Cyclist breaks collarbone after flipping off bike due to metre-wide pothole

A cyclist has sustained severe injuries after crashing into a metre-wide pothole and flipping over his bike.

Miles Jordan was hurt on Novers Hill while cycling from mother’s house in Knowle West on New Year’s Eve.

While attempting to avoid large stones and gravel on the narrow road, Miles slowed down to manoeuvre around them but cycled straight into the pothole, which he said was not clearly visible as he cycled down the hill.

The pothole was over half a foot deep at its lowest point and a metre-wide length ways – Miles Jordan

Before he could brake, it was too late and his front wheel crashed into the other side of the pothole causing him to flip over.

Miles, 36, lives in St George and works as an administrator for the NHS. He told Bristol24/7 he remembered lifting himself up and feeling winded, beginning to feel that something was not right.

Luckily, there were witnesses, including a family who pulled out of the turning ahead of Miles and saw him crash. They got out of their car and surrounded Miles, waving oncoming traffic that was passing by and telling cars to slow down.

“Someone said, ‘you should have been a stunt man’,” Miles laughed.

Kathleen Stickler, who had seen the incident from her home, gave Miles a blanket and let him store his bike in her garage.

After being warned that an ambulance could take hours, Miles’ mother picked him up and drove him to South Bristol Hospital, where he was referred to the BRI for an emergency operation.

There he was told he had sustained an open clavicle fracture. In other words, his collarbone had split in two.

Miles’ front tyre which will need replacing, after it broke when he crashed – photo: Mia Vines Booth

The pothole has recently been filled in, but the demarcating lines and cone remains – photo: Mia Vines Booth

After 18 hours at the BRI, Miles was released with a sling and is now undergoing physiotherapy and trauma support to recover from the incident.

Miles is currently staying with his mum in Knowle West while he recovers from his injuries. He has been off work for a week since the incident.

Despite the severe injuries he obtained, Miles said he feels lucky he wasn’t hurt even more.

“I keep on thinking back to it and thinking how many things had to be right for me to be in the relatively positive position I’m in now,” Miles told Bristol24/7.

“I always wear my helmet but that saved me from a more serious issue,” he added, pointing to his helmet where the plastic covering is torn off from one side where he fell.

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Read more: ‘Cycling in Bristol has never been so frustrating’

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Miles is currently pursuing a personal injury claim, and will otherwise have to pay to get the front wheel of his bike replaced.

Novers Hill, which sits between Bedminster and Knowle West, has recently been the site of criticism from parents who walk their children to school along the route.

The lack of pavements and blind bends has made the route hazardous for pedestrians as well as cyclists.

https://twitter.com/ledarville/status/1610201124606283778

Miles told Bristol24/7 one of the witnesses of his accident had also written to the council about fixing the pothole, while others have called out the dangerous road on social media.

Less than a week after his accident, the pothole has now been filled in.

Main photo: Mia Vines Booth

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