Published: Thursday, 27th November, 2008 10:55
Pals urged cyclist not to use road before death crash
By Matt Meade
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TWO close friends of the Dunfermline man killed on the A92 last week have told how they warned him not to use the road.
Alan Finlayson (40), Inchcolm Road, was involved in a crash with a blue Ford Transit van at about 5pm on Wednesday while cycling home from an appointment at the Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy.
He suffered serious injuries and was taken to the Queen Margaret Hospital in Dunfermline, where he died overnight on Thursday.
Friend and downstairs neighbour Willie Strathearn (30) told the Press he received a text message from the keen cyclist, known as Jingles, the day he was killed.
He said, “It read, ‘At Kirkcaldy, on the way home, Jingles’, and I knew something was up when he didn’t get back.
“He had been stopped a good couple of times cycling on the road and told by the police it was for cars only. I told him myself about another route.
“But he wouldn’t listen. I used to cycle from Kirkcaldy myself but mainly used the Auchtertool road because it was safer.
“He was a bit of a loner and didn’t have many friends so kept himself to himself. But those who knew him know he would go out of his way to help you.
“He would go to the shops for my mum and wouldn’t think twice if you asked him for help. I still expect to hear him coming down the close steps with his bike.”
Mr Finlayson, who had previously been homeless for a while, was due to receive compensation after being beaten savagely in an attack several years ago.
Two metal plates were inserted in his head and it is believed his hospital appointment was for a check-up scan.
Mr Strathearn said unemployed Finlayson had moved to Dunfermline to “get a bit of peace”.
Friend Graham Jack (42), Macbeth Road, was homeless for a spell with Alan.
He said, “He was the sort of person that if you phoned him up and asked him for a hand with something, he would always say yes. He didn’t think twice about it.
“We were homeless at the same time and met up again at the Salvation Army. That’s when I found out he was staying near my flat. Any time you saw him he was always on his bike.”
Stepfather Jock Finlayson (82), Veronica Crescent, Kirkcaldy, told the Press he was not in regular contact with Alan but saw him on the day he died.
He said, “He came to the house after the scan at the hospital before cycling back to Dunfermline and I gave him a packet of cigarettes and a cup of coffee.
“I had told him he better get a move on because it was getting dark.”
After the incident the junction westbound at the Cowdenbeath slip road was closed along with lane one of the A92 until 8am on Thursday, when investigations were complete.
Police are appealing for anyone who may have witnessed the collision or seen either the Transit van or cyclist prior to the accident to contact their appeals line on 01592 251111.
Last week, the Press reported on the death of Dunfermline man Brian Taylor (29), Buchanan Street.
He was in an accident as he cycled to his work at Stephen’s Bakery, in Primrose Lane, Rosyth.
Mr Taylor was involved in a collision with a silver Rover on Grange Road, which connects Dunfermline and Rosyth, at around 1am on Saturday and died at the scene.
Investigations continue and police have asked anyone with information to contact them on 01592 251111 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
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