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We had some BAD safety incidents this weekend. Three Life Flight (local helicopter ambulance) evacuations. Two will definitely survive, the other one I'm not so sure about. Details too gruesome to recount here.
Which made me think... 11,700 actual riders (13,000 registered), 186 miles, 3 Life Flights.
1 Life Flight incident per 725,000 cyclist miles.
So if a club cyclist rides 250,000 miles over a lifetime (from age 20 - 70 years, 5000 miles per year), he/she has a 1-in-3 chance of getting into a crash so severe that Life Flight intervention is needed?
That doesn't sound right. We'd know about it if 1 out of 3 of our "senior-senior" cycling members went down in a life-threatening crash.
I'm thinking these massive charity rides are 10 - 100 times more dangerous than skilled-rider club riding or commuting.
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You don't have enough data to draw that conclusion. That was one event. Get like 30-40 events and go from there.
I'm thinking these massive charity rides are 10 - 100 times more dangerous than skilled-rider club riding or commuting.
Well you don't have a lot of data to go on but... I'd say that charity rides are more dangerous than club rides.
It's all abotu riding with experienced people... I've hooked handlebars with guys on club rides and we just coasted through the corner and unhooked. No one freaked out. I ride with guys who know how to ride predictably, point out road obstacles, etc.
Now imagine riding shoulder to shoulder with people that have little group riding experience... it makes me shudder. I'm not saying that charity rides are bloodbaths or anything but when I've got 5 months of training invested in a season so far I'd rather ride with a club then get taken out in a charity ride...
Were these three accidents cyclist/auto, cyclist/cyclist, or solo cyclist incidents?
I should think that if you mass 12,000 riders of all abilities together you are going to have some trouble.
I'm thinking these massive charity rides are 10 - 100 times more dangerous than skilled-rider club riding or commuting.
Sounds about right to me.
2 were cyclist / cyclist
1 was solo cyclist
Were these three accidents cyclist/auto, cyclist/cyclist, or solo cyclist incidents?
I should think that if you mass 12,000 riders of all abilities together you are going to have some trouble.
Oh, great. I'm going on my first mass charity ride (MS 150) in June. I figure I'll either hang back or jump out in front when we start. I figure it will be several miles before the herd thins out enough to ride without paranoia of other inexperienced cyclists. Are there many crashes/pileups? If so, are they usually
at the beginning of the ride when everyone is bunched up?
Seriously, does anyone have any suggestions on this ride? I read that you want to start the first third of the ride below your ability, then the rest at or slightly above your ability so you don't burn out. Any seasoned advice is truly appreciated.
Oh, great. I'm going on my first mass charity ride (MS 150) in June. I figure I'll either hang back or jump out in front when we start. I figure it will be several miles before the herd thins out enough to ride without paranoia of other inexperienced cyclists. Are there many crashes/pileups? If so, are they usually
at the beginning of the ride when everyone is bunched up?
Seriously, does anyone have any suggestions on this ride? I read that you want to start the first third of the ride below your ability, then the rest at or slightly above your ability so you don't burn out. Any seasoned advice is truly appreciated.
Try to stay to the side till things thin out.
Last year on the MS ride I went on, we had about 1000 people crowded on a 3 lane stretch of highway and the police cars in front of us were moving way too slow and it wouldn't be another 20 minutes till they pull off and really let the riders tear it up. So now you have a huge draft, about 1000 people bunched up doing about 25mph after the first mandatory rest stop, everyone's pumped and ready to get out on the open road, few experienced riders. I was just thinking, "this is an accident waiting to happen" when I heard a brake squeal from the middle of the group and about 30-40 riders going down into this huge massive pile. I couldn't tell if the crunches were bones breaking or frames.
2 were cyclist / cyclist
1 was solo cyclist
Holy bajesus! 3 life flights and no car was involved??? One was Solo? How? Were they wearing helmets? The Pro tour crashes all the time at 30mph+ and people don't need life flights.
I went on a "Love Ride" once which is a Jay Leno and a few other folks' motorcycle benefit ride, and it was a joke!! All the weekend warriers out there (motorbike was my only transpo myself) and tons of breakdowns, lost riders (which I ended up in a group of) and it was a real malee.
I can only imagine that big, well-advertised bike rides are going to bring out a ton of freds, yes right now being out of training/out of shape/out of practice I'll gladly call myself a fred. Defensive riding and strategic planning just a GOOD idea!
As for Pro riders, I don't want to use hokey terms like "men of steel" or "people of steel" but ..... when you're in pro shape we're talking skin, bone, and highly trained muscle. Maybe 150 lbs for a man, 110-120 for a woman, and all of it like spring steel - you can fall and not take it nearly as hard as the average 200lb American or even my 140lb out of shape lardass. Let's see, do I want to land on my wrists after training them up for a year, bearing weight on the handlebars and building up the bone and muscle, meawhile decreasing bodyweight, or do I want to fall on 'em as they are, out of condition, probably lost a lot of buscle, tendon, and bone strength with my years out of riding, and putting my lardy weight on 'em? Ouch. Who knows, let's hope not but if I ride this weekend and my fat dumb *** falls down, it might be time for the helicopter, it's not impossible. At least I'll be a good citizen and pay the bill.......
You have two choices...
Get good front and rear lights for your bike, and start both days of the two day ride before the official ride start, carry your own food, water, and ride like hell to stay in front of the general bozos and idiots who will be right behind you. Start at like 5 am. Helps if you're faster (20+ MPH)
Or, start really late and ride 12 MPH, and let every wannabee who thinks he's Lance Armstrong go ahead of you into oblivion. Ride with Grandma and Grandpa. Heck, could be really enjoyable like that.
Oh, great. I'm going on my first mass charity ride (MS 150) in June. I figure I'll either hang back or jump out in front when we start. I figure it will be several miles before the herd thins out enough to ride without paranoia of other inexperienced cyclists. Are there many crashes/pileups? If so, are they usually
at the beginning of the ride when everyone is bunched up?
Seriously, does anyone have any suggestions on this ride? I read that you want to start the first third of the ride below your ability, then the rest at or slightly above your ability so you don't burn out. Any seasoned advice is truly appreciated.
If you hit your mouth on the ground, helmets don't help. If you have a heart attack, helmets down't help.
Holy bajesus! 3 life flights and no car was involved??? One was Solo? How? Were they wearing helmets? The Pro tour crashes all the time at 30mph+ and people don't need life flights.
If you hit your mouth on the ground, helmets don't help. If you have a heart attack, helmets down't help.
Heart attack ouch, hopefully that person is recovering. I am not sure how a mouth injury would require a life flight though.
One problem on such rides is an "aura" of safety that seems to emanate from it being an organized bike ride. This "aura" seems to encourage many cyclists, who are normally paranoid in traffic (often for good reason), to "loosen up". Unfortunately, they do not have the skills and knowledge to "loosen up", and end up doing crazy/dangerous stuff.
If you can start early and go fast, that's probably the best way to avoid the problems - keep them behind you.
You have two choices...
Get good front and rear lights for your bike, and start both days of the two day ride before the official ride start, carry your own food, water, and ride like hell to stay in front of the general bozos and idiots who will be right behind you. Start at like 5 am. Helps if you're faster (20+ MPH)
Or, start really late and ride 12 MPH, and let every wannabee who thinks he's Lance Armstrong go ahead of you into oblivion. Ride with Grandma and Grandpa. Heck, could be really enjoyable like that.
Great advice. I think the hanging back method might be the best. I'm not a great sprinter, but I can go for hours at 15-17 mph average. The first rest stop is about 7 miles up the road (??), so I plan to just blow by that one. The less experienced cyclists will probably stop at that one and I plan to breeze by.
I have good lights (1 Cateye Opticube in front and 2 LEDs in back), and I don't plan to let anyone within 10 feet of my bike. I just got it last Friday and I don't want to see it in a pile!
I did the Tour of Hope DC ride last fall. 28 miles and 900 riders. There was at least one person taken away in an Ambulance and that was within the first 500 yards of the ride. Some woman that didn't know what she was doing on a bike went over her bars going out of the parking lot and slipt her face open. There was a lot of blood. In this ride anyway there were WAY too many people that shouldn't be doing 28 mile charity rides in a group of nearly a thousand, I assume this is the same no matter where you go. The only other accident I am aware of was when a car decided it needed to be on the CLOSED road we were on and a couple of bikes didn't see it coming until very late. They didn't hit the car but they did hit each other and went down hard...I am guessing neither rider finished the ride but wasn't hurt as bad as the first woman.
You failed to factor in the fact that at large cycling events you draw experienced and inexperienced cyclists to the same road at the same time. To get a better picture compare the percentage of national highway crashes with the percent of Indi 500 racers. The accident rate drops considerably with the experience factor.
I do the 5 Boro Bike Ride in New York every year. It is the first organized event of the year and draws 10's of thousands of riders. 12 year olds on "BMX bikes" and little old ladies on "steel clunkers" all on the same road with every type of tourist, MTB and roadie. You never hear an "on your right" or "stopping", because the average cyclist just does not know better. He thinks the whole road is his. I see quite a few accidents each year. I either get out front, or take my time on this ride (despite my complaint the no one knows how to ride an incline without creating a bottle neck.) when I compare that with a metric ride like The MS rides held around the country, where a distance of 50 miles or more weeds out the less experienced rider, the incident rate is much lower. There are more pace lines and more "shout outs" ("on your right", "sand", "slowing", etc.)
When I was a child there was "bicycle safety education", (I don't think that was what they called it, but we difinintely learned "the rules of the road on a bike") kind of like driver's ed' for cyclists. (Unfortunately, we were taught to ride on the sidewalks or against the traffic flow)-some vestages of this teaching still thrives today. If we were taught the same way today, to ride predictibly, stay right, signal, call out obstacles, only pass on the left, ride withing our abilities, it would be much safer on open group rides.
Good point. Not too many casual cyclists take on an 81-100 mile day followed by a 69 mile day without some thought. Those that do would hopefully train for it, which would increase their skills. Still, I'd rather takes my chances on the open road alone than clustered with a group. Maybe I'll leave the day before!!
Really, they were face plants. Shattered helmets, screwed up mouths.
Heart attack ouch, hopefully that person is recovering. I am not sure how a mouth injury would require a life flight though.
I've got some of the same concerns. I rode TOSRV last year for the first time and was really surprised at the wide range of abilities that were out there doing the ride. My $.02 is that it's the mixed nature of the experience/ability that the riders have that creates the danger; if the group were more uniform (either all experienced or all inexperienced), I think it'd be a safer cycling environment, holding the number of cyclists constant.
My fear for this year is that I'm taking my wife and some friends along to do the ride. We're strong cyclists, but the others don't have any experience riding in a group, other than with the 4-10 people we usually ride with. Our game plan is to get an early start and keep a brisk pace, hoping to keep the wrecks and the squirrels behind us. We're also going to keep out little group together some hell or high water; anyone's welcome to take a draft off the back of the train, but the though of random others being mixed into our group gives me the willies....
Really, they were face plants. Shattered helmets, screwed up mouths.
Ouch, must have been really bad. I got hit by the same car twice in the same accident with a 30 mph asphalt face plant in between impacts and then got pushed 50 feet down the road with my head under the guys bumper and didn't need a life flight. So believe me, I know how bad that had to have been.
Last summer I did the Lance Armstrong "Ride for the Roses" in Austin, TX. 7000 riders or so and I was AMAZED at the number of accidents. Within the first mile of the start there were 3 ambulance accidents and then every few miles there were more ambulance accidents with some looking very serious.
What I noticed was the very large number of people on brand new very high end road bikes (trek madones, Cervelo, Serotta) that obviously had not really ridden in 20 years. I talked to a few of them before/after and the story was the same . . .someone they know/love had cancer so they went out and bought a nice bike to contribute. None of them had ridden more than few times around the neighborhood. . .
Obviously there were folks with very high skill levels and moderate levels (me) as well. The thing that made the newbies very dangerous is they really had no idea how fast their bikes would go or how to control. They also had never ridden in a group. . .
Large cycling events are inherently dangerous. There is a mix of experience levels. Fast, slow and intermediate riders and casual first timers. Pace lines at 25+ meeting 10 mph casual riders. Inexperienced riders joining pacelines. It is a bad scene. Climbing behind riders strung across the hill. Fast experienced riders tryin' to get thru a mess of slower riders on a downhill. The problem is the mix. I try to start early and beat the packs of riders and get out where the riders are strung out. There are deaths every year on these rides. Such is life.
If you attend one of these events pay attention at all times! They are dangerous for everyone.
Sad but true. The LBS here says people show up THE DAY BEFORE THE 185 mile ride saying, "My boss wants me to do this bike ride, what do I need?"
These charity rides have morphed into such big corporate events, that people feel pressured to ride them in order to suck up to the boss.
So jumping on your Madone is the new version of going out to play 18 holes of golf and brown-nosing. Except you will get a brown, bloody nose when you stick it into the pavement, not from your boss' anal cleft.
What I noticed was the very large number of people on brand new very high end road bikes (trek madones, Cervelo, Serotta) that obviously had not really ridden in 20 years. I talked to a few of them before/after and the story was the same . . .someone they know/love had cancer so they went out and bought a nice bike to contribute. None of them had ridden more than few times around the neighborhood. . .
I avoid riding these events but have worked on a number as a support mechanic; the mix in abilities is very obvious and more than a little frightening. I ride Seattle to Portland every few years, and that ride draws a number of folks for whom it's the only ride of the whole freakin' YEAR. At least as scary are riders who attend spin classes or log massive winter hours on indoor trainers alone and hit the road in springtime with tremendous fitness and darn near no actual cycling skill--25 mph with no bike handling practice doesn't sound too good to ride next to either.
Yeah, I saw a bunch of people with jerseys that said "So-and-so Spin"
The Houstonian Conference Center & Resort had a bunch of their spinners riding this past weekend.
The great irony is that I ride in front of The Houstonian everyday on my commute, never see anyone on a bike but me.
Side note - George H.W. Bush (Bush #1) used to list The Houstonian as his Houston residence when he was President.
At least as scary are riders who attend spin classes or log massive winter hours on indoor trainers alone and hit the road in springtime with tremendous fitness and darn near no actual cycling skill--25 mph with no bike handling practice doesn't sound too good to ride next to either.
What I noticed was the very large number of people on brand new very high end road bikes (trek madones, Cervelo, Serotta) that obviously had not really ridden in 20 years. I talked to a few of them before/after and the story was the same . . .someone they know/love had cancer so they went out and bought a nice bike to contribute. None of them had ridden more than few times around the neighborhood. . .
What were they using for pedals? I would think clipless for the inexperienced riders would make them just that much more dangerous.
I find myself educating on charity rides. If someone passes me, I say "let me know you're there" Please say "on your right when passing". I see people struggling on hills, I ask them to ride to the right, join them and talk them up the hill, when appropriate. I think in goes a long way to help educate and improve the cycling culture.
Yes, I am the original Good Samaritan.
I know some people would take offense at a stranger suggesting how he/she should ride, but I say "Screw 'em if he can't take a joke" - lol
Whoa, fact check. I rode as a ride marshal and have been discussing the ride with members of the steering committee.
12,100 riders
39 ambulance transports
3 Life flights - one was a truck driver who pulled off onto a soft shoulder and rolled his truck. He was not wearing a seat belt.
Way too many folks who do not understand that balancing is not biking. Way too many folk who gear up for this ride & hang it up until same time next year. And a tremendous range of speed & skill.
having said that, my 'take home' memory for this year's ride is a lady ahead of me struggling with a hill outside of Fayetteville. A very fit guy on a mountain bike eases alongside, talks with her briefly and grabs her camelback and tows her up the hill. She upshifted twice just to keep pressure on the pedals. He turned loose & was gone. As I passed, I asked 'do you know him?'
She answered 'No.'
my dad is doing the london to brighton ride. He cycles although has not for a month since the bikeshop have his bike as it seems to be taking a long time to aquire and fit a new pair of front forks with a 1" steerer. Well many of the people going there on the coach with him dont even have their own bikes and are being lent some by their employers (takes a group of riders every year to the ride) well my dad is suposed to be organising a 30 mile training ride which does not look like its going to happen. Did i mention this was a 56 mile ride!
I dont know how slow these people ride but i know with the CTC iv riden 50 mile rides with them, took 5-6 hours on average including the hour and a half stop for lunch so basicly thats 4 hours on the bike meaing we are averaging like 12-13mph meaning the actual crusing speed was probably 14-15mph there where some killer hills, i was always 2nd of 3rd strongest rider there (group leader was better then me ussualy) these rides where not easy at all, although im in much better shape now and i think most of my problem was fatigue (back pain, rash) not getting to weak, so like i dont think it was to often that i felt like i was dead after the ride but still it was not an easy ride, how is some one who has never cycled properly in there life going to do 56 miles.
I avoid riding these events but have worked on a number as a support mechanic; the mix in abilities is very obvious and more than a little frightening. I ride Seattle to Portland every few years, and that ride draws a number of folks for whom it's the only ride of the whole freakin' YEAR. At least as scary are riders who attend spin classes or log massive winter hours on indoor trainers alone and hit the road in springtime with tremendous fitness and darn near no actual cycling skill--25 mph with no bike handling practice doesn't sound too good to ride next to either.
I passed by an accident just before the St. John's Bridge heading into Portland on last year's STP. It must have just happened before I got there because the ambulance was still there and the bike was still pinned underneath the truck which was stopped in the middle of US 30. The front windshield was caved in. I later found out that the cyclist tried to cross over all four lanes of US 30 from one shoulder to the other and was struck by the truck as he entered the oncoming traffic lane. People surmised that he was attempting to turn around to find the rest of his group. Remarkably enough, he survived.
errr ouch slvoid
The Around Taupo cycle challenge here in New Zealand is our biggest event with over 10,000 riders last November. They stagger the start, with riders selecting on their entry form a "group", which there is 8 of. These groups are time brackets, group 1 was sub 4:20, 2 was 4:20 to about 4:50? etc etc. They even break up each of these groups as they start, letting them go in small bunches. This takes up to 2 hours I think? Plus also there is the Classic race, which starts an hour before the main Solo event, and to Qualify you have to submit evidence that you have ridden the event in the Solo section in under 4:20 - which is damn fast for this course (record is 3:53, and usually see sub 4hrs). This makes for a very spread out start, and reduces the "Domino" crashes that plagued the event a few years back. There is a small hill at the start, that does SOME sorting, but due to it being so soon, you just regroup with others. You climb slightly for another wee while and within 15k there are some descents (where dominos was played previously) of 35mph+
And of these 10,000 riders, none needed to go to the Hospital last year. SO there is hope :)
I was on a Tour de Cure ride a couple of years ago, when I was heading back to the start. I saw a man up ahead on the right side so I made sure I gave him plenty of room and I believe I even said "on your left". That frightened him so much he swerved to the right into sand and went down. I stopped to help him, then a couple of other people stopped too. He had a pretty bad banged up knee and luckily I had a small first aid kit with me. I rode back with him to make sure he would be okay. We got to talking and found out he lived close by, so he suggested that we ride together. We rode together the next weekend but I found out real fast he was a terrible cyclist. He wanted to be right beside me out in traffic and talk, or he would try and squeeze beside me on the right to talk. The next time we rode, he called me before the ride and told me he had fallen again. I rode with him once more and then he decided he wanted to ride down the wrong side of a freeway, I told him no, I cross the freeway at a certain point, going with traffic, he didn't like that. I think he e-mailed me a couple more times after that and told me he got clipless pedals and had taken a couple more spills. I decided that it would be better NOT to ride with him anymore, he was putting my safety at risk and I didn't need that. I'm not saying that all people on charity rides are bad riders but a lot of them are weekend warriors or have decided to dig the old bike out of the garage and "gee this sounds like fun" go for the ride. I still go on the charity rides but make sure I'm all the way at the back when I first start out. That way it gives me plenty of opportunity to let the pack thin out then I can stay to the outside (when safe) and get around them.
i've been (road) riding pretty heavily for the last year or so....and have years of BMX/dirt riding. i've yet to get into a real road crash. (i've been run off the road by cars a few times, and doored by a cab).
i'm doing the may 1st tour of nyc, i'm kind of worried about wrecking...... i guess the best way to go about it is get there early and hope for the best.
i'm doing the may 1st tour of nyc, i'm kind of worried about wrecking...... i guess the best way to go about it is get there early and hope for the best.
In very large group rides where the participants are of varying skill levels, my best advice is to get out front and watch your spacing. My big big group ride I've been doing is the STP and while for the most part the density is fairly low because all 8,000 or so riders are spread out pretty far along around 75 miles of the 200 mile course, there are some portions where people tend to group up such as near the rest stops, the bigger hills and a bridge crossing where they queue up the riders, temporarily close down part of the bridge and then release a bunch of riders to cross. The bridge isn't incredibly high and the climb isn't all that steep but since riders are varied, some go very slow and then are very sketchy coming over the other side on the high-speed descent. In these large group rides, ascending and decending are places you particularly have to be vigilant. Ascending riders who have to mash and go up slowly will often be weaving back and forth. It's best to try and stay to the left of them as most of them will generally group to the right. I usually descend the other side of this particular bridge (Longview Bridge) hitting close to 50MPH before a long sweeping turn puts me onto US 30. I know that after cresting the high point of the bridge, there's some steel plates (some are actually grates) and such as well which when coming down at very high speeds requires that you have a little extra wiggle room to maneauver around them. Also, especially after a slight rain, the oil buildup on the bridge can make the surface a bit slick. Thus I usually try and make my way up to the front and get clear of the other riders so I can descend free of people around me. This also gives me a nice amount of room once I hit the ramp onto US 30 to take a good high-speed line.
I did the Volvo fun ride in Los Angeles this weekend and it was the LA "un-fun" ride. over 1600 participants but the police rolling escort kept the pace at 12 miles per hour and frequently stopped to condense the pack. It simply was unsafe with bikers falling over and running into each other. Not really their fault.
Never again!
I did the Volvo fun ride in Los Angeles this weekend and it was the LA "un-fun" ride. over 1600 participants but the police rolling escort kept the pace at 12 miles per hour and frequently stopped to condense the pack. It simply was unsafe with bikers falling over and running into each other. Not really their fault.
Never again!
I too participated in this ride. I was so mentally exhausted after this ride from having to have 100% focus on people in front, back and on each side. This was the most unpredictable organized ride I've been on. The pace was so slow - which would be OK if it was CONSISTANT. I cannot come even close to point out how many times you would get going and then bam - SLOW DOWN or STOP. This 38 mile ride took 4 hours! I think that there should be some basic rider education BEFORE the ride begins. The MOST important thing in my opinion are:
1. Slower riders to the right
2. If you are passing SAY "on your left"
3. If you are sucking someones wheel LET THEM KNOW you are there
I'm a fast climber and every slight incline was a disaster waiting to happen. People were climbing like 5-6% grades at like 5 mph, 10 riders across, weaving every this way and that. I tried desperately to get to the left because at that slow pace I thought that I was going to fall over. I am definately not a fast descender so I automatically would pull to the right to let those faster go by.
I was also bummed out because we rode by some really cool areas around Los Angeles but had very few opportunites to actually look around and take in the scene because I was so focused on other riders.
BTW I do think that it's cool to be part of something so big and see all the different types of people from all walks of life riding. But I did see one guy fall over trying to start going uphill (after the SAG stop) and one hard crash. I overheard someone saying that they saw 3 crashes.
So far the best organized ride BY FAR is the Palm Springs ride. Excellent all around except when all the riders start and meet up at the end.
Yipes... they kept you at 12MPH?
My computer said 11.6 at the end of the ride and I was mid pack. There were a few times that ride control stopped the entire ride to allow the slower people to catch up. One time we were stopped for what seemed like almost 10 minutes. Again, if the avg speed was a consistant 12mph - no problem... It was the CONSTANT slow down, speed up thing that drove me crazy.
Whoa, fact check. I rode as a ride marshal and have been discussing the ride with members of the steering committee.
12,100 riders
39 ambulance transports
3 Life flights - one was a truck driver who pulled off onto a soft shoulder and rolled his truck. He was not wearing a seat belt.
Way too many folks who do not understand that balancing is not biking. Way too many folk who gear up for this ride & hang it up until same time next year. And a tremendous range of speed & skill.
having said that, my 'take home' memory for this year's ride is a lady ahead of me struggling with a hill outside of Fayetteville. A very fit guy on a mountain bike eases alongside, talks with her briefly and grabs her camelback and tows her up the hill. She upshifted twice just to keep pressure on the pedals. He turned loose & was gone. As I passed, I asked 'do you know him?'
She answered 'No.'
I was wondering if the truck driver was one of the Life Flights. (I was a good ways past before that particular event ever happened, so I never saw the aftermath of it.) At any rate, I think a good deal of the ambulance and Life Flight calls were a result of the organizers being ultra cautious, which is probably a good thing given the number of newbie riders out there on this particular ride. In truth, I think the Houston to Austin MS 150 is a bit anomalous just because if its sheer size. Having 13,000 registrants probably puts it head and shoulders above most rides in terms of numbers. I sometimes wonder about the wisdom of the organizers in providing a couple of alternate (read, easier) routes. The first starts 15 miles farther out from Houston on day one, and the second avoids the toughest hills on the ride on day two. While I can certainly see the alternate on day two avoiding a certain number of accidents (the road is quite narrow on those hills and the downhill speed is high), I think the cumulative effect may be to encourage folks who really haven't put the time into training and gathering experience that they should before undertaking a ride of that distance. Couple with the fact that it is essentially THE big event ride in this area, and you create something that is very attractive for the newbie rider. Granted, everyone has to start somewhere, so I'm not slagging everyone who rides it for the first time (obviously, I was there once, myself), but when you see someone show up at the start in running shorts with a mountain bike with huge, knobby tires, you have to wonder if they have any clue what they're getting into.
I'll handout a few of my thoughts from the ms150, as an evil n00b.
One of the biggest problems I saw was "faster," read here not vets just faster guys, either passing 2 abreast or cutting slower riders off.
Second, slower riders need to ride single file, and not stack the road up.
At any rate, I think a good deal of the ambulance and Life Flight calls were a result of the organizers being ultra cautious, which is probably a good thing given the number of newbie riders out there on this particular ride. In truth, I think the Houston to Austin MS 150 is a bit anomalous just because if its sheer size. Having 13,000 registrants probably puts it head and shoulders above most rides in terms of numbers. I sometimes wonder about the wisdom of the organizers in providing a couple of alternate (read, easier) routes. The first starts 15 miles farther out from Houston on day one, and the second avoids the toughest hills on the ride on day two. While I can certainly see the alternate on day two avoiding a certain number of accidents (the road is quite narrow on those hills and the downhill speed is high), I think the cumulative effect may be to encourage folks who really haven't put the time into training and gathering experience that they should before undertaking a ride of that distance. Couple with the fact that it is essentially THE big event ride in this area, and you create something that is very attractive for the newbie rider.
Roger that. Policy is to transport any rider who has taken a blow to the face or head, to monitor for brain trauma.
The organizers were trying for two separate routes all the way to lunch on both days, but local law enforcement, Texas DOT & some communities (what, you don't want 12,100 bikers coming through your town?) would not let that happen.
The BP MS 150 is one of the highlights of my spring, but 'thons', even ones as well organized as this one, can put folks off riding. Even with all the training rides available, advice in the local papers, classes at the gyms, and so on, many newbies get seduced by the ride, go out ill prepared, and suffer for it. But there are many more who do it right and love it.
Just treat it like all other driving in Houston: Lots of traffic, broad spectrum of vehicles & operator skill levels, and you can't always go as fast as you want to.
I'll handout a few of my thoughts from the ms150, as an evil n00b.
One of the biggest problems I saw was "faster," read here not vets just faster guys, either passing 2 abreast or cutting slower riders off.
Second, slower riders need to ride single file, and not stack the road up.
You're right on both counts, turbo. I think part of the problem is folks who don't realize that they ARE one of the slower riders, but I also take your point about faster riders passing two abreast, etc. There are way too many riders who seem to think that just because they CAN pass somebody at a particular point means they absolutely SHOULD right then and there.
One of my personal annoyances this year was the folks who passed me, jumped in front of me, and then immediately slowed down, so I wound up having to go around them to maintain my same speed and cadence. If you're gonna slow down, why bother passing me?
It would take 20-years for some to put that many miles on a car and what are the odds of avoiding a single car accident in 20-years?
I've been in more bicycle accidents than three, just myself, in a lot fewer miles than 250K. I don't know about you, but based on my experience, there is no way you are going to ride 100s of miles, on-road or off- and not have an accident sooner or later.
P.S., Just thought of another way to statistically interpret your statistics: You have 3 chances in about 11,700 to be a bicycle crash victim needing "Life Flights," if you are riding a course with about 11,700 other riders of unknown attention, equipment, courtesy and physical ability, in a relatively limited space.
That many riders in a limited space can cause problems even amongst the experiences professionals participating in the Tour. When rinding alone or in a smaller group of fellow riders that you know, maybe your odds are more like 1 in 250,000. At least, I'd like to thinks so!
i've been (road) riding pretty heavily for the last year or so....and have years of BMX/dirt riding. i've yet to get into a real road crash. (i've been run off the road by cars a few times, and doored by a cab).
i'm doing the may 1st tour of nyc, i'm kind of worried about wrecking...... i guess the best way to go about it is get there early and hope for the best.
Are you doing the 5 Boro Bike Ride this weekend chrisgerne? It is a good ride, but get there early and wear an extra layer that you can stow away. We will be standing around in the cold until the official start. Then things should warm up quickly.
The 5 Boro is a large ride with lots of new and casual riders. Watch your following distance and look out for erratic riders. It has been my experience that there are quite a few "kid" riders zig-zaggin around on bmx bikes. I usually side up to them and advise them to ride predictablly. Also, if you can't get out in front of the pack, be prepared for "bottlenecks" at key junctures (Access to Central Park; Bridge crossings (watch the steel gratings); inclines, etc.) The ride won't really begin until you reach Central Park as we may be stop-and-go from Battery Park to 59th Street. From there traffic really flows. Watch for slow riders who ride two abreast on the left. I try to tell them to get to the right.
It's a good ride and does much to promote cycling in New York city. Griping about the riders does not help them. (They are not reading this forum). I just work with the limitations and try to raise awareness.
BTW: If you want to meet somewhere let me know and maybe we can connect to ride together.
He was NOT one of the Life FLights.
FYI.
I was wondering if the truck driver was one of the Life Flights.
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