A cyclist who was left lying critically injured after being mowed down by a road rage driver who tailed him for 200 yards yesterday said “I thought I was going to die”.
Damien Doughty, a 37-year-old musician from Hackney, was flung from his bike after he was hit by the car in Stoke Newington.
The incident happened after he remonstrated with the woman driver after she cut him up. He claims she was talking on a mobile phone at the time and rather than apologise she gave him a torrent of verbal abuse and started driving at him at speed.
He is in the Royal London Hospital suffering a laceration of the liver, a punctured lung and a string of other injuries. He spent days in intensive care as medics monitored his potentially fatal liver injury.
Speaking to the Standard from his hospital bed Doughty, who also works as cycle courier, said: “When I was hit and landed I thought: ‘Is this it? Am I going to die?’.
 “I was in a lot of pain and a paramedic at the scene said my blood pressure was falling fast so I figured I had internal bleeding.
“I was in a haze but I remembered how the woman had been shouting and swearing at me then started tailgating me. I tried to get away but she got me and I ended up on the ground with my bike about 40 feet away. She was driving at me and could have easily killed me. I am lucky to be alive.”
A passing nurse was one of the first people on the scene before paramedics took over and Doughty was rushed to intensive care.
Police are hunting for the driver who chased him along Victorian Grove, close to Stoke Newington police station, at 9pm last Wednesday. Doughty said: “I know I had an argument with the woman but nothing can condone what she did.
“I had actually just been to a meditation class so was quite relaxed but she was speaking on the phone and putting people’s lives at risk. She needs to be found and take responsibility. She could easily kill someone... it was nearly me.”
Police say they are looking for a female driver of a small dark- coloured car. Three people in a van tried to chase the woman after witnessing the accident but lost her.
They are being urged to come forward.
The day after he was knocked down, Doughty, who was on a 10-minute cycle road home when he was hit, told friends on Facebook: “Knocked off my bike for the second time in two days last night. Different this time though, it was hit and run and was done on purpose.”
Doughty’s first smash happened when he was “sent flying” from his bike in north London but escaped with bruising. He posted on Facebook how on that occasion he immediately ran to the driver’s aid, emphasising that he generally had no problem with drivers.
He said: “After the few seconds of initial shock, I went to the driver to make sure that he was OK and was genuinely concerned for him.”
Scotland Yard has appealed for witnesses to come forward and identify the driver. A spokesman said: “The incident happened on February 10 at 9.15pm. A 38-year-old male cyclist was involved in an argument with the female driver of a small dark car.  
“The cyclist rode off into Victorian Grove where he was struck by the same car near the junction with Ormsby Place.”
l A woman has died and several people were injured after a Land Rover mounted a pavement and careered into shoppers in a busy town centre.
Emergency services were called to Bridge Street in Guildford at 1.30pm after the vehicle careered off the road.
Police confirmed a woman in her 30s died at the scene and said her next of kin have been informed.
A man in his 40s has been taken to St George’s Hospital in Tooting with serious pelvic injuries and another woman, in her 30s, suffered minor injuries.
Police said the driver was taken to Royal Surrey County Hospital with what are thought to be minor injuries.
A Surrey police spokesman said: “Members of the public reported that a grey Landrover Defender left the road and was involved in a collision with a number of pedestrians and several people are believed to have suffered serious injuries.
“Police and the other emergency services quickly attended and remain at the scene.”
Some people took to Twitter to say the road was “dangerous” and called on Guildford Borough Council to take action.
Andy Holt tweeted: “I work in shop facing #BridgeStreet & the speed articulated lorries speed down I’m amazed no one is #killed on a reg basis!”
While Joe Hudson posted: “Bridge Street is dangerous. The pavement is far too narrow for a road with that much pedestrian traffic. Widen it @GuildfordBC!!”
And Anya Skidmore wrote: “bridge street is closed.. I hope everyone concerned with the crash is okay”.
The spokesman added: “Road closures are in place at the junction with Farnham Road.