Page 33
Call Sign September 2011
A SMASHING TIME FOR PATRICK!
Patrick still s
miling at the
end of a lou
doesn't go!
sy week!
Two into one
Patrick Foy (B93) has had what could be referred to as a run of bad luck
would have led to him having a criminal record. It turned out he was only
recently. What would you call notching up three motor accidents in as
26 years old, of previous good character with a regular job and I didn't
many weeks and capping it all by having a motor cyclist throw his helmet
want that to go against him for the rest of his life, so I'll settle for the court
at the cab and straight through the driver's window glass!
sentence and cab repairs.
Patrick took up the story as Call Sign listened incredulously...
"Replacing the drivers' window cost me £211" Patrick said, adding that
"The first incident happened when I collided with the cab in front while
the police told him the motorcyclist gave them a similar version of events
swerving to avoid a pedestrian who had stepped off the kerb and right into
to his own and that he admitted losing his temper momentarily and that the
my path," Patrick began before moving straight into knock number two.
taxi driver had looked `petrified'.
"That occurred while I was turning left out of St Pancras station trying to
"And yes I was," Patrick admitted to Call Sign, a smile slowly spreading
avoid the bus lane when a car, also turning left, cut across my bow forcing
across his face. "It was almost day-break by the time I got back home and
me to swerve and collide with the cab in front of me. Another cab driver
it took several showers to get rid of the glass particles, but I'm healing nice-
stopped and offered his details as a witness, but unfortunately with recent
ly and the cab is being repaired so I guess I'm lucky!"
on-going events, I have misplaced those details. So if he is out there and
© Call Sign Magazine MMX1
reads this, I'd be very grateful if he could get in touch!"
And then there was prang number three. "It was just a few days later. A
really large 4x4 tried to squeeze into a gap between me and a traffic island as
I stopped at a pedestrian crossing! The traffic island didn't move, but my cab
lurched forward with the impact, severely damaging the offside body panels!"
By now Patrick was reeling the incidents off as though they were just
everyday events although in Patrick's case they probably were! But worse
was to come and any hint of a smile at the sheer ridiculousness of his sit-
uation soon vanished as Patrick relived the frightening experience of being
attacked in the early hours of a Friday night/Saturday morning.
"It was about 01.30 hours and I was empty in Balham Hill looking for a
fuel station," Patrick told Call Sign. "I saw one on the right further along
the road and checked my mirror before moving into the centre of the road.
I had noticed a motor-cyclist some distance away and manoeuvred my cab
accordingly to give him plenty of road-space. He drove past me about four
car lengths before suddenly skidding quite a long way down the road and
then coming to a stop. He was dressed in full leather gear and walked back
to me in an aggressive manor. I apologised profusely to him not being sure
if he blamed me. I made sure my cab doors were locked although my dri-
ver's window was slightly open," Patrick continued.
"He turned away from me as if accepting my apology, but then sudden-
ly threw his helmet through my window showering me and the cab interi-
or with glass fragments." Patrick took a deep breath as he recalled the
event. "Then he tried to force my door open to reach inside the cab shout-
ing out that he wanted his helmet back! I pulled away quickly, reacting
more by instinct than thought due to the shock and then stopped further
down the road to take stock of my situation. There were shards of glass
everywhere and I then realised I was bleeding profusely from the numer-
ous cuts on my face and arms," he said.
"I called the police and they turned up in minutes as did the ambulance
crew who did a good job cleaning me up and attending to my wounds, but I
declined a hospital visit as the crew agreed there was not much more the med-
ical staff could do and that a thorough wash at home would remove the glass
fragments from my head and body." Patrick added that the police claimed they
would probably have to add `actual bodily harm' to the list of charges against
the cyclist, raising the bar even higher than the young man was already facing.
"I didn't want to go that far as he was in enough trouble already," Patrick
conceded. "In the meantime, the police had arrested and hand-cuffed the
motorcyclist at the fuel station before charging him with assault and crimi-
nal damage. He readily admitted the offences, holding his hands up when
interviewed by the police. I was asked if I wished to press charges, which
