UPDATE: A316 re-opens after earlier accident

The A316 has reopened after a man hit by a car this morning.

Drivers faced severe delays after the road was shut in the eastbound direction towards Twickenham and Richmond after the accident in Country Way, near the Snakey Lane flyover at Hanworth.

South East Coast Ambulance crews took a 42-year-old man from Feltham to St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington with a fractured leg and head injuries.

He was in a serious condition.

Police said the man was hit by a silver Honda Insight in the middle lane after trying to cross six lanes of fast moving traffic at about 8.20am.

The car stopped at the scene and no arrests have been made.

Tailbacks remain as far back as the M3 Laleham Road but restrictions have been lifted.

Police are appealing for witnesses to come forward with information. Call traffic officers based at Hampton 020 8941 9011.

Comments(25)

cleannsimple says...
12:38pm Wed 27 Feb 13

I was the second on scene, sad times and i hope he recovers soon.

Steve_t38 says...
3:19pm Wed 27 Feb 13

Trying to cross the A316, especially during rush hour is always going to end badly. Its a 3 lane carriageway with cars doing near national speeds. Why would someone even consider trying to cross it? Theres a footbridge a few yards from where it happened.

I hope he survives but it was an incredibly stupid thing to do. Its the car driver I feel more sorry for.

cleannsimple says...
3:38pm Wed 27 Feb 13

the bridge is closed.

Steve_t38 says...
3:45pm Wed 27 Feb 13

I didnt know it was closed but either way he could have walked a few yards the other direction and crossed under the A316 at the Hounslow Road Jct.

cleannsimple says...
3:51pm Wed 27 Feb 13

I said this to the officer, but these things happen.

The driver didn't leave his car seat in the whole time I was on scene.

Steve_t38 says...
4:15pm Wed 27 Feb 13

To be honest I am surprised the pedestrian wasn't killed outright. Thats a hell of a fast road.

The poor car driver may never get over it.

cleannsimple says...
4:40pm Wed 27 Feb 13

Steve_t38 wrote:
To be honest I am surprised the pedestrian wasn't killed outright. Thats a hell of a fast road.

The poor car driver may never get over it.
He is lucky, just broken bones i hear.

No the driver won't!

lucullus says...
5:03pm Wed 27 Feb 13

Steve_t38 wrote:
Trying to cross the A316, especially during rush hour is always going to end badly. Its a 3 lane carriageway with cars doing near national speeds. Why would someone even consider trying to cross it? Theres a footbridge a few yards from where it happened.

I hope he survives but it was an incredibly stupid thing to do. Its the car driver I feel more sorry for.
It's the car driver you feel more sorry for? Someone's suffered potentially life-threatening injuries and you feel more sorry for the driver?

Skelly407 says...
7:38pm Wed 27 Feb 13

The footbridge has been closed since November. In this time I have seen complete office blocks been built. It was only a matter of time before someone was going to get hurt. I have personally seen 6 people and 2 of these were children run cross this road purely because the bridge is STILL closed. They should have worked much longer hours to ensure this heavily used footbridge was not closed for over 3 months.

Skelly407 says...
8:01pm Wed 27 Feb 13

lucullus wrote:
Steve_t38 wrote:
Trying to cross the A316, especially during rush hour is always going to end badly. Its a 3 lane carriageway with cars doing near national speeds. Why would someone even consider trying to cross it? Theres a footbridge a few yards from where it happened.

I hope he survives but it was an incredibly stupid thing to do. Its the car driver I feel more sorry for.
It's the car driver you feel more sorry for? Someone's suffered potentially life-threatening injuries and you feel more sorry for the driver?
Lucullus - I take it you don't drive? Although my thoughts are with the injured man, he made a choice. HE chose to cross 6 lanes of traffic doing speeds of up to 50mph during rush hour. HIS choice was stupid and he can live with his own choices. On the other hand the poor car driver was driving along probably make his to work and he has hit someone doing speeds of upto 50mph. HE will probably have nightmares and have to live with that for rest of his life. NOT HIS CHOICE. I would think there was nothing he could have done to avoid the accident. People in this situation sometimes don't ever drive again so Steve_t38 I totally agree and also feel more sorry for the car driver and hope something like that never happens to me.

alex twickenham says...
9:38pm Wed 27 Feb 13

Well said Skelly407 and others, the car driver will be traumatised through no fault of his own.

Lucullus is a well known and somewhat tedious obsessive about cycling and anything that doesn't involve an engine so it's no surprise to see him popping up about this unfortunate incident - have a look at his Twitter stuff or those of his chum, LibDem Councillor Gareth Roberts and you will see what I mean. There is no way of reasoning with these sort of people - they are so convinced of their own rectitude that it must be painful sitting down.

Nevertheless, I'm pleased that the pedestrian survived and hope he will never be as foolhardy again.
If only more pedestrians and cyclists would give up their angst, their headphones and stop playing chicken with motorists, the roads would be an awful lot safer for everyone.
Alex

Steve_t38 says...
8:59am Thu 28 Feb 13

Just checked in here again this morning to read Lucullus' comments. Firstly I was a little annoyed at what he /she put but reading further replies from the rest of you calmed me down. Thanks. I am glad the sensible people of this world understood what I was getting at!

lucullus says...
3:50pm Thu 28 Feb 13

Skelly407 seems to think that cars drive themselves. To propose that there is no choice in the use, speed or direction of a car is, frankly fatuous. One might not *expect* pedestrians in such a place, and the accident investigation may well suggest this was an almost unavoidable incident, but please don't go suggesting that cars drive themselves, or that people don't entirely exercise free will in how they choose to drive their cars.

I drive regularly, and I have great sympathy for anyone involved in such incidents, but to suggest that the victim, who may not even survive from his injuries, is less deserving of sympathy than someone who was able to very literally drive away unscathed (at least physically) seems mean-spirited, to say the very least.

Twickenham resident says...
8:00pm Thu 28 Feb 13

Lucullus, no one is being mean - spiritied - the point you appear to be conveniently missing is that the A316 is a dual carriageway and not designed for pedestrians to jay walk across.

It has a 40 mile per hour speed limit, is a very busy road and it's amazing that the actions of the pedestrian didn't cause a huge pile up.

alex twickenham says...
9:02pm Thu 28 Feb 13

I find people like Lucullus quite scary - they passionately believe in their own cause and tend to get nasty when challenged - sadly that seems to be the way of the world these days. I made the mistake of challenging him once and had my written words described as being like "dog excrement on the pavement"!
So Skelly407, I wouldn't get too upset and bother to respond. As I said before, there is no reasoning with these sort of people, it's a complete waste of time and effort. The car driver will suffer for years, the pedestrian will probably think himself lucky to have survived and feel rather foolish. Hundreds of others will have had their day spoilt and may have missed trains, planes and meetings - I wonder if Lucullus has any sympathy for their plight? Somehow I doubt it even though he describes himself as a "Consultant Business Analyst".
Needless to say he won't be advising me or my business!
Alex
PS: To correct Twickenham Resident, the incident took place very shortly after the M3 becomes the A316 and reduces to 50 from 70mph and remains a triple carriageway for a mile or so. Nevertheless, his or her sentiments are spot on.

Twickenham resident says...
10:51pm Thu 28 Feb 13

Thank you Alex for your clarification regarding this stretch of road. So someone chooses to walk across a duel carriageway where the speed limit is just reduced from 70mph to 50mph. A suicide attempt perhaps?

I actually feel very sorry for the poor motorist, who will not only be suffering from acute shock but will now face years of hiked car insurance through no fault of his own.

Twickenham resident says...
10:56pm Thu 28 Feb 13

PS And before Lucullus responds - if the driver could have safely done an emergency stop I am sure he would have done, so don't try to lay the blame on the driver. No sane person would cross this busy stretch of road. End of.

alex twickenham says...
11:27pm Thu 28 Feb 13

For anyone who is still interested, this has just appeared on: Tim Lennon‏@lucullus (Twitter)

"One caring local thinks a man who foolishly tried to cross A316 (6 lanes) was just trying to kill himself"

Doesn't that sum up his real interest in this near tragedy?
Alex

lucullus says...
11:44pm Thu 28 Feb 13

I think when someone suggests that the decision to cross a road was a suicide attempt, then they've pretty much made clear their view of this 'near tragedy'.

I'm just surprised that while you can find it in your heart to feel very, very sorry for the motorist involved, the nearest you can manage for the pedestrian so desperately unwise to try to cross here, is to talk about how stupid he was. It's odd to opine that the car driver will 'suffer for years', but the pedestrian will somehow walk away.

bandit63 says...
11:16am Fri 1 Mar 13

Lucullus
Whatever the reason this person thought it was ok to cross fast moving traffic, it was a reckless decision that defies all common sense. The INNOCENT driver involved will suffer the consequences, that is what people are trying to get you to see but you are failing. This numpty could have caused serious injuries to totally innocent people or they could have been killed. He made a decision that most right minded people will know was stupid and will live with the consequences- that is why most on this board have little sympathy for the pedestrian. If I stick my finger in a live elctric socket - I'll get a shock or fried; what a surprise and everyone will scratch their heads and say why did that idiot do that? It's the same thing. I'm sorry this numpty is in pain, but he is complete idiot who is now costing the NHS money.

alex twickenham says...
11:36am Fri 1 Mar 13

This is what Lucullus tweets about anyone who disagrees with him - by the way, isn't "Lucullus" anonymous?

"Doing what I advised (name redacted) not to, by bothering to argue with anonymous, opinionated prats on local newspaper sites. Oops"

Says it all really doesn't it?
Alex

alex twickenham says...
3:46pm Fri 1 Mar 13

This is the latest tweet from Lucullus:

"Local troll writes 'name redacted' when quoting a tweet, and forgets the URL. #TheTechHurtsMyBrain
"

He is,of course, absolutely right since I haven't a clue what a URL is. I simply thought I would do a courtesy to someone with whom I have no issue and removed the name - I used "redaction" because it seems to be today's well used word.

As to being a "local troll", I take that as a compliment since I have obviously got under the skin of self-absorbed people like Lucullus who would have us all cycling to their tune if they could.
Trolls might fly first!
Alex

Steve_t38 says...
4:57pm Fri 1 Mar 13

I think we are slightly moving off topic here. If I may try to sum it all up....A man, in his 40's, so shoyuld know better, tries to cross 6 lanes of fast moving traffic during rush hour and is hit by a completely innocent car driver. Fortunately thus far, he seems to have survived and we all wish him well in that regard. Our thoughts are obviously with him and his family but the supidity of what he attempted cannot be ignored and we must all feel a strong sense of sympathy for the driver of the car who may well be scarred for life from these events through no fault of their own.

bandit63 says...
5:51pm Fri 1 Mar 13

Steve - spot on. Nuff said

Twickenham resident says...
6:10pm Fri 1 Mar 13

Well summed up Steve.

Talk about the pot calling the kettle black Lucullis aka Tim lennon is well known RTT troll who rubbishes anyone who dares to have a different opinion.

He obviously hasn't got anything better to do than to "retweet" threads ! sad

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