Why are cyclists crashing at the same point on Putney Embankment?

Same thing happens on Festing Road (aka Festive Road of Mr. Ben fame).  There are lots of trees just a bit further along the embankment so leaves and twigs are usually strewn on the road making it particularly hazardous in wet weather or after a spring tide as water pools adjacent to Leaders Gardens. 

If the back wheel steps out pedal harder and hang on!

Try asking the local authority? I asked the council about a strangely slippery bit of road in Bath a few years ago (where Midford Road joins Wellsway, if anyone's interested) and it turned out the contractor had used 'the wrong type of tarmac' or something, and it had to be relaid.

There are minimum skid resistance values required for British roads. Skid resistance (Polished Stone Value) drops over time and it might be that this road now has an excessively slippery surface. Testing skid resistance is pretty easy; it is just a case of getting somebody to do it.

Also looks a prime spot for reversing twin axle boat trailers, scrubbing off rubber on to a dry surface which is then wetted by rain or river.

Guess how they create skid pans....

Turing onto an upslope at an acute angle, recipe for a crash. Your going from sensible lean angle for your turn radius and speed to excessive lean angle. The front wheel will just push out and drop you to the ground.

Don't want to play down any injuries but...

This reminds me of riding into Sheffield from High Bradfield following Tour stage along with loads of people who'd cycled up there to look. For some bizarre reason as we joined the tram route into Sheffield there were bodies strewn over the road as a result of having their wheels fall into the tram track. D'oh!

Hmmm. Normally I'm inclined to the view that the road should be made safe for the cyclist rather than the reverse, but having many times been amused at seeing exactly the kind of thing shown in flathunt's link (and on one occasion nervously cycled through flood water) I think maybe this case is a hopeless one and different rules apply.

Edit - maybe add warning signs or road markings?

Quite...

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/putney-high-tide-facebook-group-se...

So you cycle along a road that is next to a river. The road is well known to flood at high high tides. In the photos you can see boat houses, trailers and jettys to launch boats, basically the comings and goings of a well used and loved bit of riverside.

If a cyclist has an issue here, imo, it's the cyclists fault. It's our job to read the road and conditions and consequently ride appropriately.

Blame game being kicked into action by the cyclist? I'm sorry about his serious sounding injuries but hey, it's the embankment and is one of the most used bits of recreaction riverside space in London, other routes are available or you slow down...