Advocacy & Safety - Teens place rock in path = accident.

http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=67132

Does anyone else read this as a "feel good story about a helmet", rather than a serious act of criminal mischief, vandalism, and attempted serious injury? (which was successful).

Actually here's a more succinct story: http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=67115

Odd--- the police spent more effort on these kids than on drivers who kill a cyclist.

Odd--- the police spent more effort on these kids than on drivers who kill a cyclist.


I don't know that that is true, but there is big difference between a premeditated act that was designed to injure someone and a person who had an accident and other people happened to get hurt or even killed.

There is a MUP bridge that goes over a canal, it has railing on either side.
Someone placed a 2x4 across the inside of the railing, braced by the vertical supports
I saw it and came to a fast stop.
Had I not (say dusk, even with HID light, I don't know) I would have been thrown off bike.
Its not unusual for (kids?) to hang around these bridges and place objects on them. Found string across bridge too, that I missed but it tore away.
Al

That happens all the time around here. Huge boulders, glass, dirt. wires, broken fences, logs etc. sometimes all at once.

They are put in place before night fall to catch riders not using a good light.
It is a deliberate premeditated act to hurt someone. It's not an accident that a small garden fence is ripped up and dragged across the bike path. It's the intent that matters.

Expect the unexpected. Look where you are going, and scan the ground, concentrate on riding. Make sure you can see the small things on the ground at night.

One rainy November evening three years ago, I was going probably a bit faster than I should have been on a downhill of a local MUP and noted at the last minute that construction work had REMOVED THE BRIDGE OVER THE RIVER.

All that they placed for warning was a bit of plastic snow fence maybe three feet from the gap, which had already fallen over.

I came very close to going for a swim that evening.

So while I think to myself "the guy in the article was going too fast", I figure I would have hit the rock too.

One rainy November evening three years ago, I was going probably a bit faster than I should have been on a downhill of a local MUP and noted at the last minute that construction work had REMOVED THE BRIDGE OVER THE RIVER.

All that they placed for warning was a bit of plastic snow fence maybe three feet from the gap, which had already fallen over.

I came very close to going for a swim that evening.

So while I think to myself "the guy in the article was going too fast", I figure I would have hit the rock too.

Perhaps you would have, perhaps not. I tend to be on the quick side as far as bike path riding goes. Under conditions like you describe I would feel lucky to have avoided a swim. BUT on places where bike paths go under bridges I slow way down. Those are the number one spot for broken glass. Kids only slightly older than the ones in hte article like to drink beer and often throw the bottles, not at cyclists, just throw them. I remember that age and I think most have no malice towards cyclists, it is just fun to throw them and see bottles shatter. Glass is a lot harder to see than a 60 LB rock. I'm sure I would have had no trouble missing it.

The should have a 1,000 hours of community service sweeping the MUP>

The should have a 1,000 hours of community service sweeping the MUP>

+10!!!!

I have a pic from this morning as well... I'll add that when I get home (A tree fell across the path yesterday evening! Saw it on the way home and on the way in)

I'm always cautious on the trails, and NEVER, EVER, EVER ride fast enough that I can't stop within my sight distance.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c269/AzCowboy/Bike%20stuff/P8140008.jpg
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c269/AzCowboy/Bike%20stuff/rocknroll.jpg

Edit: Attached new pic from today... I didn't get a pic, but there was another tree blown over across a path on Tuesday... that one was crossing the path right at head height... hope everyone was paying attention! :eek:

I have a pic from this morning as well... I'll add that when I get home (A tree fell across the path yesterday evening! Saw it on the way home and on the way in)

I'm always cautious on the trails, and NEVER, EVER, EVER ride fast enough that I can't stop within my sight distance.

Rules for biking are the same as for driving. If you ride at a speed that doesn't allow you to react in time to stationary objects in your path, it is only a matter of time before you get burned.

I don't know that that is true, but there is big difference between a premeditated act that was designed to injure someone and a person who had an accident and other people happened to get hurt or even killed.

It's almost as if you're saying that when one choses to get drunk and then choses to get behind the wheel of a car, knowing that:
1.) driving under the influence is illegal, and
2.) drunk drivers kill about 17,000 people a year
that they are not making a premeditated act and that it is just an accident when someone gets hurt/killed.

Just a rehtorical statement, not meant to start a flame war or to pick on you personally here bud.

Rules for biking are the same as for driving. If you ride at a speed that doesn't allow you to react in time to stationary objects in your path, it is only a matter of time before you get burned.


True indeed. And if I had gone for a swim that night I would have mostly blamed myself... and used it as an excuse for an HID headlight purchase.

Still, if a construction crew removed a bridge on an unlit roadway and just left a shred of safety fence covering a giant gap, no signs or anything I bet... well, things would turn out differently.

It's almost as if you're saying that when one choses to get drunk and then choses to get behind the wheel of a car, knowing that:
1.) driving under the influence is illegal, and
2.) drunk drivers kill about 17,000 people a year
that they are not making a premeditated act and that it is just an accident when someone gets hurt/killed.

Just a rehtorical statement, not meant to start a flame war or to pick on you personally here bud.


It isn't really fair to call it rhetorical when you are trying to put words in my mouth. So I will respond by saying I didn't mention drunk driving at all.

But since you brought it up, even with people who drive while intoxicated, there is a huge difference between not fully appreciating the risks and going out of your way, totally sober, to create a booby trap with the sole purpose of injuring or killing a person.

One is irresponsible. The other is just plain evil.

And if you will notice, the teens in question are only going to get a fine and community service for a premeditated act of violence that landed someone in the hospital with serious injuries that require surgery. That is what a drunk driver gets who harms no one. That just doesn't sound fair.

These teens should do hard time.


I am not saying there aren't tons of people who commit DUI and are evil as well. They certainly exist, but I would say that is the exception and not the rule.

+10!!!!

I have a pic from this morning as well... I'll add that when I get home (A tree fell across the path yesterday evening! Saw it on the way home and on the way in)

I'm always cautious on the trails, and NEVER, EVER, EVER ride fast enough that I can't stop within my sight distance.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c269/AzCowboy/Bike%20stuff/P8140008.jpg
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c269/AzCowboy/Bike%20stuff/rocknroll.jpg


woah woah, I know colorado is known for its white water rapids but I didn't know they were on bike paths as well, what happen there?

woah woah, I know colorado is known for its white water rapids but I didn't know they were on bike paths as well, what happen there?

There's a storm drain there that normally drains into a catch basin that goes under the bike path... that afternoon we had torrential downpours that left 6" and more of standing water in a LOT of streets... that storm drain covers the whole area that flooded...

<--- In that pic the bike path continues in a straight line behind me... right under the highest part of the water :eek:

True indeed. And if I had gone for a swim that night I would have mostly blamed myself... and used it as an excuse for an HID headlight purchase.

Still, if a construction crew removed a bridge on an unlit roadway and just left a shred of safety fence covering a giant gap, no signs or anything I bet... well, things would turn out differently.
I'm sure they would. Your experience reminds me of my dumbest accident -- it occurred about 3 years ago.

I was riding too fast in the fog at night and lost track of the road while crossing an intersection on a rural highway. I went over a small embankment into about 3 feet of water. Another time about 2 years ago, I ran into a metal bedspring (who the hell dumps a bed spring by the side of the road?) while riding fast in the rain at night.

No injuries or serious equipment damage in either incident, but I go significantly slower in the dark than I do in the light. I have a 13W HID now, but even that isn't enough to allow me to ride at full speed. I can't believe I rode for years with a 10W halogen.