I'm lucky to be alive but I'll ride again says cyclist horrifically injured by bus
A cyclist run over by a bus told today how he feels lucky to be alive after suffering "horrific" injuries.
Father-of-one Jim Taylor was in a critical condition after being knocked down by a No243 bus in Aldwych. He was in hospital for three weeks after suffering a broken ankle and pelvis, as well as a mangled leg that needed extensive plastic surgery - but insisted the accident would not stop him getting on a bicycle again.
Speaking for the first time since the crash, the 47-year-old picture editor said: "I suddenly felt myself being hit from behind, then I went to the ground. I don't really remember much after that but I could see my bone in my leg as I had lost a lot of flesh. The doctors called it a 'de-gloving' injury.
"They took muscle from my back to put in the hole, then did a skin graft over the top. It was pretty gruesome.
"I'm lucky to be alive, but my biggest fear was losing my leg.
Mr Taylor, who lives in Dulwich with his wife Kiki, 40, and four-year-old son Gabriel, was taken to the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel following the accident in September. He is still recuperating and makes regular trips to the hospital for check-ups.
He said: "I'm an experienced cyclist who has commuted for 12 years - and I don't think this will put me off getting back on a bike again."
A police investigation into the crash is under way. Details of the crash came as personal injury specialist law firm Leigh Day & Co revealed that a survey it conducted to find the "top 10" causes of cycling accidents was led by vehicles turning left across a rider's path.
