A 54-year-old Nanaimo man sustained serious upper body injuries after his bicycle collided with a truck Wednesday.
The accident happened at about 1 p.m. at the intersection of Milton and Fitzwilliam streets.
Witnesses told police the cyclist was seen riding down Fitzwilliam Street at a high rate of speed while weaving back and forth and that his tires appeared under-inflated.
When he tried to turn right onto Milton Street he swung wide into the turning lane and hit a scrap metal truck waiting to turn left onto Fitzwilliam Street.
The cyclist was thrown about five metres by the impact.
Paramedics, firefighters and police tended to the man until he was taken to Nanaimo Regional General Hospital where he was treated for injuries to his shoulder and ribs.
The man’s helmet shattered into five pieces from the impact, but most likely prevented significant head injuries.
The truck was not damaged.
Const. Gary O’Brien, Nanaimo RCMP spokesman said the cyclist could have been ticketed for failing to keep right or cycling without consideration for others.
“But in this case there’s no damage to the truck and no secondary injuries or damages, so it’s not in the public interest to pursue a charge,” O’Brien said.
