‘Why don’t you do something before London is ruined ?’ Joan Collins demands Sadiq Khan tackles unruly cyclists after she was almost knocked down by masked rider with no lights ‘weaving on pavement’
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Dame Joan Collins has called on Mayor of London Sadiq Khan to tackle unruly cyclists after she was almost knocked down on her way to a glitzy dinner with friends.
The 89-year-old was heading to Rules Restaurant in Covent Garden, central London, with guests including Christopher Biggins, Mamma Mia creator Judy Craymer and her husband Percy when the incident is said to have taken place.
The actress and original Dynasty star made it to the restaurant but was clearly shaken up after a cyclist ‘with no lights’ allegedly crashed into her.
She wrote on her Instagram page: ‘Getting out of a black cab on the way to @rules_restaurant, we discovered Maiden Lane was closed to all traffic.
‘However, that didn’t stop a masked cyclist with no lights and weaving on the pavement from crashing into me, almost knocking me over.’
Dame Joan Collins has called on Mayor of London Sadiq Khan to tackle unruly cyclists after she was almost knocked down on her way to a glitzy dinner with friends. Pictured: Dame Joan (third from left) at dinner with Christopher Biggins (second from left), her husband Percy (third from right) and friends
Many followers appeared to agree with Dame Joan, with one commenting: ‘Cyclists breaking pedestrian rules are a real problem.’ (Pictured: London Mayor Sadiq Khan)
Dame Joan Collins and husband Percy Gibson attend the British Vogue And Tiffany & Co. Celebrate Fashion And Film Party 2023 at Annabel’s in London on February 19
Joan Collins wrote on her Instagram page: ‘Getting out of a black cab on the way to @rules_restaurant, we discovered Maiden Lane was closed to all traffic. However, that didn’t stop a masked cyclist with no lights and weaving on the pavement from crashing into me, almost knocking me over.’
READ MORE: Dramatic moment fight breaks out between bus driver and cyclist during morning commute
The cyclist quickly slaps the bus driver to which he forcefully kicks her bike and a scuffle begins between them – causing other commuters to intervene
Dame Joan despaired as she asked: ‘How much longer must we live with closed roads and cyclists who consider themselves above the law?
‘Why don’t you do something @mayorofldn @sadig before this beautiful city of London is ruined?’
Rule 64 of the Highway Code states that ‘you must not cycle on a pavement’, while rule 60 says: ‘At night your cycle MUST have white front and red rear lights lit… It must also be fitted with a red rear reflector (and amber pedal reflectors, if manufactured after 1/10/85).’
Many followers appeared to agree with Dame Joan, with one commenting: ‘Cyclists breaking pedestrian rules are a real problem.’
Another added: ‘Cyclists need license plates!’, while a third said: ‘Terrible times Dame Joan… Hope you are fine!’
A fourth said: ‘Why do cyclists prefer the pavement? If you are too scared to use the road, don’t cycle! Fed up of pedestrians being bottom of the list permanently!’
It comes after dozens of reckless cyclists were caught brazenly ignoring pedestrians using a London zebra crossing this month.
Footage showed a string of selfish bikers and e-scooter riders speeding past people trying to walk across a crossing in Farringdon Street — with some cyclists even swerving around pedestrians.
Rule 81 of the Highway Code states: ‘Do not ride across a pelican, puffin or zebra crossing. Dismount and wheel your cycle across.’
Blindness campaigners slammed the cyclists, as the National Federation of the Blind UK’s Sarah Gayton told MailOnline the time had come for the government to take real action to stop blind road users being discriminated against.
The street access campaign coordinator said: ‘We are absolutely sick to death of being ignored. Our voices are never heard.
Cyclists were filmed racing past people as they tried to cross the street. Bike users are meant to stop to wait for pedestrians to cross the road
Some cyclists even swerved in between pedestrians who were trying to cross the road
READ MORE: Jeremy Vine admits riding straight over zebra crossing while pedestrian is trying to cross
‘The cyclists have to learn to stop and wait. Something is fundamentally wrong.
‘We are not saying don’t cycle, we are just saying we need a system that is safe and accessible.’
She added: ‘The cyclists just will not stop. We are not against cycling. Cyclists can be safe but they have to learn.
‘People are being discriminated against. We don’t believe the government is taking it seriously.’
Although cycling has boomed since the pandemic, there has been a wave of bitter disputes between riders, pedestrians and motorists.
The video also highlights the dangers of floating bus stops, where bus passengers have to cross a cycle lane to a bus island to catch the bus.
Floating bus stops were introduced across the country as part of travel schemes to accommodate bike lanes.
In January the NFB handed a petition to the Prime Minister appealing for the government to stop using such bus stops as they are ‘not safe or accessible for blind, visually impaired and many vulnerable groups of bus passengers, as they create a barrier to accessing public transport independently’.
The petition set up by the NFB has been signed by 163 blindness and visual impairment organisations.
The National Federation of the Blind UK (NFB) said situations such as this highlight the dangers of floating bus stops, where bus passengers have to cross a cycle lane to a bus island to catch the bus
The NFB’s Sarah Gayton told MailOnline: ‘We are absolutely sick to death of being ignored. Our voices are never heard. The cyclists have to learn to stop and wait’
Blindness campaigners slammed cyclists for not stopping at a pedestrian crossing in the heart of London
The NFB hand-delivered the petition to 10 Downing Street on January 11, which was signed by 163 blindness and visual impairment organisations
The NFB added: ‘Many people are also now using e-bikes, e-scooters and other e-devices which are too fast and add further danger at the bus stops.’
People took to cycling at a massive rate during the pandemic.
The number of miles travelled by cyclists rose by 46.1 per cent in 2020 compared to 2019, and 15.7 per cent in 2021 in relation to the same year.
Meanwhile, the number of cycle lanes in London alone rocketed during Covid as councils jumped on the bandwagon to cut down on car use.
In 2021 Sadiq Khan’s cycling tsar Will Norman revealed 62 miles of cycle lanes were built across London in just 12 months.
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