7th London female cyclist killed by lorry in london

[ThePinkDreamMachine]

Catriona Cockburn should have been riding the Etape in 2 weeks - Its a very sad day for the dynamo girls

[img]http://i40.tinypic.com/1g0iv5.jpg[/img]
http://www.thelondonpaper.com/thelondon ... rn?image=0

THIS is the first picture of the City director who became the latest cyclist to die in London after colliding with a lorry.

Catriona Cockburn, 39, was killed after falling under the wheels of an HGV at Oval Tube station during Monday rush hour.

The experienced cyclist from Clapham had been due to take part in the Etape du Tour this month, an event where amateur riders follow a 107-mile stage of the Tour de France.

Workers at public relations firm Citigate Dewe Rogerson have been paying tribute to their former colleague.

A message on the firm’s website said: “She was a highly professional and dedicated colleague who will be missed enormously by all of her friends at CDR as well as her clients.

"She was a highly professional and dedicated colleague who will be missed enormously by all of her friends at CDR as well as her clients"
“Our thoughts are particularly with Catriona's husband and her mother.”

Her husband, Anish Patel, was too distressed to speak.

The driver was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.

Catriona is the seventh cyclist to be killed in a collision with a lorry in five months - six of whom have been women.

Bill Chidley, a bike safety campaigner who runs the movingtargetzine.com website, said: “It’s worth noting in most years since 1999 no more than nine London cyclists have been killed by collisions with lorries.

“Unless we are very careful, it seems clear that at least another three people will die under the wheels of a lorry before the end of 2009. This would make 2009 the worst year for a long time.”

[Rob Q]

Very sad indeed.

[IanP]

terrible as always. time to think about the a23 on the club run please

[Dombo]

Reverse BH is a nice route for a change.
My bike can now navigate the normal CR on its own.

[Mark F]

A very sad event indeed. As fellow cyclists no doubt all Agreeables will be touched by this.

Re [quote="marco"] HGVs and especially skip lorries

[Rob Q]

[quote]A very great shame. Hopefully someone with access to their forum will post up Addiscombe condolences and messages of support.

[quote="Sean Hogan - 何祥"]
[quote]Catriona is the seventh cyclist to be killed in a collision with a lorry in five months - six of whom have been women.

[PeteS]

"I beg to differ. The CR on the A23 is not junction near to Oval. "

Actually, I think we're mad going past that junction each week and it's one of the main reasons why some of us choose to go any other way but that one. If you really feel safe then sadly I beg to differ with you Sean. As someone who now has a friend in a wheelchair having been hit by a fast motorist at the other end of the M23, whilst riding in a large highly visible group, I feel a great sense of relief every time we get past the A23/M23 interchange. Approaching that junction is the first time that the motorists get a chance to put their foot down and a group of cyclists may make many of them think but we see enough bad and impatient driving each week to indicate that we are taking a substantial risk each time we go down the A23. I fail to understand the attraction of a) going the same route each week and b) using main roads for half the clubrun's length. When people come out on alternative routes they are amazed at how lovely and quiet the roads are and how beautiful the countryside is.

[quote="Sean Hogan - 何祥"][quote="IanP"]terrible as always. time to think about the a23 on the club run please

[IanP]

If something happens at the A23/M23 junction there is no doubt the club and its officers will be called into line. There has been plenty of discussion on this point before.

[Alan M]

I would imagine (although now cannot remember) that one's first experience of the A23 would have been quite frightening. I think I err on the side of the alternative route and it is one that I use for preference when I meet at Betchworth, this takes me down Pebblecoombe hill which is something of an early morning wake up but probably a tad dangerous in another way.

How sad though and I guess the preponderance of women merits some research

[Wal]

I ride through the A23/M23 junction every day on my way to work (Croydon-Crawley commute).

I used to just carry on riding straight down the left of the A23 (after all, I'm not turning, right?), and have had several unpleasant encounters e.g. drivers accelerating to get past me then cutting across my line; lorry drivers just ignoring me altogether; and on more than one occasion being verbally abused by drivers (even though I had right of way, for Pete's sake!), and have susequently changed my behaviour. I now ride a lot more defensively, looking behind me as I approach the Starbucks and at the first safe opportunity following the junction immediately after it, signal with my hand and move over to the central reservation. That way I don't force anyone to slow down (which as we all know, fuels many drivers' love of hatred of cyclists) and I'm not reduced to using the ridiculous - and dangerous - cyclist crossing immediately after the junction. I then move back to the left once safely past the junction (and have checked behind me, of course) and carry on my merry way.

[Mark F]

The A23/M23 junction worries me more than any other piece of road I use at present - much worse than anywhere on my commutes to Marylebone including coming down Park Lane in the evening rush hour. The reason - primarily the disparate speeds of vehicle and car and their unwillingness to slow down whilst I move across the junction. I have followed the cycle lane, dismounted to cross the lead on to the M23 and then remounted - but that has been fraught.

[quote="Sean Hogan - 何祥"][quote="Mark F"]The A23/M23 junction worries me more than any other piece of road I use at present -

[Alex P]

Sean, I think that I stand with you on this and it is right that we air this. The A23/M23 is a dangerous junction (as are a lot of roads that we use) but we approach/tackle it in the safest way possible (certainly in any group that I go out with):

- We slow down slightly to bunch everybody up together (the hill does that too)
- Good communication down the line on whether the road is clear and safe to move
- Clear hand signals but those on the outside/rear to signal to drivers
- Assertive cycling so that our itentions are clear and our presence is seen
- We move as a group

We do this week in week out and I cannot remember a single incident where I thought "mmm that was a bit close" in 9 years of regular club running. One thing that perhaps we should do is communicate this process to new riders (Although I'm sure that John C does this)

Now what does scare me (from time to time) and I would say even more dangerous are those quiet country lanes where, for example, we come flying around a corner, 20+ mph, meeting a car that is slightly off line and we have a serious "oh sh1t" moment, today not being the exception. Or where again, on a country lane, a car tries to overtake the group dangerously, coming too close, cutting in too quickly with a cheerful toot of his horn. These are situations are very hard or impossible to control and good riding, communication, assertive cycling, signalling do not reduce the risk.

Give me the A23/M25 anytime as least we are in more control

[color=#0040FF]Alternative routes[/color]

There are no club rules stopping anybody taking out a group of riders on alternative club run routes, in fact it is positivily encouraged (Ideally though it would be best with somebody who has a bit of experience). Unfortunately there are only a few people who step up to the mark, even then they struggle to get riders to join the rides, and an awful lot of people who talk about it on this forum. If you want to make a change just do it, the Captain and the VC's will give their support to anybody.

[color=#0040FF]Alternative Club Run routes[/color]

There are a few options of club run routes to get us out of Coulsdon and into those 'safe' country lanes however after trying some I have these opions on the ones that I know (welcome to hear of more options):

Bear in mind we need a route that is safe, can cope with us putting 100+ riders of differing abilities down it, as fluid as possible (least stop points) and suitable for all levels of rider.

- [color=#0000FF]Farthing Downs[/color], nice scenic route however I think that some of the downhill bits are a bit worrying especially if you have large numbers and inexperienced riders, this concern is further exacerbated in poor weather. We also found the hill at the beginning put people off when we tried it.

- [color=#0000FF]Chipstead Valley Road[/color] reverse BH; road too thin, too many parked cars, lots of shops, people crossing the road to get from car to shop, opening car doors, dodgy crossing A217. Put 100 riders up there and we will have lots of incidents - ok for small groups!

[color=#0040FF]Finally[/color]

[quote]If something happens at the A23/M23 junction there is no doubt the club and its officers will be called into line. There has been plenty of discussion on this point before.