'I'm pregnant and wear glasses': Driver's explanation as crash with cyclist is caught on camera

Robin de Peyer1 December 2015

A driver who hit a cyclist when she cut across him on a busy road at rush hour allegedly explained the collision by saying: “I’m pregnant and wearing glasses”.

The crash happened when the Vauxhall Corsa driver turned left into the middle of a group of three cyclists on a newly-upgraded section of the Cycle Superhighway in east London.

Footage of the incident shows the driver apparently braking late before turning directly into the path of the rider, who was sent flying over his handlebars before being left in a crumpled heap in the road.

The driver remained in the car but pulled over as the male cyclist rubbed his bloodied knees moments after the crash.

Several other cyclists and bystanders also stopped to check the cyclist is OK after the collision.

In the video, filmed by a rider's 'helmet cam', the woman is heard apologising through her car window, before one bystander says: "Sorry's no good, you should be looking.

"It doesn't matter if you're pregnant. That could've been really bad."

Collision: the car appears to cut across the cyclist
Moisa Sandu-Andrei

The cyclist is later seen getting to his feet, apparently without suffering serious injuries, after the crash in Bow Road at around 6.30pm on Friday.

Moisa Sandu-Andrei, a 26-year-old forklift operator who filmed the incident, said: “I saw the cyclist in front of me and that car turned left without looking and braking.

“She should have stopped and looked before.

“She told him ‘I am pregnant and wearing glasses’, but that’s not an excuse. She wasn’t looking.

“She was just looking for an excuse because she didn’t look.

“He was in a lot of pain but I think he is OK.”

The route is currently being upgraded to introduce a segregated cycle lane with traffic lights at junctions to protect riders from left-turning vehicles.

But Mr Sandu-Andrei added: “I cycle that route every day - it’s on my way to work - and all the time there are problems.”

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