Inverkeithing man Chris Macdonald made a decision six years ago that he would live to regret for the rest of his life.
The 42-year-old had just set out on a journey when he realised he had left home without his helmet, something the usually responsible cyclist was not used to doing.
Instead of turning round and retrieving it, Mr Macdonald decided to just keep cycling, thinking he would “be OK just this once” but he collided with a car at aroundabout and was knocked unconscious.
“The last thing I remember is seeing the kerb coming towards me,” Mr Macdonald said.“When I came to a policeman wasstanding over me telling me I had been in an accident and an ambulance was on its way.
“At first I thought thank goodness for that but then I realised I couldn’t feel my legs. I was terrified.”
He was taken to Queen MargaretHospital in Dunfermline and later transferred to the Southern General in Glasgow.
“I was admitted to the spinal unit where I remained paralysed completely for three weeks but miraculously my mobility started coming back after that and after two weeks of intensive physio I walked out of thehospital five weeks after my accident,” Mr Macdonald said.
His joy was not to last, however, as just a week later his legs started to fail again. He was then on crutches for four and a half years.
“There was a problem with my spinal chord causing my ability to stand and walk to continue to deteriorate and I am now in a wheelchair for the rest of my life,” he said.
Rather than dwell on the accident, the former bouncer has decided to channel his energy into something positive and now wants to educate youngsters on theimportance of wearing a helmet when cycling.
“The doctors told me my injuries would not have been so severe had I been wearing a helmet and that is something that will always stay with me and will, of course, always regret,” Mr Macdonald said.
“Unfortunately I can’t change the past but I can help stop this happening to other people in the future.Ideally I would like to start going into local schools to show kids first hand what can happen when they go out on their bikes without a helmet.
“I would also like to see legislation brought in to make it compulsory for cyclists to wear helmets because at the moment it isn’t and to me that just isn’t right.
“If I can help prevent even one future accident I will be happy.”
He added: “There are days when I miss my job a lot and it can be a real struggle getting from A to B in a wheelchair,especially when I have to go on longjourneys, and I am pretty much in pain all the time but I still try to stay positive and enjoy life as best I can.
“I might not have my mobility anymore but I still have my sense of humour and that is something I don’t ever plan on losing.”
Inverkeithing councillor AliceMcGarry commended Mr Macdonald on his attitude.
She said: “Chris is an inspiration to us all and his courage to share his story with young people in schools across Fife forthe purpose of preventing future accidents and promote safe cycling is extremely admirable.
“After speaking to Chris I have asked senior education officials at the council to consider his request and hopefullysomething will come of this in the near future.”