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news
broken bike.jpgLondon cyclist who died after lorry crash told people who came to his aid "I put my head down and went for it"
A London cyclist who died after crashing into the rear of a lorry on Pentonville Road in Islington told a police officer who came to his aid after the collision, “I put my head down and went for it.”
City trader Jerome Roussel was still conscious after the crash on 2 May this year in which he sustained spinal injuries but died in hospital seven weeks later due to complications, reports the London Evening Standard.
An inquest at Poplar Coroner’s Court yesterday heard that Mr Roussel, a French national, had been cycling at a speed of approximately 20 miles an hour before the collision.
In a statement, Police Constable Liam Hughes said that Mr Roussel, aged 51, had told him: “I put my head down and went for it, I didn’t see the lorry.”
Two other police officers said that Mr Roussel said he was at fault for the collision.
Lorry driver Steven Swanson, who was delivering bricks,had his hazard lights on and was stopped as he prepared to make a tight left turn.
He told the inquest: “I got out of the cab after checking my mirrors. Then there was a loud bang.
“People were jumping off a bus and pointing — I thought it might have been a bomb. I went to the back to look and there was a cyclist in the road.
“I couldn’t see any obvious sign of injury, I thought he was going to be OK. When I was told the cyclist had died I was in shock.”
Recording a finding of accidental death, Coroner Mary Hassell said of Mr Roussel: “He was fairly fast, he was a fit man, he had his head down and just did not see the lorry.
“The moment’s inattention resulted in him crashing.”
Yesterday evening, the campaign group Stop Killing Cyclists held a vigil and die-in outside Islington Town Hall on Upper Street to commemorate Mr Roussel and call for safer streets for cyclists in the borough.
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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30 comments
I rode into the back of a parked car once, when I was 18 and a not very confident cyclist.
I just left it too late to pull out into the flow of traffic. I suppose I was upset about inconveniencing the drivers!
The bike was crumpled and there was a big dent in the car.
Fortunately the damage was all covered by my parents household insurance.
The driver was OK too. At the time he was actually more concerned about my welfare than his car.
How times change!
Er... no.
Unless you're suggesting all cycle lanes are completely separate from roads, how will I get down my drive?
Also, to avoid crashing, would cycle lanes need to be individual (i.e. one for me and one for you) and an infinite width and length to save hitting any obstruction?
What you're proposing is a planet each, made of nice blue tarmac...
I'll assume you're responding to my comment, although I'm clearly not suggesting blue tarmac planets. What I'm saying is that segregated infrastructure (you know, like they have in Denmark, Netherlands / are building in London) means that a momentary lapse in concentration is less likely to result in someone's death. That is most important / beneficial in heavily built up areas where there is more traffic and more distractions. That's not going to remove every negative consequence of every moment of inattention, but it would be an improvement on what we've got now.
I cycle with a chap who road in to the back of a milk van while we were "going for it".
Lots of broken bones, but thankfully has lived to tell the tale and is now back cycling again.
well they do say that milk is very good for broken bones!
Its all about what we really need and what the bike industry serves us. What we need is a cheap, safe and efficient bicycle to move around towns. The bike industry gave us for dexades either heavy city bikes or road bicycles with skinny tires and geometry that prompts you to stare at the tarmac and that you have to be a Salsa dancer in order to shift your weight at the back in order to brake properly in an emergency. There were touring bikes too with good for the city upright geometry and drop bars but nobody really offered them as a city option.
Nowadays there are more bicycles with upright geometry, ideal for comfort AND visibility combined with drop bars ideal for cities too with their narrow width and comfort but there are still few combined to their flatbar hybrid equivalents and are inexplicably expensive as for the same spec they cost 200 quid more than flatbar.
Bike industry please make what we really need, it is ridiculously easy, it is just a matter of your decision
They exist, whether people choose to use them or not is their choice. His commute may have been 25 miles countryside and 2 miles city, he may have benefitted from a different bike position to you or I. The fact that he says he got his "head down" suggests he could have done that on any bike if that was his whim...
The scariest thing about all this is that we get so pissed off when cars don't see us, despite our lights, fluoro clothes and what not... the reality is that inattention and distraction are regretable humans traits. Accidents will always happen and as cyclists we will almost always end up on the losing side regardless of who's at fault.
That's precisely why, especially in big busy cities where there are lots of distractions, we need proper cycling infrastructure. Physical segregation would massively reduce the chances of momentary lapses of concentration, on the part of either motorists or, as so tragically in this case, cyclists, resulting in someone being seriously injured or killed.
I slowly rolled into a crossroad with my head down, I had the red but didnt use the brakes properly and hit a car crossing. Cost me 400 quid to fix the damage to the car, you can't switch off for a second
I've looked at my computer for a few seconds too long and nearly come a cropper!
I too have almost cycled into the back of a parked van when I "put my head down and went for it".
Terribly sad for his family and friends but a sick part of me is asking "did he get a KOM?"
'city trader', tells you a lot about this type of person IMHO.
I've met a few BITD through a friend whose brother was one (he happened to buck the trend but his mates were absolute arseholes) and for the most part were arrogant cnuts that think they can do no wrong. Loaded to the gills with cash, brash and generally risk takers.
He's dead and you know nothing about him - if this is all you can say then fucking shut up next time.
Two of my one of brothers' club mates cycled into the back of a van door and died in similar fashion - they definitely were not city traders.
Jealous much?
Nope, not in the slightest, i'd rather be a reasonably decent human being and penniless than be a total wanker and have mountains of cash and put my head down and go for it when not only could that cost £M in actual cash in the workplace but in life cost me my life or that of others.
HTH
Although it might be nice to be given mountains of cash just to see whether I remained a decent human being; or an OK one, anyway...
Driving along a perfectly straight road in daylight on my way to work a few years ago, I saw a cyclist with his head down ride straight into some bright orange barriers around some roadworks. I stopped to check he was ok and he said "I didn't see them".
https://youtu.be/9OrKLGEOVRA
A friend of mine put his head down, "went for it" and ran into the back of a bus breaking his collar bone. It's easily done if your the kind of cyclist who doesn't look where he is going.
No idea of the facts of this one, but one of my friends did cycle into a parked car with his head down 'going for it'.
Whatever the story, it is a sad one.
Based on my own expereiences and other stories I've read. I'm not sure I believe the Policemen
Not sure how you don't see something as big as a truck though?!
I see no mention of independent witnesses verifying that he cycled into the back of a massive stopped vehicle.
But sadly it sounds like that's what happened, unless you have any evidence to the contrary, why question it
ACAB?
Are you actually being serious ?
You, sir, are a disgrace.
Thanks very much. Care to qualify your statement with some reasoning based on evidence or researched facts?
No one can but assuming all police officiers are corrupt, or don't try and do their job properly is extremely nasty.
I don't know why you are implying I've assumed that all police officers are corrupt or don't try to do their job properly?! I've clearly not said any such thing.