A 82-year-old Rotherhithe man who spent a week in hospital after his leg was snapped by a moped rider in a ‘hit-and-run’ incident has publicly thanked the “kind” young woman who waited with him for the ambulance to arrive.
The man, who asked not to be named, was cycling along Brunel Road near Rotherhithe Tube station on November 12 when he signalled to turn right into Swan Road. As he waited to turn he says he was hit by a moped and knocked over.
“The motorbike didn’t stop, I only saw it out of the corner of my eye as I hit the ground,” the man said. His bike landed on him as he fell – and snapped his femur.
While he was in “quite some pain” on the ground, a young woman saw what happened and called the police and the ambulance service. “She kindly propped my leg up for quite a while until my ambulance was able to hold it into position,” the man said.
“I would really like to thank her for what she did for me – it made a huge difference,” he added. She stayed with him for about half an hour, until the ambulance took him away to St Thomas’ hospital.
Rotherhithe cyclist taken to hospital after ‘hit and run’ incident with car
Police have not found the culprit but they fetched the man’s wife from their home nearby in Rotherhithe. She was able to speak to him and comfort him in the ambulance, although Covid-19 rules meant she could not come to the hospital.
The morning after arriving at St Thomas’ surgeons put the man described as “a nail” in his leg to fix it. He spent the next week resting in hospital and came back home to Rotherhithe last Thursday (November 18). He praised the staff at St Thomas’, who he said did an excellent job.
The man is still recovering but has begun walking again in near Russia Dock Woodland with his wife, following his physiotherapist’s advice to keep busy.
Despite the traumatic incident on Brunel Road, he has no plans to stop cycling and aims to get back in the saddle early next year.
A closer social engagement is the Surrey Docks Farm Christmas Festival on December 4, where he will be playing the concertina.
Earlier this month police appealed for witnesses asking anyone with information to contact police on 101 or tweet @MetCC and quote CAD 3818/11NOV.
Alternatively, call the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”