Cyclists: Beware!

I commute into central London on a daily basis, and finish my journey with a brisk 22 minute walk from Charing Cross station to Whitfield Street (parallel to Tottenham Court Road). Although I have a number of variations, my usual route takes me up St Martin's Lane, Charing Cross Road, Greek Street, Soho Square, Rathbone Place and Charlotte Street, thus avoiding Tottenham Court Road and a significant section of Charing Cross Road.

This morning I was waiting to cross Shaftesbury Avenue at its junction with Charing Cross Road, which is a difficult and busy junction with a sharp left hand turn into Shaftesbury Avenue made more difficult for large vehicles by the presence of a bollard. A large lorry was turning left, taking it slowly and carefully, so it brushed the nearside curb and avoided both the bollard and a bus waiting at the lights in Shaftesbury. As it was making its manoeuvre with a good deal of care, a cyclist came up Charing Cross Road behind it, mounted the pavement as it turned left into Shaftesbury Avenue, undertook the turning lorry whilst on the pavement, then swooped back onto the road in front of the lorry just as it finished its turn and started to accelerate.

The lorry and cyclist did not meet, but if they had I would have been a ready and willing witness for the lorry driver.

This evening I reached the point where Rathbone Place meets Oxford Street. Here, there are massive roadworks on Oxford Street rendering it one way, westbound. The very ends of the roads either side are also closed to traffic, making them pedestrian only for around ten metres either side of Oxford Street.

The crossing lights turned to green, I looked to my left for oncoming traffic (remembering that this is a one way street while the roadworks are taking place), and - seeing it to be clear - stepped into the road.

I was hit by a cyclist who came off the pavement behind me and turned left to head the wrong way down a one way street. He didn't stop.

Had he been hit by the oncoming traffic, I would, again, have been a ready and willing witness for the unfortunate driver.

I really believe it is time that cyclist in London were required not only to have third party insurance, but also some form of clearly-visible identification. I would sorely (and I use that word advisedly) like to be able to track down the cyclist who hit me tonight.