£1,000 raised for self-employed cyclist who was victim of hit and run

Speedie Gazelle (his legal name) was the victim of a hit and run earlier this month. He was riding home from a new job near Kings Cross when a car pulled out of a side road.

“I hit the side of this car at full speed, probably 25 mph and have seriously damaged my upper body. The driver did not stop, the number plate was not recorded and the police have ceased investigations.”

Speedie suffered a broken left clavicle; a dislocated right clavicle; three broken ribs, “including the top two strong ones that don't normally break”; several facial fractures; and aggravated left knee ligaments.

“I spent eight days in hospital where I had an emergency double operation on my shoulders, metal plate in left and artificial tendons in the right and I'm currently doing a six-week recovery period in France with my mother, my only remaining family member.

“I needed 24hr care in the early stages due to my arms being strapped up. I'm healing extremely quickly and well, so gradually becoming more independent each day.”

Speedie says that as the driver will be almost impossible to trace, there is “slim to no chance of getting any sort of compensation” – although he’s still trying.

“I've been forced to use what little savings I had before the crash to financially survive the recovery period of six weeks. Added to this I'll be unable to work properly as a warehouse manager because I'll be unfit to lift for possibly another six months.

“I can still work but will have to change the way I operate. My new employers have been very, very accommodating, for which I'm grateful and lucky.

“I may be losing earnings over the next year but that's difficult to judge. It's currently dependent on follow up consultations for the ribs, shoulders and knee. It's likely I'll have to reconsider my working options at some point in the future.”

You can find Speedie’s GoFundMe page here.