Ben Fogle says he ‘nearly died’ after almost being hit by a van in his Oxfordshire village and claims his two children have also come close to injury in the area as he makes desperate plea
Ben Fogle has revealed he ‘almost died’ this week after almost being hit by a van near his home in the village of Fawley, just outside Henley, Oxfordshire.
The TV adventurer, 50, said it was ‘ironic’ that the incident had not happened during one of his trips to the jungle or desert, before claiming his two children had also come close to suffering the injury due to the current speed limit of 100 km/h in the area. .
In a lengthy Instagram post, he explained that he remembered the terrifying incident taking place while out for a walk with one of his six dogs, with the vehicle narrowly missing the beloved pet.
Ben, who shares son Ludo, 15, and 13-year-old daughter Iona, with daughter Marina, made a desperate plea to reduce the current speed, saying it was ‘common sense’ before a fatal accident occurred.
Writing: ‘I almost died yesterday. Not on Everest or in a remote jungle. Not on an ocean or in a desert, but on a small single-track lane outside my house in rural Oxfordshire.
Ben Fogle, 50, has revealed he ‘nearly died’ this week after almost being hit by a van near his home in the village of Fawley outside Henley, Oxfordshire.
The TV adventurer said it was ‘ironic’ that it hadn’t happened on one of his trips to the jungle or desert (photographed in the Scottish Highlands)
He further claimed that his two children also came close to injury due to the current 100 km/h speed limit (LR) Iona, 13, Ludo 15,
“Given the things I’ve done and the risks I’ve taken, it feels a bit ironic that my own near-death experience has to happen so close to home. Let me explain…’
‘We live in a lovely little village outside Henley. It is home to several hundred people. We have a church, a cricket ground, a village green and a village hall.
‘We used to have a village pub until it was bought by a developer, then ‘mysteriously’ burned down and razed to the ground within a day (sound familiar?) I digress.
He continued: “Our community is an idyllic little community with children, dogs, horses, farmers and a thriving social community.
‘A single-track road winds through this cheerful village. We have no sidewalks, which means the road is our sidewalk, footpath and bridleway.
‘We share it with cyclists, dogs, walkers, children, tractors, cars and delivery people. Incredible. Almost unbelievable. It also happens to be the national speed limit.
‘You can drive 60 miles an hour through the heart of our village. You can ride to my daughter on her horse or to the dogs on their walk at 100 km per hour!!!!
Continuing: ‘While my daughter rides her pony along the road as it is the only way to reach the dwindling bridleways, delivery drivers race around blind bends at the legal speed of 60mph to meet home delivery time targets to get.
In a lengthy post, he explained how the incident happened while out for a walk with one of his six dogs, with the vehicle narrowly missing the beloved pet
Taking to Instagram, Ben, who shares son Ludo, 15, and 13-year-old daughter Iona with daughter Marina, made a desperate plea to reduce the current speed, saying it was ‘common sense’ before a fatal accident occurred.
after a long post he wrote: ‘I almost died yesterday. Not on Everest or in a remote jungle. Not on an ocean or in a desert, but on a small single-track lane outside my house in rural Oxfordshire
‘While my son rides his bike with the dogs, day trippers, blindly following the satnav and the 60mph speed limit on the single track pavement, sorry away.
‘The only way I can reach the limited footpaths is via the same single-track road that I have to share with delivery drivers traveling at 100km per hour. Which brings me back to my near-death experience…’
‘I was running along the road with my dog by my side. I don’t run along the road because I want to run on the road, but most of the land is private. I run along the road because it is the only way to reach the fewer and fewer paths and bridleways.
‘A delivery driver traveling the perfectly legal but clearly dangerous speed of 60mph rounded one of the many blind bends, applied the brakes and skidded to a stop just a few meters from me and my dog.
He continued, “My life flashed before my eyes. Just as it had happened when my boat capsized in the Atlantic Ocean and when my oxygen tank exploded on Everest, but this was while walking a dog outside my house.
He then captioned the post, saying a member of Buckinghamshire Council’s transport guidance cabinet said the speed limit was ‘contrary to ‘departmental transport guidance”.
Before it was decided, no changes would be made until a serious accident occurred (Henley village pictured)
“And now I imagine my children walking down the same sidewalk, sorry, gone. I love living here in this idyllic countryside, but I don’t want to die because our municipality doesn’t see fit to introduce a thirty kilometers per hour speed limit for a community that also depends on the road as a sidewalk .
‘We have introduced the 32 km/h in places where sidewalks are already present. I’m a risk taker, so I don’t say this lightly. Someone is going to be murdered in our village. Both of my children have almost collided with speeding traffic.
Before adding, “We are not alone. There are countless other small villages that also live with a 60mph speed limit in the heart of their community. It’s common sense. Our city councilor tried in vain. Please help us before we lose someone.”
He then captioned the post, saying a member of Buckinghamshire Council’s transport guidance cabinet said the speed limit was ‘contrary to ‘departmental transport guidance”.
Before reaching a conclusion, no changes would be made until a serious accident occurred.
MailOnline has contacted Buckinghamshire Council for comment.