A CRASH COURSE An interview with Nathaniel Carr Nathaniel Carr shares his misfortunes, and stories, revolving around serious cycling accidents.
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“ IF I AM NOT THROWING MYSELF DOWN MOUNTAINS THEN I AM EITHER FIXING, OR BUILDING, BIKES! ”
Nathaniel Carr
INTRODUCTION
KILLED SERIOUSLY INJURED SLIGHTLY INJURED TOTAL
118 3,222 15,751 19,091
These figures only include cyclists killed or injured in road accidents that were reported to the police. Many cyclist casualties are not reported to the police, even when the cyclist is inured badly enough to be taken to hospital. The figures also exclude cycling accidents that occur away from the road. Although the number of deaths is accurate, there could be two or three times as many seriously injured cyclists and double the number of slightly injured.
Cyclist casualties have risen in recent years as the amount of cycling has increased. The majority of cyclist casualties are adults, with less than one fifth being children. Cycling accidents increase as children grow older, with 10 to 15 year old riders being more at risk than other age groups, including adults until about the age of 60 years. To some extent, this reflects increased cycling as children grow older followed by a switch to motorised transport from the late teens onwards. It also coincides with the age when children attend Secondary school, and may indicate riskier behaviour by this age group.
Males are far more likely to be involved in cycling accidents than females; four out of five cyclist casualties are male. Most cycling accidents happen in urban areas where most cycling takes place. Almost two thirds of cyclists killed or seriously injured were involved in collisions at, or near, a road junction, with T junctions being the most commonly involved. Roundabouts are particularly dangerous junctions for cyclists and almost half of cyclist deaths occur on rural roads.
Around 80% of cycling accidents occur in daylight which is when most cycling takes place. For child cyclists, 90% of their accidents occur during the day. The most dangerous hours for cyclists are 3 to 6pm and 8 to 9am on weekdays. However, cycling accidents in the dark are more likely to be fatal. More cycle accidents occur during the Spring and Summer months (May to September) than the Autumn and Winter months (October to April).
NATHANIEL CARR
Nathaniel Carr was born in 1989. I do not know anyone who is as passionate and obsessed about cycling as Nathan is. His life revolves around bikes. He lives and breathes everything to do with bikes. Nathan started working for his local bike shop at the age of 15 and since then he has never looked back. His passion started long before as growing up he spent every penny of the next bike part, gradually building and improving his bike. As he got older he started his mechanic training at a local Land Rover garage. He quickly noticed that this career path wasn’t for him and moved into a head mechanic position at Bad Ass Bikes. If he isn’t spending his time fixing bikes then he’s always out riding them. He is a keen mountain bike and downhill cyclist, and his adventures have taken him across the world.
This projects revolves around Nathan’s unfortunate accidents whilst cycling. He’s had a lot of bad luck and has been involved in a number of serious accidents and collisions with motorists. Strangely his accidents seem to happen whilst cycling to work rather than when he’s throwing himself down mountains and dropping of cliff edges.
HEAD OVER HEALS
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“IF YOU ARE WORRIED ABOUT FALLING OFF THE BIKE THEN YOU’D NEVER GET ON.”
Lance Armstrong
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Firstly talk us through what happened? Well, this was probably my first serious accident. I was on my way to work, on a cold wet wintry morning, when I was cycling down a slight hill in a 30mph zone. Whilst cycling on my road bike, I must have been doing just shy of 25mph taking a primary position on the road. I tend to ride defensively on the roads as I know the majority of drivers speed past cyclists and nudge them over to the side. It was the same route I take everyday, hundreds of times, so I knew where I was going and what obstacles lay ahead.
It was around half eight in the morning so the road was not busy. I am always aware of my surroundings, and dangers, when cycling on the road as I know how dangerous it, and other drivers, can be. Out of no where a large van sped past me. It was definitely driving over the speed limit and thought it owned the road.
I didn’t hear it approaching from the rear so it really frightened me as it drove past. It didn’t leave me any room so it forced me to merge onto the pavement. Unfortunately there was not a dropped curve so I had a big bump as I went up. The back wheel flew up and I tumbled over the handlebars. A car garage was situated right next to me so as I flew over the bars I landed, face first, into a parked cars windscreen. I can’t remember too much as it happened so suddenly but I do remember flying off and waking up with a bloody face, broken teeth and pains all over. The van driver was oblivious about what just happened and didn’t stop to see if I was okay. There was such an almighty bang that the owner of the car garage heard and came over to help. He wasn’t impressed and thought I was just a careless cyclists who had an encounter with one of his cars. As the driver of the van didn’t stop it looked like it was all my fault and that I, and my cycling control, were to blame.
Did you have any serious injuries? I was fortunate to come away with minor injuries and no broken bones. I did snap a few teeth and have an almighty pain in my ankle and nose but I think my helmet took most of the impact. It’s the type of accident that could have been fatal, but I feel lucky as I had the right protection that played a vital role. Without my helmet I could have come out a lot worse than I did. I was furious with the van driver since he didn’t stop and probably, to this day, does not realise what he has caused. Also, the man who owned the car garage sympathised with me and felt sorry for what I just went through. He was apologetic even though it was not his fault. He also let me off for smashing his windscreen, which was neither of our faults. Since this was my first big accident, it has made me more aware of what’s going on around me. I am always aware of where I am travelling, and what lays ahead, but we, as cyclists, can never predict the actions of other careless drivers.
WE, AS CYCLISTS, CAN NEVER PREDICT THE ACTIONS OF OTHER CARELESS DRIVERS!
IT’S THE TYPE OF ACCIDENT THAT COULD HAVE BEEN FATAL, BUT I FEEL LUCKY AS I HAD THE RIGHT PROTECTION THAT PLAYED A VITAL ROLE.
80% OF ACCIDENTS HAPPEN BETWEEN 8:00 & 9:00 IN THE MORNING!
THE LUNG WAY ROUND
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“Life is like riding a bicycle — in order to keep your balance, you must keep moving.”
Albert Einstein
X This was one of my worst injuries. It happened around the same time but, in this instance, it was much worse. Again, I was cycling to work using my regular route. There is one part on my path where I have to cross over a 50mph duel carriageway that has a bridge running through the middle of it. I usually have no problem with this and am confident passing over it, in all types of weather conditions, and I understand that crossing over this bridge can be extremely dangerous and always take great care when I have to do so. But I can not say this for the other drivers.
It was a cold morning just before Christmas and I had just started on my daily commute. I left the house with plenty of time to spare to avoid rushing. As I was passing over the bridge I felt this almighty thump in my rear tire. At first I thought I hit a big pothole as it threw me over the bars, whilst my back wheel flew over the top of me. I can’t remember too much as it happened too quickly but I knew I flew with great force. I recall waking up on the grass verge, next to the carriage way, and found it very hard to recall what just happened. I knew it was serious as the rear end of my bike completely shattered and I found it very difficult to breathe.
X After I came to my senses, I realised the seriousness of the accident. I had been rear-ended by a large white van travelling over 50mph. It hit me so hard that the rear of my bike completely crumpled and chucked me forward over the handlebars. The front chainring pierced my chest and I had a considerable amount of damage to my ribs and shoulder. It turned out I broke a few ribs and one of them pierced my lung. It was very hard to breathe and I was rushed to Frenchay Hospital. There was also a risk that I had damaged my spleen, which I was told that it could of been fatal. I was in hospital for a few days as they had to monitor my breathing and keep and eye on any head injuries. It took me a good couple of months to recover and really knocked my confidence riding a bike. I was also out of work for a while as I couldn’t do any strenuous activities and anything involving heaving lifting.
The incident was dealt with great professionalism by the police and medical team. My collision caused the road to be shut down as the police had to investigate every detail from case and was almost treated as a death. It was assumed that the driver of the van was either on his phone or distracted, as his full concentration was not on the road as he travelled over the brow of the hill. I think he was as shocked as I was with what just happened and couldn’t believe what he caused. It’s crazy how a few seconds of not concentrating could result in a serious, and fatal, accident on the road. I have to count myself lucky as it could of been a lot worse. It put my family and friends under a lot of stress, and now my mum is always thinking of the worst every time I, or my brother, go out cycling.
IT’S CRAZY
HOW A FEW
SECONDS OF NOT CONCENTRATING COULD RESULT IN A SERIOUS, AND FATAL, ACCIDENT
ON THE ROAD.
WHAT ARE COMMON CYCLING INJURIES AND HOW CAN THEY BE PREVENTED?
Studies estimate that large numbers of cyclists experience physical problems: 48% in their necks, 42% in their knees, 36% in the groin and buttocks, 31% in their hands, and 30% in the back. No matter why they use a bicycle, cyclists can follow some basic safety principles to avoid common cycling injuries.
Knee Pain The knee is the most common site for overuse injuries in cycling. Patellofemoral syndrome (cyclist’s knee), patella and quandriceps tendinitis, medial plica syndrome, and iliotibial band friction syndrome are a few of the more common knee overuse injuries. The ďŹ rst four injuries mentioned involve pain around the kneecap, while the last condition results in outer knee pain. Shoe implants, wedges beneath the shoes, and cleat positions may help prevent some overuse injuries.
Head Injuries One of the most common injuries suffered by cyclists is a head injury, which can be anything from a cut on the cheek to a traumatic brain injury. Wearing a helmet may reduce the risk for head injury by 85 percent. The majority of places have no laws governing the use of helmets while riding a bicycle, but helmets are readily available for purchase and typically low in cost.
Neck & Back Pain Cyclists most likely experience pain in the neck when they stay in one riding position for too long. An easy way to avoid this pain is by doing shoulder shrugs and neck stretches that help neck tension. Improper form also adds to injuries. If the handlebars are too low, cyclists may have to round their backs, thus putting strain on the neck and back. Tight hamstrings and hip flexor muscles can also cause cyclists to round or arch the back, which causes the neck to hyperextend. Stretching these muscles on a regular basis will create flexibility and make it easier to maintain proper form. Changing the grip on the handlebars takes the stress off of over-used muscles and redistributes pressure to different nerves.
Wrist & Forearm Pain Cyclists should ride with their elbows slightly bent (never with their arms locked or straight). When they hit bumps in the road, bent elbows will act as shock absorbers. This is also where changing hand positions will help reduce pain or numbness. Two common wrist overuse injuries, Cyclist’s Palsy and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, can be prevented by alternating the pressure from the inside to the outsides of the palms and making sure wrists do not drop below the handlebars.
Urogenital Problems One common complaint from male riders who spend a lot of time riding is pudendal neuropathy, a numbness or pain in the genital or rectal area. It is typically caused by compression of the blood supply to the genital region. A wider seat, one with padding, a seat with part of the seat removed, changing the tilt of the seat, or using padded cycling shorts will all help relieve pressure.
Foot Numbness and Tingling Foot numbness and tingling are common complaints, and shoes that are tight, or narrow, are often the cause. In addition, foot numbness can be due to exertional compartment syndrome. This arises from increased pressure in the lower leg and resulting compression of nerves. The diagnosis is made by pressure measurements and is treated with surgical release.
When should I seek attention from a Doctor? Any injury that is accompanied by bleeding, severe pain, loss of sensation, or increased weakness should be seen by a physician. Other pain due to overuse or mild injuries can be treated by rest and taking pain relievers such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Swelling and pain can also be treated with alternating ice and heat therapy.
THE LONDON DIE窶的N
Article by John Stuttle
Over 1,000 cyclists stage die-in protest outside the Transport for London HQ.
Upset by the recent road deaths across the capital and the way the finger of blame seems to be pointing at them, London cyclists took to the streets to call for greater investment in road safety.
On Friday night I had a quick word with my boss (also a regular cyclist) and then slipped away a little early from Kings Place to pedal down Farringdon Road, over Blackfriars Bridge and on to the Transport for London building. As I arrived at 4.50pm there was already a fair-sized huddle of fellow cyclists gathering in the cold around a portable sound system and banner on the pavement. The quickly swelling crowd was the result of less than two weeks’ hectic and quite spontaneous activism by a relatively small group of people, coordinated via the social networking site, Facebook. I had been one of those activists. On 13 November the London Cycle Campaign organised a protest at Bow Roundabout after the death of a cyclist crushed by a left turning HGV on the CS2 cycle route. When the protesters dispersed two of them decided to go for a coffee. As they sipped their brews Donnachadh McCarthy and Steve Routley mused about what else they could do to raise the profile of the issue and came up with the idea of a direct action protest modelled on those of Dutch campaigners in the 1970s. They thought it would be great if they could get 50 or 60 cyclists to join in. Donnachadh later explained to me: “I have been a cycling campaigner in Southwark since 1994. I went through the usual political and democratic channels for all those years but failed and have now concluded peaceful direct action is the only thing that will shift the sclerotic transport and planning departments in councils’ and mayors’ offices.”
WE WERE WORRIED AND DISTRESSED AT THE NEWS OF SO MANY CYCLIST DEATHS IN THE FIRST PART OF NOVEMBER! That night Steve went home, designed a photoshopped image of cyclists sprawled on the ground in central London and the idea took root. The next day a Facebook event page appeared. A couple of days later I came across the page and clicked the button to say I’d attend, and so did a friend of mine. She suggested we go out leafletting and I agreed to meet her. The next morning we met up with Donnachadh and Steve at Oval tube station at 7.30am and quickly gave out several hundred leaflets. A gaggle of other cyclists were doing likewise by key junctions and traffic lights on routes into London. A list of times and places quickly appeared on the Facebook page and then a website too, with a snappy slogan. Most of us didn’t know each other. We decided to get busy and raise the campaign. Over the next 10 days we handed out thousands of leaflets across the capital. It isn’t a homogenous group and I can’t speak for others but our motivation was broadly the same. We were worried and distressed at the news of so many cyclist deaths in the first part of November. I’d already attended several cycle protests organised this year by the LCC as part of its ‘Space4Cycling’ campaign following earlier fatalities.
We were frustrated at the response from Boris Johnson, who made a series of comments that implied cyclists were to blame for this spate of accidents. Sections of the press inevitably echoed this sentiment. We felt that the real problem was the lack of cycling infrastructure that puts cyclists alongside HGVs and buses in an inherently dangerous way, especially given the huge blind spots that most HVG drivers have to contend with. We frequently found ourselves rubbing yellow-clad shoulders with members of the Metropolitan Police as we stamped our feet in the cold, their presence generating not a few comments from fellow cycle commuters. There was debate, not least with the officers, about the efficacy of helmets and hi viz tops. The argument on whether to wear a helmet or not is well exercised within the cycling community and shows no sign of abating. Recent studies on hi viz clothing show it has a minimal effect on motorists’ behaviour. I wear both but that’s a personal choice, it’s not the law, and many cyclists are angry at being pulled up by the police over this. The other issue raised by a lot of the cyclists I leafletted was the way so many cyclists run red lights. The Standard ran a piece the day before the protest about this, though the figures have been challenged. There is no excuse for people behaving badly or irresponsibly, be they cyclist, driver or pedestrian. However, most campaigners have been concerned not to point the finger of blame at one group or another. I don’t know the figures for those killed in London this year who were or were not wearing hi vis and helmets. Nor do I know if they were killed breaking the highway code in some way. And as far as I can see neither do the police.
However, the statistics we do have show that it is far more often the driver rather than the cyclist who is at fault in a collision. My guess is that, like most London cyclists, the majority of those killed probably were wearing hi viz and helmets and probably were not breaking the highway code. Hi viz will not save you if the lorry driver can’t see you because of poorly designed cabs. A helmet won’t protect you from a 20 ton lorry or bus’s wheels. Abiding by the rules won’t help you if there is inadequate provision to segregate cyclists from the heavy vehicles we currently have to commute alongside every day. As Friday drew near increasing numbers of cyclists I approached said they’d seen the leaflet elsewhere or had signed up on the Facebook page already. There was definitely a buzz in the air. By 5pm on Friday the crowd outside TfL’s front entrance was spilling out into the road. As arranged, the police blocked off the traffic and our vigil commenced with a brief speech followed by a touching musical tribute. Then at 5.30pm we lay down in the road – not 50 or 60 but more than 1,000 of us. Finally we listened to speeches from Donnachadh, Steve and others including Nazan Fennell, the mother of 13 year old Hope, killed in Birmingham in 2011 by an HGV while using a pelican crossing. We ended the vigil with a reading of the names of London road victims over the last twenty years – pedestrians and cyclists – and a final poignant choral flourish before our demands were handed in to officials at Transport for London, though Boris Johnson’s cycling supremo, Andrew Gilligan, was not to be seen. After two weeks of activity we’d filled the road by Transport for London’s offices in spectacular fashion and added our voices to the increasing clamour for substantial and rapid change to London’s transport policy and infrastructure. Let’s see what happens next.
INCREASING CLAMOUR FOR SUBSTANTIAL AND RAPID CHANGE TO LONDON’S TRANSPORT POLICY AND INFRASTRUCTURE
Whether you are throwing yourself down a mountain, or just on your daily commute, always take care when ever you are cycling. It just goes to show how important the right attitude and protection can be. We can never predict what is going to happen, on a daily basis, so always be aware and alert of all of your surroundings. Keep cycling, stay safe!
Special thanks to:
Nathaniel Carr For his invaluable information and for sharing his difficult stories. Phillip Hall For his incredible photography of Nathan. And giving me permission to use it.
Š Jordan Carr Design