WATCH: Cyclist run over by taxi on Christiaan de Wet (GRAPHIC CONTENT)
HONEYDEW – A cyclist gets run over by a taxi driving in the emergency lane.
A taxi driving in the emergency lane ran over a cyclist and allegedly got away with only a fine.
Darrel Fitz-Gerald , the cyclist in question, was cycling down Christiaan de Wet towards Beyers Naudé Drive at 5.13pm on 15 November when the incident occured.
In the video that was captured by a motorist’s dash camera, one can see the taxi drive into the emergency lane on the left-hand side of the road. It continued driving illegally in the yellow lane until it came to a sudden stop after hitting Fitz-Gerald on the corner of Dolfyn Street.
Fitz-Gerald said, “It could have been a lot worse, the taxi was travelling at about 70- to 75km/h when he hit me.I want this driver to be prosecuted.”
It was extremely fortunate that he only sustained minor injuries, needing stitches to his elbow and serious grazes all over his body after being treated at Life Wilgeheuwel Hospital.
“The years of motocross helped me here, so I knew how to fall after being hit and I guess I had a guardian angel looking over me,” remarked Fitz-Gerald.
According to Fitz-Gerald wife, the taxi driver got away with only a fine. “He didn’t have a licence, nor was the taxi licensed and it was clearly not road worthy.”
Fitz-Gerald has reported the accident to Metro police and has attempted to report the incident to Honeydew police, who according to him referred him to Metro.
“I am determined to get this guy prosecuted, he claims that he was stopping to let off passengers and his brakes failed. What is interesting is that he stopped very quickly when he hit me,” added Fitz-Gerald.
