Road Closed

Yesterday, when I returned from my usual weekly grocery shop the police were blocking the road I normally use the access my house. I asked the officer how far along the road was closed and when he told me I thought I might just manage to get through by a back route.
When I got back to the main road there was another barrier in place across the road just a few hundred yards from my house. I spoke to the police officer and luckily she let me through.
It was obvious there had been an accident and as I looked along the road I could see what looked like a body in the road near the Tesco Metro store. I spoke to a lady who was walking along the road and she confirmed that an elderly gent had been knocked over and had been seriously injured.
Just opposite where the accident occurred is a sheltered housing complex and I wonder if this is where the man lived. It is a busy road and there is a pedestrian crossing a bit further along the road. I am not excusing the fact that he did not use the proper crossings, (I'm guilty of crossing the road where I live to save time), however I can see why it is very tempting for people with limited mobility to try and cross to conserve energy, as my own mother used to do.
I took the photo below from my house, you cannot see all the police activity behind the bushes but you can see the police station in the distance, where there is a bus stop and the pedestrian crossing. The buildings on the right are part of the sheltered housing complex, and on the left is the filling station and shop.

The road was closed all afternoon and I later heard on the news that the gentleman had been taken to a local hospital but so far I haven't been able to find out how he is doing but I'm hoping he pulls through.
Postscript:
5:15pm Sadly I have just seen a newsflash that this 76 yr old gentleman has died. My thoughts are with his family at this sad time.

Archives:
2007: View from the plane

Homeward Bound

Yesterday after meeting Sam for a quick lunch and to see where she works, it was off to the airport for the overnight journey home. Embee was waiting for me at Heathrow and although it was sunny, the temperature was about 12c and I was missing the real warmth of the San Francisco sun that I had left behind less than 10 hours previously.
As we drove up to our house I realised the local Farmers market was being held today. Tired as I felt, I went off to stock up on some essential fruit, veg and eggs, now I feel far too tired to cook so I am sending Embee off to get a take-away and normal service in the kitchen will resume tomorrow.

I have done a little blog reading over the past week but very little commenting, I need to catch up with all the news. Hopefully I'll start telling you about my holiday tomorrow!

BIG THANK YOU TO SAM and FRED and everyone I met in San Francisco who made this holiday memorable xx