Hyde Heath cyclist angry at police response after crash

4:40pm Friday 20th March 2009 in News By Andy Carswell

Graeme Cooper is angry after police took a month to visit him following a crash Graeme Cooper is angry after police took a month to visit him following a crash

A CYCLIST scarred for life after being hit by a car claims police officers failed to speak to him about his accident for nearly a month.

Graeme Cooper was knocked unconscious, had to have a pin inserted into his hand and has a permanent scar on his chin after being hit by the car when cycling home from work.

That happened on February 11 – but Mr Cooper says it took until last week for an officer to visit his home in Hyde Heath to take a statement.

And that was after a call to police from wife Lucy to say the couple had contacted the Bucks Free Press about what happened.

Mr Cooper, a manager for a renewable energy company, said: “I think it was the Bucks Free Press’s involvement that prompted them to pull their finger out.”

The 35-year-old added: “I feel like now I am having my case taken seriously. I feel someone actually cares to get a resolution.

“It was bad enough having the accident, but it was made worse by the police’s lack of wanting to do something.”

The incident began when three youths travelling in a Volkswagen Polo threw a drink carton at Mr Cooper when they drove past him on Hill Avenue, Amersham.

The car then got stuck in traffic queuing at a roundabout – and Mr Cooper believes the occupants either drove the vehicle into him or opened a door to knock him off after becoming worried he would confront them.

He said: “As I approached the car the guy on the back seat was visibly bouncing up and down and panicking.

“I wasn’t going to stop and have a word – there were three against one, so it would have been a bit foolish.”

Mr Cooper said “one moment of stupidity” had had “a huge impact” on his life. He cannot pick up his two young children and will not be able to drive for another month.

A/Ch Insp Vince Grey, from Amersham police station, said the day of the accident was a very difficult day for police due to the heavy snowfall.

“A total of 53 crashes were reported to us in that particular area alone.

“We are very sorry to hear that Mr Cooper is unhappy with the service he has received and would urge him to make a complaint so the matter can be properly investigated.

“We do take complaints about our service seriously and do have a proper process for dealing with them.

“Anyone with complaints about Thames Valley Police should contact our Quality of Service Unit via email at QoSUnit@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk or in writing to the Quality of Service Unit, Thames Valley Police HQ, Oxford Road, Kidlington, Oxford, OX5 2NX.”

Comments (8)

4:50pm Fri 20 Mar 09

Cop says...

Police are busy.

They are trying to trace a man, who had to swerve to narrowly miss someone where no collision occurred and no-one was hurt.
Police are busy. They are trying to trace a man, who had to swerve to narrowly miss someone where no collision occurred and no-one was hurt. Cop

4:55pm Fri 20 Mar 09

smiley cat says...

It is not our problem that you had 53 crashes in that area.
If you do not have the staff then do something about it .
Saying not enough resources is an excuse not an answer.
It is not our problem that you had 53 crashes in that area. If you do not have the staff then do something about it . Saying not enough resources is an excuse not an answer. smiley cat

5:29pm Fri 20 Mar 09

Slacker says...

Cop wrote:
Police are busy.

They are trying to trace a man, who had to swerve to narrowly miss someone where no collision occurred and no-one was hurt.
How do you mean? The guy was hit by the car and needed pins in his arm. Where did you get the impression that no collision happened and nobody was hurt?
[quote][p][bold]Cop[/bold] wrote: Police are busy. They are trying to trace a man, who had to swerve to narrowly miss someone where no collision occurred and no-one was hurt.[/p][/quote]How do you mean? The guy was hit by the car and needed pins in his arm. Where did you get the impression that no collision happened and nobody was hurt? Slacker

5:32pm Fri 20 Mar 09

smiley cat says...

Slacker wrote:
Cop wrote: Police are busy. They are trying to trace a man, who had to swerve to narrowly miss someone where no collision occurred and no-one was hurt.
How do you mean? The guy was hit by the car and needed pins in his arm. Where did you get the impression that no collision happened and nobody was hurt?
Cop
Slacker was refering to another story on the website - where a cyclist narrowly avoided hitting a child.
[quote][p][bold]Slacker[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]Cop[/bold] wrote: Police are busy. They are trying to trace a man, who had to swerve to narrowly miss someone where no collision occurred and no-one was hurt.[/p][/quote]How do you mean? The guy was hit by the car and needed pins in his arm. Where did you get the impression that no collision happened and nobody was hurt?[/p][/quote]Cop Slacker was refering to another story on the website - where a cyclist narrowly avoided hitting a child. smiley cat

5:41pm Fri 20 Mar 09

Slacker says...

Ah I see smiley-cat, that was not clear :-)
Ah I see smiley-cat, that was not clear :-) Slacker

7:26pm Fri 20 Mar 09

sportsturf says...

didnt have resources that day due to 53 accidents in the snow.....the snow only lasted a week or so....so why did it take nearly 4 weeks to respond...you could have walked to Hyde Heath from Amersham in that time...
didnt have resources that day due to 53 accidents in the snow.....the snow only lasted a week or so....so why did it take nearly 4 weeks to respond...you could have walked to Hyde Heath from Amersham in that time... sportsturf

7:46pm Fri 20 Mar 09

Cop says...

Sorry Slacker, I was still furious about an old story and didn’t make myself very clear.

Anyway, this Vince Grey chap from Amersham police station talks about a very difficult day for the police due to “A total of 53 crashes were reported to us in that particular area alone.”

Grey, take another look at your data. Are you really telling us that there were 53 crashes on Hill Avenue in Amersham on Feb the 11th?

Grey, me ole fruity, don't confuse yourself with data relating to the whole of TVP.
Sorry Slacker, I was still furious about an old story and didn’t make myself very clear. Anyway, this Vince Grey chap from Amersham police station talks about a very difficult day for the police due to “A total of 53 crashes were reported to us in that particular area alone.” Grey, take another look at your data. Are you really telling us that there were 53 crashes on Hill Avenue in Amersham on Feb the 11th? Grey, me ole fruity, don't confuse yourself with data relating to the whole of TVP. Cop

9:59am Thu 2 Apr 09

Christmasoompa says...

The police's excuse of 'heavy snowfall' is nonsense. There was no snow on the 11th February, the last snowfall in the area was several days previously.

You'd think a hit and run where the guy black out, was scarred for life and needed operations to pin the bones back together might be taken a little more seriously but obviously not.
The police's excuse of 'heavy snowfall' is nonsense. There was no snow on the 11th February, the last snowfall in the area was several days previously. You'd think a hit and run where the guy black out, was scarred for life and needed operations to pin the bones back together might be taken a little more seriously but obviously not. Christmasoompa
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