Wiggins/Sutton Down

[Peter]

Obviously, I don't know the circumstances but at least one of the reports suggested he had been hit by a van coming out of a garage forecourt, so he may not have been caught out at all - just hit.

[Exit Stage Left]

Obviously, I don't know the circumstances but at least one of the reports suggested he had been hit by a van coming out of a garage forecourt, so he may not have been caught out at all - just hit.

It's not so much a badly designed junction as a badly evolved one, the exit from the garage forecourt is within 15 metres of a left hand turn, with traffic coming from the right as well. Anyone local driving along there knows the hazards. It's the only way out of Eccleston if you're heading South on the M6. People drive badly there all the time, because it's confusing. That garage will be flagged up as a cheap one close to the M6, so there are always drivers who are unfamiliar with the layout. Local cyclists know all of that.

[Peter]

Thanks for that, D.  I suppose it is safer to ride around expecting to be hit!

[rogerzilla]

The insurance claim for lost earnings will be epic.

[Kathy]

well radio 5 just commented 'it goes to show how vulnerable cyclists are' or words to that effect. As well as observing it would be dark and that the competitive cyclists will be back out training for next year.

Absolute Radio are using his "helmets should be the law" sound bite...

[MAC]

Lets see GMP write this one off as NFA 'cos it's only a cyclist, innit.'

Pretty sure the local force is Lancs' rather than GMP. Not sure it makes much difference though. FWIW when I got knocked off my bike by a driver coming out from a give way back in May, GMP were OK. Not brilliant but good enough IMO.

Best wishes and speedy recovery to Brad. Anyone doing a collection for some flowers?

[delthebike]

He'll be fine - he was wearing a helmet after all... 

Nice one bobb.   

GWS Wiggo. I can't believe that eight cop cars turned up! When four of us were knocked down we got one!

[toestrap]

One to manage the accident, seven to make sure he can still sign autographs.

GWS Brad.

[Sergeant Pluck]

well radio 5 just commented 'it goes to show how vulnerable cyclists are' or words to that effect. As well as observing it would be dark and that the competitive cyclists will be back out training for next year.

Absolute Radio are using his "helmets should be the law" sound bite...

As did BBC Breakfast. Whoever it was said something like "Interestingly, Wiggins has been on record saying that cyclists absolutely must wear helmets for safety". I'm not sure what was being implied - perhaps that even with a helmet, cycling is terribly terribly dangerous. Not a mention of the possibility that the problem here was a motorist not driving with regard for others, as is likely to have been the case.

Most annoying.

GWS Brad.

[Gaston Lagaffe]

He'll be fine - he was wearing a helmet after all... 

Nice one bobb.   

Well he hasn't got a head injury, so that proves they work

[spindrift]

Broken ribs hurt like hell, you dread coughs or sneezes and forget about it in bed and turn over with a yelp of pain. I always said I hope it doesn't take a celeb RTC involving a bike to move road safety up the agenda, Kate and Wills or Boris. 

[TimC]

Having just (mostly) recovered from broken ribs after an off, I feel for Brad. GWS!

[Oscar's dad]

Why does Brad live up there(*)?  I guess it’s cos he wants ease of access to the Manchester velodrome?

(*) I'm not implying there's anything wrong with living in the Wigan/Preston area.  Just curious.

[clarion]

I hope that something good comes out of this - perhaps people will pay a bit more attention when they realise what someone has done to our top sportsman just by driving carelessly.  Although there wasn't a lot of evidence that's getting through from what I saw on CS7 this morning.

Just thought - when is SPOTY?  If he appeared on that bandaged up, it might make an impact (pun entirely intentional).

[pcolbeck]

Why does Brad live up there(*)?  I guess it’s cos he wants ease of access to the Manchester velodrome?

(*) I'm not implying there's anything wrong with living in the Wigan/Preston area.  Just curious.

Or maybe he just likes it ? Some of us do prefer living up North you know and choose to do so even if we could live anywhere in the country.

[Oscar's dad]

That could well be the case. Like I said, I'm implying nothing, merely curious.

[clarion]

Both of those reasons.  There's a lot of good cycling in Lancashire North of Manchester.  But I think he has family connections there, too.

[Oscar's dad]

Good info, thanks. Curiosity satisfied.

Get well soon Brad and if the driver that hit you is proved to have been a chump I hope they get what they deserve.

[clarion]

I note that Radio 4 say he 'collided with a van'. 

It might be true.

[Exit Stage Left]

Why does Brad live up there(*)?  I guess it’s cos he wants ease of access to the Manchester velodrome?

(*) I'm not implying there's anything wrong with living in the Wigan/Preston area.  Just curious.

His wife is a local, she's the daughter of one of the coaches at Manchester and is a noted cyclist in her own right.
http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/points?person_id=34875&type=national&year=2012
It's also ideal terrain for training, and handy for Manchester and Liverpool airports. The one fly in the ointment is that junction where he had the crash.
The garage has expanded greatly in recent years as other garages have closed. It now does frothy coffee and pastries, sells groceries and is a motorway service station in all but name. I doubt it would get planning permission for the access arrangements it has if it was starting now. It's a fairly common problem with garages, which hasn't really been addressed.

[Kathy]

I note that Radio 4 say he 'collided with a van'. 

It might be true.

The DJs on Absolute Radio were ripping the piss out of their newsreader for using the "was in a collision with" phrase. 

[andyoxon]

The insurance claim for lost earnings will be epic.

My guess is that the claim for BWs bike may be not insignificant... 5-10K?

[Exit Stage Left]

Cath Wiggins was cut up by someone coming out of a garden centre in 2009. That's another case where planning regs are letting down cyclists by allowing businesses to expand without looking at access arrangements, much like car boot sales.
Cath's garden centre incident now forms part of an online definition of 'old sod'.

Wiggins, who won two golds at Beijing last year and finished fourth in this year's Tour de France, wrote on the Twitter website: "Cath Wiggins got knocked off her bike today by some silly old sod going to the garden centre, Very P****d Off
WIGGINS' WIFE IN CRASH by Liverpool Echo (Liverpool, England)

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/old+sod

[Notsototalnewbie]

I've just had a 'discussion' at another non-cycling place where some are going 'That poor poor woman...imagine getting out and realising you'd hit Bradley Wiggins'. I'm not usually one for wading in but I couldn't let that stand.

They are using phrases like 'he probably came out of nowhere and was going very fast'...

[Cudzoziemiec]

The van driver was a hit man employed by Cadel Evans!

Seriously, this does show how shallow the Wiggo/Cav/etc effect is. Not the fact that it happened but the lack of legal response.