Campaign launched after bike collision with car
A SAFETY campaign for cyclists will be launched in Cardiff after a councillor was knocked off his bike in an alleged “hit and run”.
Joe Carter was sent flying off his bike by an overtaking car on the “magic roundabout” heading towards Cardiff Bay on Tuesday.
The driver of the car, who had struck Cllr Carter’s handlebars with their wing mirror, then drove away from the scene as he lay injured in the road. Police are investigating the incident.
Cllr Carter, who went to A&E following the incident but only suffered cuts and bruises, says he was “incredibly lucky” that he was not hit by the vehicle behind him and that the driver stopped and helped.
He is now joining calls for greater safety for cyclists on Cardiff’s roads as the council and police discuss a campaign to educate motorists and enforce against those driving irresponsibly.
Cllr Carter, a Liberal Democrat councillor for Pentwyn, said he hopes something positive can come from his incident.
He said: “I was incredibly lucky. Nothing was broken – just scrapes and bruises. I could have easily broken something.
“If the driver in the car behind hadn’t acted quickly and carried on going they would have driven straight into me. It was very scary – it would be terrifying for any cyclist.
“It would be good to remind drivers of the rules around overtaking. I worry some motorists see cyclists as a nuisance rather than another user of the road to be careful about. A cyclist has every right to be on the road like everyone else.
“I was disappointed the driver didn’t stop to see how I was. They just dashed away as quickly as possible.
“It was positive how other drivers reacted and helped.”
Cardiff council leader Huw Thomas met South Wales Police Chief Constable Matt Jukes and Police and Crime Commissioner Alun Michael to agree a joint campaign on cycle safety.
Cllr Thomas said the campaign would focus on public messages around the Highway Code and enforcement action against irresponsible drivers.
He said: “I’m grateful to Alun Michael and the chief constable for taking the concerns very seriously.
“The number of incidents I’m aware of cyclists being injured or having near-misses with drivers is clearly unacceptable. Every road user should treat other road users with respect.
“I am pleased we have had agreement with the police that we will put a campaign into place to remind drivers of the need to treat cyclists with respect.”
South Wales Police, South Wales Fire and Rescue Service and the Safety Camera Partnership Go Safe have run an operation aimed at reducing the number of cyclists killed or injured on the roads across the region.
Operation Close Pass deploys plain-clothes officers on bikes equipped with body-worn video cameras. Any vehicle seen to not pass with the recommended distance, 1.5 metres, is pulled over to a suitable location and offered the opportunity to have a short educational input or be issued with a road traffic offence.
A spokesman for South Wales Police said: “Police in Cardiff are investigating an incident which involved a cyclist in collision with a passing car.
“A 36-year-old man from the Pentwyn area was cycling between the junction known as the ‘magic roundabout’ and the junction to the link road leading to Cardiff Bay when a passing car clipped him with its wing mirror, knocking him to the ground.
“He later attended hospital with minor injuries as a precaution.
“Anyone who may have witnessed this incident or have any information concerning the vehicle involved is asked to contact South Wales Police on 101.”