Rollfast

Lose the shoe(s)...how hard is it to get out of a shoe.

And since it's a canal, the currents may have been powerful enough to keep them under, so it's not just clips.

prathmann

I wonder if there have been any similar incidents with this cycle path:


Leave it to the Dutch to come up with innovative cycling infrastructure.

FBinNY 

Yes, I'm very familiar with that phenomenon, but as this case proves there's a decent chance of escape either by yourself or with help from onlookers when you fall into water. OTOH dropping 4-6 feet onto rocks is much less forgiving.

It's still a matter of riding in control, and a governmental/policy decision about what kind of safety net (guard rail) is called for. Knowing how some people ride on MUPs over here, I wonder if a water hazard might be a fitting solution.

Toe clips, clipless, no clips are all secondary issues (or lower than that). You don't make bike riding decisions based on the off chance that you'll fall into the drink.

italktocats

i remember me and my friends racing our bmx as close to the edge as possible, the faster and longer you could ride the edge, the cooler you are!

ID RIDE THAT!

Wilfred Laurier

The canal is mostly drained and plowed to make a skating rink in the winter.

Ottawa/Gatineau is a city of close to a million people. One or two incidents per year is basically just reminding us that there is a tail end of the bell curve of intelligence for any population. Unfortunately, Parks Canada and/or the National Capital Commission, who are variously responsible for the canal and pathways and adjacent parkland, probably see it differently.

Several years ago, an NCC park located above a cliff had a fence and signs to keep people away from the edge, but some drunk climbed the fence and (of course) fell off the cliff, and his family sued. The result is that cliff is now protected by much more substantial fences and railings, and the NCC patrol the area to protect people from their own stupidity.

Wilfred Laurier

Two thoughts:

Higher-end shoes often have buckles that require a bit of thought to undo, as well as plain Velcro straps. I could easily remove my MTB shoes from my feet, but it would be much more complicated with my road shoes.

and

The canal in Ottawa has little to no current. It is controlled by locks at either end, and so there might be a very slight current when the locks are being opened, but otherwise none at all.

Rollfast

While I can see the use for clips, I have cruisers and wouldn't use them on a road bike either...I wear street shoes.

Panza

Ban 80+mm deep dish wheels as well because theyre too susceptible to the wind.

Keith99

Since the video showed a clipless setup I'd say the odds favor that being what the rider was using.

It also mentioned arm and facial injuries. It may well be he was not clipping out because he was already more unconscious than not.

The video also mentioned a previous accident when the canal was near empty, in that instance a 4 meter fall. With that possibility (and from the shot it seemed to be in winter when ice can further complicate issues) a guard rail seems a reasonable precaution.

Keith99

Bolding mine.

Which is an excellent reason to assume that the guy was either stunned or wearing clips and straps. An ongoing violent thrashing will release clipless. I've seen newbies go down from not clipping out in time, in my experience it is rare that they do not technically clip out, it is just when you are already at of past 45 degrees it is a bit late to get a foot down and stay up.

But clips and straps is a different deal. Struggling won't release them, one has to bend down, which in this case means putting your head either under water or farther under water. Not something most people would do easily.

desconhecido 

That's not obvious to me. To release from clipless, in my experience, requires a particular motion. No matter how his feet were attached to the pedals, some particular procedure is required to release and that procedure must be performed. For whatever reason, the guy wasn't able to do it and needed assistance. That's all we know. Given that clips and straps are pretty rare among road cyclists these days, my wag is that he was probably using clipless, but, it's only a wag.

CliffordK

My guess is part of the problem is the difference between toeclips and cleats.

With toeclips, one typically pushes the foot down and back to get out.
With cleats, it is twisting up and to the side.

It is quite possible that it is more difficult to extract one's feet from toeclips while in the water (essentially weightless) than it is to extract them from cleats.

What kind of bike was he riding? A 15 pound racing bike, or a 35 pound Huffy?
Perhaps one should ban Huffies around water. It would be like being strapped to a boat anchor or concrete galoshes.

jfowler85

clip the clipped in clippers you clipiddy clip clop. clinkity clonky clipsy doo.

noglider 

I don't see the problem. It was a freak accident, and there were people there to help him.

indyfabz

Off the top of my head I can think of two paths along canals in PA that have no protection other than at bridges over streams feeding the canals. And I have seen photos from the C&O Canal path that show no protection in places.

FBinNY 

Yes, and no, but it's a local decision.

I'm not sure about the safety of an unprotected edge on a bike path. It's not only about falling into water, it's also about falling over onto rocks when the canal is dry or has low water (as has happened). On a quiet path it's probably no issue, but I can see riders losing control when passing opposing traffic or pedestrians, so some barrier might be called for.

I ride close to a river daily on a path without a barrier, but there's verge between the path and river, and there's no drop off. I wonder about the wisdom of any cliffside path without a rail or barrier, and don't know of many roads built that way in the USA.

But as I said, it's a local issue, and I leave it to them to assess the risk and decide on a remedy if they feel one is indicated. One option might be to widen the walkway, and designate a bike path on the side away from the edge.

noglider 

I agree, @FBinNY. It does seem unsafe and in need of improvement, but there are a lot of things in this picture that are somewhat unsafe but don't need to ring alarm bells throughout the land. Clip-in pedals? Riding a bike? Is the reporter trying to send a message? If so, I don't know what it is. I think you nailed it by noting how the water isn't well enough protected. I think you were the first to mention it. The implication might have been that bike riding is super dangerous. But I'm not sure.

jon c. 

Around here there was apparently a new code passed about a decade that mandated rails to a sometimes absurd degree. One or two sections will appear in the oddest of places. But only on improved surfaces with pedestrian traffic. There are plenty of country roads where you could readily wind up in the swamp if you left the roadway.

FBinNY 

You're reading too much into the story. Unlike folks here on BF, the reporter probably didn't have an agenda, and was simply relay facts as given to him. -- bike rider falls over the edge in to the drink, he doesn't come up right away, and volunteers jump to the rescue. Either the rescuers or rider report an issue freeing feet from the pedals.

That's all straightforward, but then people spin those facts to suit their agendas, ie. "dangerous" pedal systems. I don't have an agenda, but became more focused on the lack of railing because the article mentioned a prior incident where someone was more seriously injured. IMO, twice (or more?) elevates it from a freak incident to something that warrants thinking about. Personally, I'm comfortable riding along an unprotected parapet, but if you introduce obstacles and surprises which can lead to higher likelihood of a crash, then I start thinking more about the consequences of the crash.

noglider 

Agreed, @FBinNY.

Aladin

NO way I fasten my feet to a pedal... lots of 'former' riders with permanent injuries. Riding a bike is my cardio work and I can't afford to lose that.

I know well the chorus of internet parrots and keyboard queens will now peck away.. after all... they need something to 'do'. Always I hear the 'try them you'd never go back' .. ie: validating their rationalizations. Simple fact is: lots of riders forget to "unclip" and end up on their asses. Someday that event may well cost them dearly.

noglider 

Sure, it could happen, but it doesn't happen often. Figure out the odds, the costs and benefits. You've figured it for yourself, but that doesn't mean your decision is right for everyone else. I've been using some kind of foot retention since 1975. I've never hurt myself as a result.