Cyclist injured in road ordeal

A CYCLIST broke his arm as he swerved to avoid being hit by a lorry in the early hours of the morning.

David McCormack (42) was on his way to work at the DHL centre in Westfield at 4.30am when the ordeal happened outside Cumbernauld Rugby Club on Chapelton Road.

David, from Castburn Road, said: "I've been really fortunate.

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"I was wearing my high-viz vest, because it was so early in the morning and there's no lights on that road.

"The lorry driver came round the bend behind me and saw me at the last minute.

"He swerved up onto the grass verge and I went off at my side, I didn't have any time to think about it."

But the driver of the white lorry cab then drove off without stopping.

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David continued: "I just dumped the bike at the side of the road and managed to stagger to my feet and drag myself to my friend's parents' house in Myvot Avenue, about a quarter of a mile away.

"To be honest, it really puts me off cycling.

"There's a promotion going on at my kids' school to get them out on the roads on their bikes.

"I'm wondering if the people organising it know what it's actually like out there on a bike.

"There's another cyclist at work who's been hit twice.

"The roads are so busy with the work on the A80 - people are taking detours."

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He added: "People who have themselves cycled in the area in the past probably feel quite safe letting their kids go out on their bikes, but they're not aware of how busy the smaller roads have become."

Despite the near miss, David says the accident will not stop him using his bike, but he will be much more cautious in the future.

He added: "I've always cycled and I'll be back out. When my sons pass their cycling proficiency test I'll let them on the road, but I'll definitely be watching where they go."

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