When good Samaritans go bad
So you’re lying on a busy road with injuries that include a broken collar bone, cracked ribs and a punctured lung. With spinning head, you’re going through the moments of just a few seconds ago that saw a cyclist pull out in unexpectedly in front of you and send you and your Kawasaki ZX-6R out of control and straight into an unexpected meeting the tarmac. With cars and buses steering around you and your bike, you struggle to your feet. Your spirits are momentarily lifted when a friendly stranger offers to move your stricken machine off the road…and then, finding the keys are in the ignition, mounts up and rides off.
That’s precisely what happened to construction manager Glenn Hawkins last month as he rode through Bristol city centre, as recently reported by the Bristol Evening Post.
35-year old Chris had only owned the £8,000 bike a month when the pillaging passer-by struck, and only realised his pride and joy was gone when other witnesses informed him after he had regained his senses.
Here at KBB, we’re all too aware that bikes get stolen. But to half-inch a machine when the injured rider is lying just a few metres away seems to taking that particular crime to a whole new dastardly depth.
Despite an extensive search of the area by local police officers, the stolen motorbike was not located. Understandably, Chris is desperate to be reunited with the bike he described on Facebook as “my baby”.
So, KBB readers, if you are in the Bristol area and know of someone who has suddenly come into possession on a lime green Kawasaki ZX-6R (pictures above) with a few dints and scratches, Avon and Somerset Police would love to hear from you.
We wish both Chris and his bike a speedy recovery.
Blog post originally written for Devitt Insurance and appeared on their Keep Britain Biking site in 2012.