Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

NHS worker makes DIY cycling top to highlight to drivers that he's on duty after receiving abuse and aggression

Max deSancha says he made it “as a last ditch effort to get motorists to treat me like a human being,”

An NHS worker in south east London has made himself a DIY cycling top to highlight who he works for after being subjected to abuse and aggression from motorists.

Max deSancha is a podiatrist who works with diabetic patients in hospital as well as undertaking home visits two days a week to those too sick to attend hospital.

He told road.cc that in “the past two weeks, I’ve noticed a lot more aggressive driving including objects thrown from moving cars and numerous incidents of being buzzed, while trying to visit patients or get to hospital.”

His experience ties in with our own observation that there has been a rise during lockdown in instances of aggression against cyclists, and particular over the last couple of weeks.

So, “as a last ditch effort to get motorists to treat me like a human being,” Max got out the felt-tips to draw a large NHS logo on the back of a white t-shirt, plus the words, “staff on duty please drive safe.”

Max also posted the picture to the Critical Mass London page on Facebook, where he wrote: “Even during the day when I'm doing home visits lugging around medical equipment on my bike.

“I've appreciated the way people have rushed to show their support to NHS staff, but notice when I’m on a bike there is much less goodwill.

“In an effort to remind drivers cyclists are human beings, and hopefully extend that goodwill to people on two wheels - I've made this cycling jersey from an old shirt.

“Unfortunately, many of my colleagues new to cycling have also experienced similar aggression on the roads,” he said, adding, “I would really like to make them versions of this top.

“I was wondering if anyone knows any fabric printing services who might be able to help out in printing this to a more cycle friendly top?”

We’d say there’s definitely space for an enterprising manufacturer to make an NHS cycling jersey or hi-viz gilet and sell it to NHS staff at cost price.

Perhaps they could also make one that says something like “NHS – don’t waste resources by making me a patient,” or something similar?

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.

Add new comment

22 comments

Avatar
bike.brain | 3 years ago
1 like

Cyclist's lives matter.

Avatar
David9694 | 3 years ago
1 like

It makes not one jot of difference to the level of respect you deserve on your bike if you're on-duty cycling to see a patient in the community, same, but on your commute, or cycling to the betting shop or to your job as chief publicist of the Audi Owners' Club. 

Avatar
lllnorrislll | 3 years ago
10 likes

As a nurse, who has worked through the whole pandemic, I would refuse to wear anything to say I am NHS staff while riding - because why should I?!?!

I have commuted for the past 8years and during the pandemic, I have been told that I should be at home and not out on my bike by a driver along side me at a set of lights, as cycled home post 12 hour shift.
I have been told to get the way by a roofer in a van, because I was holding him up as he was an 'essential worker'.
I have had passive aggressive comments made as I cycle down a shared route, which forms part of the national cycle network, by pedestrians, who ignored my polite shouts / bell ringing as they refused to share the path.
Regardless, I won't wear a badge saying NHS until drivers start to display their jobs on the backs of the car - such as Derrick - Avon Sales or Barbra - Builder etc.

Avatar
lllnorrislll | 3 years ago
2 likes

As a nurse, who has worked through the whole pandemic, I would refuse to wear anything to say I am NHS staff while riding - because why should I?!?!

I have commuted for the past 8years and during the pandemic, I have been told that I should be at home and not out on my bike by a driver along side me at a set of lights, as cycled home post 12 hour shift.
I have been told to get the way by a roofer in a van, because I was holding him up as he was an 'essential worker'.
I have had passive aggressive comments made as I cycle down a shared route, which forms part of the national cycle network, by pedestrians, who ignored my polite shouts / bell ringing as they refused to share the path.
Regardless, I won't wear a badge saying NHS until drivers start to display their jobs on the backs of the car - such as Derrick - Avon Sales or Barbra - Builder etc.

Avatar
Dangerous Dan | 3 years ago
3 likes

Nice try, but it probably won't do shit.  In my fire brigade days we had so many incidents with unsafe motorists at road scenes. You just have to be there to believe it.

I have seen this attitude in the USA, in Mexico, in Israel, and in the UK (OK, we have only been in Scotland). Even in Canada. After my last visit to Canada I am convinced that "sorry" is Canadian speak for "get the f### out of my way."

But not in the "rude" nation of France when we toured Burgandy for three weeks. I was told that if a driver there hits a cyclist they will loose their license unless they can prove that the cyclist was at fault.

My experience here in the USA is that the police either don't care or they feel that even with a video recording the courts will do nothing. I am not sure which.

Automobilists mostly believe that I should not be on the road, even if I can go the posted speed limit.  People cut you off and excuse themselves with the convenient lie that they misjudged my speed when the truth is that they believe that my life is worth lesss than the 3 seconds that they may be delayed.

Avatar
Gary's bike channel | 3 years ago
0 likes
Avatar
Seagull2 replied to Gary's bike channel | 3 years ago
0 likes

Both should go to the cops, especially the second one, mental 

Avatar
Gary's bike channel | 3 years ago
0 likes

i got shouted at twice in half an hour today.

Avatar
PRSboy | 3 years ago
5 likes

#cyclistslivesmatter

Avatar
cdamian | 3 years ago
1 like

Who throws objects at anyone? What is wrong with these people?

Thankfully I have never witnessed this, probably because I don't live in the UK.

Avatar
Boombang | 3 years ago
1 like

Pactimo sell an NHS logo'd shirt:

https://www.pactimo.co.uk/products/nhs-jersey-mens

Wearing it did nothing though: 10 close passes in a one hour ride and shouted at to 'go home' once.

Avatar
Philh68 replied to Boombang | 3 years ago
0 likes

Why assume that dickheads can read?

Avatar
Sriracha | 3 years ago
5 likes

Whilst I understand his problem, I'm not too happy with the direction his solution takes us. It has parallels with medics wearing the red cross on the battlefield, to distinguish themselves from combatants, fair enough.

However in the urban streetscene an NHS worker on a bike is a cyclist like any other. The suggestion that riding under the NHS flag should protect them from motorists' aggression implies that but for that they would be legitimate targets on account of being a cyclist.

Avatar
Awavey replied to Sriracha | 3 years ago
4 likes

It also makes the assumption drivers use their eyes to look at cyclists,so as to read their jerseys and then their brain to comprehend it...which we all know is wishful thinking in most cases

Avatar
eburtthebike | 3 years ago
1 like

What peculiar times we live in.  When people praise the NHS, clap for them, call them heroes, but then show contempt for those same people when they ride a bike.

If he'd like to start a crowd-funding page to produce these jerseys, I'd be happy to bung in a few quid, or maybe the government could use whatever is left of the £250m since they ended lockdown early.

Avatar
Sriracha replied to eburtthebike | 3 years ago
3 likes

So, what - on a leisure ride it's ok for motorists to run him down then?

Avatar
ktache replied to Sriracha | 3 years ago
6 likes

As long as if the sun was in their eyes, or they were on a very important journey or maybe a churchgoing cancer medic.

Avatar
the little onion replied to ktache | 3 years ago
3 likes

ktache wrote:

As long as if the sun was in their eyes, or they were on a very important journey or maybe a churchgoing cancer medic.

is that a reference to killer driver Dr Helen Measures?

Avatar
brooksby replied to the little onion | 3 years ago
2 likes

the little onion wrote:

ktache wrote:

As long as if the sun was in their eyes, or they were on a very important journey or maybe a churchgoing cancer medic.

is that a reference to killer driver Dr Helen Measures?

Why yes: yes it was.

Avatar
brooksby replied to eburtthebike | 3 years ago
3 likes

eburtthebike wrote:

What peculiar times we live in.  When people praise the NHS, clap for them, call them heroes, but then show contempt for those same people when they ride a bike.

Don't also forget: when people praise the NHS, clap for them, call them heroes, but then invite their friends and relations around for a completely non socially distanced party.  Or was that just my neighbours?

Avatar
Dicklexic replied to brooksby | 3 years ago
0 likes

brooksby wrote:

Or was that just my neighbours?

Nope, mine too!

Avatar
CStar replied to Dicklexic | 3 years ago
0 likes

Dicklexic wrote:

brooksby wrote:

Or was that just my neighbours?

Nope, mine too!

Hypocritical, virtue signalling muppets?? No, none of those here. Anywhere. At all.

Latest Comments