I was rammed on my bike on the May 28th ride on Parliament Street (continuation of Whitehall) just after the Cenotaph heading towards Parliament Square at approx 20:57. The vehicle made off without stopping and has not reported the incident to the police. I realise I am writing this to you a bit late but I was hoping the police would come up with some information given the sheer number of cameras in the area, but they have NOT, despite supposedly being one of the most secure public areas in the country.

My bike has been damaged beyond economical repair with the back wheel crushed and the frame bent by over an inch. A replacement bike now would be around £700, I had no insurance as I never leave the bike unattended and it is secured inside my house normally. With the police unable to trace the vehicle/driver I am desperate for any details from video footage/stills that other riders on the night might still have. I was hoping that you could put something on the website and also put the word out that I am looking. I will offer a reward of £100 which I feel is a fair amount for any useful information about the vehicle i.e. make & model - any part of registration - description of logos on vehicle etc. which leads to either the police or myself being able to trace it.

The vehicle was a silver coloured estate/car-derived-van, with possibly a green company logo and ladders on the roof, although this is not certain. It may have started from around Trafalgar Square, went down Whitehall, past the Cenotaph on the wrong side of the road continuing down Parliament Street, then turned left at Parliament Square and was last seen going over Westminster Bridge. So someone may have got it on camera from Trafalgar Square and does not know that it went on to ram me. The registration may begin FH56.

This is my number: 07971 531555 - and I have set up this e-mail address whitehallcrash@hotmail.co.uk - Please feel free to publish these details including just my first name please (Andy)

I hope you manage to read this before tonights ride, don't worry if not - I would have wrote to you earlier but I have been working nights for the last couple of weeks and have been knackered. But maybe you could put something on the web page soon.

Many thanks in advance, and please don't hesitate to call/contact me if you have any questions.

Andy Nash

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For a brief period once a month cyclists cause congestion, unlike cars that do it all the time. Last night was no exception and hundreds of cyclists certainly made their presence felt in Central London. There was much hooting from impatient drivers who seem to think they have more right to the road than cyclists. One taxi driver held his horn on constantly for many minutes during a traffic hold-up. Is that legal?

The riders, and skateboarders too, were greeted with cheers from pedestrians and some even did high-fives with the passing cyclists. A group of children high-five me and I was left with a sticky hand. Ugh! In Piccadilly Circus the ride was met by cheers from many tourists.

One downer though was when a rider was arrested by an enraged cop. Apparently being on the wrong side of the road is now an offence for cyclists but not for cars though. The rider was charged with obstruction and handcuffed for refusing to move while being stationary on the right hand side of the road, along with many others, caused by traffic hold ups at the front and pressure from drivers at the rear.

I managed to video three rammings of cyclists by drivers. The first her rear wheel was trapped by the number plate of the impatient taxi driver who deliberately rammed her. The second was a scooter rider who is seen deliberately making contact with a cyclist's front wheel and the third a motorist who is seen deliberately ramming a cyclist. If I alone saw three there must have been several more in this large Critical Mass.

Towards the end the ride visited the Democracy Village in Parliament Square where it was again cheered and many bikes were held high in response.

Doug

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Hi Doug Wow I missed a lot of that but don't worry I saw plenty of other incidents. After another late start I thought the ride was good, although we seemed split up quite a bit, we stopped at City Station another rider phoned his friend who was still at St Pauls !!!!

Lovely evening for a ride and we seemed to cover a lot of ground, but still stayed pretty central ( good for those that don't know London too well).

One or two things I have to question is why do we have to block traffic in both directions and block exit routes for anyone caught up in the mass trying to get out of the way . Yes this causes mayhem, but with the mayhem comes anger and stupidity and then the danger. I witnessed a young lady take a heap of abuse from a motorcyclist hell bent on pushing her out of the way, in doing so and powering through her, his indicator caught in her wheel and ripped it off his faring while this maybe poetic justice at that speed and force what if it was her leg caught up in it all ??

Buses, are they are enemy. again a whole row of buses coming in the other direction blocked ???? surely if you want people to take note of what your doing is to celebrate it, how different four bus loads of passengers would have witnessed CM if 800 cyclists passed them waving and cheering.

Just before you think I'm too old and boring I did think the cabbie honking his horn for ever was quite amusing

Stupid Policeman at Parliament Square tried manhandling my bike out of the road and waving traffic at us told some of us " if we didn't move we would be run over and he wouldn't be responsible" I told him yes of course he would be "No I won't" he replied but with camera in hand I assured him he defiantly would be and then he realise he would and changes his attitude!!

At whitehall a maniac in a bus driving with his "Must get past cycles at all costs" head on, then swearing and threatening people with a bus full of passengers quite bazaar.

Emergency vehicles, we seemed to have our fair share of them last night and I was pleased to see the mass clear the way for them but beware when they pass through others follow them, I saw a couple of massers trying to stop a cab following through at speed and I had my heart in my mouth for a split second.

Good to see the boot on the other hoof so to speak as the two mounted police moved on to the pavement to let us through !!!

All in all another good night and I'll be back in June.

Please have fun but stay safe it's no use being in the right but in the cemetery.

Steve.

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