cafe halfway along with tables on the prom (usually loads of cyclists in there). I wouldn't cycle it, it's tricky enough walking it this time of year. I'm mostly puzzled though, there's a flatter, easier, shorter route home than the prom
Narrow, busy, and there's a cafe, except the article says this happened after 10pm. Generally, how busy it after 10pm? Does the cafe have late night opening?
Nope, never open that late but do open well into the evening in the summer months.
Prom isn't busy at that time of night but that's not the point. Unlike further along the coast at Bournemouth there's always been a blanket ban on cycling at any time on this section (that gets completely ignored). If the beach huts are being used then the prom is wide enough just about to walk three abreast. Plenty of cross-prom traffic to the beach plus dog walkers (dogs also not allowed on the beach in the summer, also widely ignored).
My point was not so much about the time of day as about the fact that the prom is narrow and that's why cycling is banned. Further back towards Mudeford itself it's much wider and therefore open to cyclists. The section from Avon Beach car park to Mudeford Quay is shared use/pedestrian priority/max speed 10mph. There are signed advisory cycle routes on the very quiet residential avenues behind the beach. Road surface is very good.
Here's the definitive guide - the section between the two red P signs is designated "Footpath - Walk your bike"
https://www.bournemouth.gov.uk/travelandtransport/Cycle/Area-cycle-map.pdf
(From Avon Run Road to south of Cliff Drive)
Just to be clear - not condoning the actions of whoever did this and agree she's lucky to have escaped with just the serious injuries she's received. Having had a near miss with kids stringing fishing line across a cycle path I know how serious this is.
ok, fair enough: thanks.
got to say, mind, many councils consider "three persons wide " to be the perfect width for shared use facilities..,
Checks comments on the local newspaper web site....
Yep, as expected, full sociopaths unable to empathize even with an innocent old woman gravely injured.
I hope she makes a full physical recovery but the mental side will take longer I fear.
As for response time, 2 hours, just wow! When are the police and the government going to take these matters seriously, how many seriously injured, how many deaths will it need before they act in a way that is actually meaningful?
Maybe the council would like to comment on the state of the roads and how they are apparently no safe routes for people on cycles to get places such that they are left fair game to terrorists on less than ideal routes that are badly lit if lit at all.
I wonder if the paramedics and doctors will be calling for anti garotte device and shoulder pads to to be worn, pretty std to talk about helmets when it's a head injury.
Hang on, no cycling allowed on that prom in the summer months. Roads are also absolutely fine by local standards. Something odd here. People also fish from the prom when the tide is in
From the local press website "In the winter you can ride anytime, in summer months between 6pm-10am"
Not that section, unless it's changed recently. I'll check on Friday, it's my regular beach
Police say they think the person who did this did it as a "mindless prank" with no intent to cause real harm??? I call BS on that hypothesis !
2 hours waiting for an ambulance...
Good on the helpful local lads.