Road-hog cyclists to blame

ROGER MORONEY
When Michael Cachemaille of Taradale eventually returns to school he will be hobbling proof that cyclists need to remember not to ride three or four abreast.
While the 12-year-old and his mate were doing the right thing and staying close together, a group of three or four riders they came across last Thursday, at the intersection of King and Nikau Street, were not.
Their attempt to avoid the riders, who were coming out of Nikau Street, coupled with a car also moving into the intersection, led to disaster, with Michael and his mate struck by the car. Michael received a serious leg injury while his mate received cuts to the knees.
Michael's mother Catherine said she had not spoken to police about the incident yet but believed the elderly driver had not seen the boys.
She was more upset at the cyclists who continued to ride along King Street three or four abreast, despite repeated verbal and written warnings from school staff.
"There's not a lot of room for kids to cycle along King Street. There's no cycle lane ... they just have to keep left," she said.
"But some still go along there three or four abreast."
She said the road had been narrowed to force cars to slow down, but that affected children cycling along it during busy to-and-from school times. Last Thursday's accident happened while Michael had been on his way home at 3.10pm. The injury to her son, who was an innocent party, showed the danger.
The pedal of his bicycle tore into the calf of his leg and he required two operations, on Friday and Saturday, to clean and stitch the gaping wound.
The school's principal contacted the family after hearing of the accident to check on Michael's condition.
The school had been trying to get the safety message across to pupils and the police had made regular road patrols at busy after-school times, but the problem of three and four-abreast cycling persisted.
The principal asked if Michael would talk to the school about the dangers and he had agreed ... when he gets out of hospital and back on his feet.