12:00pm Thursday 26th April 2012
By Christine Fleming
A 65-year-old woman who had a near miss with a Transit van and fell into oncoming traffic has praised the quick thinking of passers-by who helped her and called for new traffic measures.
Margaret Goodall, of Finucane Court, Richmond, asked the Richmond and Twickenham Times to issue a public message of thanks to the strangers who rushed to her aid because she did not know how to contact them.
She said: “I just want to thank all the people that helped get me out of the way [of oncoming cars].
“There was a young gentleman on the opposite side of the road going towards Sunbury, he was very slim, and he rushed across the crossing to get to me to get me out of the way – I think his name was Kevin, and there was another gentleman who stopped the traffic going London bound so it wouldn’t hit me. I would like to thank both of them.
“The staff at London House were also amazing and called the emergency services, and there was a young girl called Lloyd who looked after me.
“I was so lucky and I just want to say to them ‘thank you so much’.”
Mrs Goodall was standing on a pedestrian crossing at Manor Circus on Thursday, April 12, when a pickup truck and Transit van collided, sending the van careering towards her.
The traumatised sexagenarian fell backwards into oncoming traffic as the Ford Transit van propelled toward her and was rescued from oncoming traffic by fellow pedestrians.
She said: “I was on the pedestrian crossing, literally between two bollards as I am meant to stand, and the traffic was all just flying past.
“A van came toward me slammed on the breaks and a truck behind him hit him [sending the van] towards me and I fell into the London-bound traffic.
“For years myself and all my neighbours have been fighting against this crossing”
She added: “My confidence has been totally destroyed. Surely before somebody is killed they should put some lights up there.”
Richmond police confirmed there was a collision between a white Ford Ranger pick-up truck and a Ford Transit panel van on the junction of Manor Road and Mortlake Road at 3.40pm on April 12. Police said no arrests were made.
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