News / Bristol
‘It could have been fatal at worst if I hadn’t been wearing a helmet’
A cyclist who suffered a double collarbone fracture and cracked her head on a hazardous kerb left by MetroBus works has issued a warning to others.
Mary Todd, 73, was riding along Colston Avenue from the Hippodrome when her tyre caught in the uneven concrete slab and, within a split second, she was sent catapulting to the floor.
The experienced cyclist says the accident could have proved fatal had she not been wearing a helmet, which is now cracked by the force of impact, and she wants to get the word out to other bikers to be careful around the ongoing road works.
is needed now More than ever
Mary was left with a double collarbone fracture after hitting the concrete kerb
“I was cycling from the Hippodrome towards Lewins Mead, alongside the war memorial, and my front bike wheel got locked along the central edge of the concrete platform where it joins the tarmac,” recalls Mary.
“It effectively locked my wheel in place like in a tram line. It was just a split second and I was down.
“I fractured my collar bone and my head cracked on the side of the concrete kerb. This is what really frightened me, thank God I was wearing a helmet. It could have been fatal at worst if I had not been wearing a helmet.”
The uneven surface left by the bus stop kerb posed an unseen danger to cyclists
Mary was sent catapulting from her bike and her head struck the concrete kerb
Mary, who volunteers with Bristol Refugee Rights and works as a yoga teacher, says a couple quickly came to her rescue and took her to Southmead Hospital, even stopping to drop her bike back at home.
“I was really well taken care of which was really lovely because I was in a state of shock at that point,” she says.
Having spent 16 years commuting by bike in London and a further 11 years in Bristol, the cyclist says she takes rider safety very seriously.
She has reported the hazardous bu stop to the council, but also wants to send a warning out to other cyclists to be aware of potential unseen dangers around the works.
A spokeswoman for the council’s MetroBus team said: “We are all very sorry to hear that Mary was injured, but pleased to hear that she is on the mend.
“We have asked the team on site to have a particular look at this area, but expect that it may already be in a different condition as construction of this particular bus stop concrete pad has been completed.
“Many of our team also cycle to and from work and it’s a timely reminder to all of us – pedestrians, cyclist and car uses – that additional care needs to be taken wherever construction work is taking place.
“The whole of the centre will be resurfaced in due course but until then it is important for everyone to continue to take care.”
Read more: ‘We need a sustained investment in cycling’
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