Edinburgh private hire car used my foot as a speed bump

A cyclist was left in agony when a large private hire taxi ran over his foot.

Scott Mearns is unable to work or see his friends while he recovers

Scott Mearns, 31, from Mayfield, was cycling home after visiting parents on Monday night when he was struck from his bike on Ratcliffe Terrace.

He alleges that a silver Ford seven-seater private hire came into his cycling lane sometime between 10.20-10.30pm when it was trying to join Mayfield Road from West Mayfield to head towards the city centre.

The private hire vehicle then knocked him from his bike and raced off after using his leg as “a speed bump”.

Scott said: “I was coming home to Mayfield from my parents in Chesser on Monday night. I remember coming down the road in the cycle lane before being blinded by the private hire’s headlights.

“Before I know it I am flung from my bike and I try to roll out of the way but the driver seemed to speed up and go over my foot and leg. They then just sped off, but was pursued by an Uber driver into town.

“The driver of the Uber came back to me and said to me that he lost the driver after they went through several red lights. He returned to aid me and called the emergency services – I’m really grateful to him.”

Police then took him to the hospital where he was treated for severe bruising and some nasty cuts created by vehicle tyres.

The labourer is now immobile and on pain killers. He is unable to work or to see any friends as he is unable to have visitors in his homeless accommodation.

He added: “I was afraid that they were going to go over my head and I can tell you if they did they would not have stopped. This person needs to be caught as they are a danger to everyone on the roads. I am just happy that it did not end in me losing my life.

“Nonetheless I am unable to earn a living now and I have also been left isolated from the outside world due to my injuries. If anyone has any information at all that would help then it would be greatly appreciated if you could contact the police.”

William Mearns, Scott’s father, had issued a passionate plea on social media asking for anyone with information to come forward to ensure that the culprit does not get away with the crime.

William said: “My son’s leg is a mess and we want to ensure that the driver is caught so that this does not happen to someone else but with worse consequences.

“And to the private hire driver who ran my son over on Monday night, I hope you see this and that you have sleepless nights waiting on that knock on the door to take you away – you are running out of time.

“What type of person would knock someone off their bike and then just take off and leave them lying on the road with their injuries?”

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