Another death of a pedestrian hit by a cyclist was reported in London yesterday (12/9/2018). Ms Sakine Cihan was hit by a cyclist using an electric bike on Kingsland High Street when attempting to cross the street. She died two weeks later in hospital. This is believed to be the first death of a pedestrian after being hit by an e-bike in the UK. But it is of course another symptom of the growing problem in London of unsafe cycling which we have commented on before.

The cyclist in this case abandoned the bike soon after the incident so it was a typical “hit and run” case but a man was subsequently arrested by the police.

E-bikes are legally limited to 15.5 mph but can allegedly go faster if pedalled at the same time. The comments of a spokesperson for Cycling UK said “The statistics show cyclists, whether on a conventional or e-bike, present a minimal danger to others”.

Comment: I certainly would not like to be hit by a cyclist travelling at 15.5 mph or even higher. The fact that the cyclist ran off afterwards tells you that he realised he had not been riding in the most responsible manner. Reckless cycling and at excessive speed can be seen on the streets of London every day. More such accidents will happen unless this problem is tackled.

Postscript: How fast can an electric bike go? A report of a recent legal case over one that was stolen from a premier league footballer (it cost £8,500), noted that it could reach 43 mph according to the manufacturers web site.

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