A touring cyclist, a man in his early 40s, was seriously injured yesterday after a van driver made an overtaking attempt while a car passed in the opposite direction on the R336 at Baile Liam just outside an Spidéal in Co Galway.
A witness to the collision told IrishCycle.com that the man was knocked from his bicycle, that the van ran over the rear wheel of the bicycle and dragged it several metres along the road.
It is understood that the injured man is from the UK and was making his way along the Wild Atlantic Way.
The witness, who said that they would prefer not to be named, said the collision was “grim”.
They said that the man suffered heavy lacerations to both legs, his arms, and his back. His injuries included exposure of bone. He was transferred to University Hospital Galway for treatment.
A spokesperson at the Garda Press Office said: “Gardaí and emergency services attended the scene of a road traffic collision that occurred between a van and a cyclist in Spiddal, County Galway this afternoon, Monday 22nd July 2024.”
They added: “The male cyclist was taken to University Hospital Galway with non-life threatening injuries. Investigations are ongoing.”
The below image is from Street View, taken a year ago, gives the approximate location and outline of the type of road where the collision happened.
One wonders as to how the Gardai deal with a driver that makes an “overtaking attempt” on a continuous white line, and more importantly, whether the guy on the bike can sue the driver in a civil case.