Scots cyclist sues council after hitting pothole and fracturing his spine
dailyrecord.co.ukA Scots cyclist who fractured his spine after hitting a pothole on his bicycle has sued South Lanarkshire Council.John 'Jocky' Johnstone, 80, from Crossford in North Lanarkshirewas cycling with his friends Al and Jimon Edinburgh Road near the Pentland Hills, heading to a local bakery when he struck a hole and went over the handlebars of his bike in April, 2021.The cycling scene legend fractured his spine and face and spent 10 days in the University of Wishaw Hospital after being rushed there by ambulance.
He had to wear a spinal brace for three months. Jocky told the Record: "I can't remember the accident. I woke up in the hospital surrounded by doctors. "My cycling pals said I was lying on the ground gargling and they didn't think I would make it.
The paramedics worked on me on the ground for an hour before I was taken to hospital. "I fractured my spine, broke my jaw and my nose and I needed 27 stitches on my forehead - I looked crazy!"I was on my feet within six days and managed to get home a few days later."He continued: "I started working out in my shed doing pull ups and within five months I was back on my bike."I've got a curve on my back and I do suffer jaw pain at night."Jocky's daughter Jacqueline, 59, contacted law firm Cycle Law Scotland to and asked them to investigate the crash.The firm discovered that numerous complaints about potholes in that area had been made to South Lanarkshire Council as far back as 2018, after a freedom of information request.The council was found to have carried out temporary repairs at the site, but these had consistently failed.
Jocky took the council to court over his injuries, with his lawyers claiming it was "sheer luck" that the pensioner wasn't killed in the accident.South
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