It was April 2018, and Katy was returning from a 100km bike ride when, only a couple of hundred metres from her home on a roundabout, she was struck by a car. Katy was knocked off her bike and taken to hospital where she was treated for extensive bruising and shock. The police informed her that the driver of the car admitted culpability for the collision.
The collision affected Katy’s confidence about getting back on her bike. She remembers the initial feeling of terror after being hit by the car and falling to the floor, not knowing whether she had broken anything or had been injured severely. If Katy had not been wearing a helmet, the outcome of the crash may have been quite different. Since the crash, Katy realises she was lucky not to be severely injured and feels it has taken a lot of determination to able to regain the confidence to get back on her bike.
Katy Thomas: knocked off her bicycle when a car passed too close
Unsafe roads impact all road users. My story shows that crashes are indiscriminate. We must remember that our roads are used by everyone, and as a cyclist I often feel vulnerable because of close passes. Drivers need to take particular care to protect people cycling and on foot.
Katy is sharing her story because she feels strongly that it’s important to remind drivers to be more aware of people cycling and on foot. In particular she wants greater awareness of the safe passing distances in the Highway Code when overtaking cyclists. Katy continues to feel vulnerable on her bike, experiencing regular near-misses because of drivers passing too close.