Bradley Wiggins is hit by a white van, you couldn't make it up. Only the fact that it was a woman not a man driving, stops the story being perfect. Wiggo it seems will be fine, but a broken rib really hurts, he is lucky and I am delighted it wasn't more serious, I wish him a swift recovery. I'm going to say something inflammatory now. In a way this is one of the best things that could have happened. Not because I want anyone hit by a car but because when it's Wiggo, who is a now a national treasure, it makes the news and cycle provision is back where it should be in the public eye.
Wouldn't it have been a tragedy had the outcome been worse. A nation that can produce a world beating champion could then allow him to perish on the poorly designed roads that he trains on due to poor public policy and under-investment?
Radio two ran a mature debate this morning that went beyond the standard mandatory helmet debate thank goodness, and talked about provision and then mentioned the Times campaign that got me interested in cycle provision. That was a direct result of Wiggos crash and so is me writing this and you are reading it too. I hope one man's heroics in France this summer and his broken body can actually bring about some real change on the nation's roads, that would be genius.
Shane Sutton head coach of team GB was hit yesterday too, he is in hospital under observation and I wish him health and luck too. How come we don't hear more about people being knocked off their bikes? The answer is simple, we do but only if you look really hard. Most people don't have a national or international profile and until this year cyclists where "other" and even when the cycle community runs the stories the mainstream media often don't.
Thing is Wiggo is one of all of us now and even the best rider in the world is no match for a ton of metal that hits him. I'm not suggesting it was the van drivers fault for all I know Wiggo may have been just as much to blame. Unlike a car on car incident though their is no guarantee that all that needs to happen after a bit of a scrape is an exchange of phone numbers and ring your insurance company.
Pedestrians are vulnerable road users we make special provision for them. Cyclists are equally vulnerable road users we make little or no provision for them. That can't be right, that has to change. We need better educated motorists, we need better provision and we need more people riding bikes.
Its important to remember that even when these stories are in the news. If you ride a bike you are likely to live longer than if you don't. The benefits of the exercise outweigh the risks of being killed on your bike. That doesn't mean I think we have a road environment that is correct, but sitting still is more of a risk then sitting on a bike.
Come on Government, implement Strict Liability that presumes cars are at fault when bikes are hit unless proved otherwise. That assumes bikes are at fault when pedestrians are hit unless proved otherwise. You could do that this parliament and it would give some protection in proportion to the risks different road users run. This law seems to be working well in the Netherlands, they do bikes.
Come on North Yorkshire County Council your failure to take the needs of cyclists in your county seriously is just plain wrong, do more do it now.
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