Road Cycling - My hybrid crashed into a rollerblader this week

Luckily, nobody was injured seriously, except really sprained wrists and some cuts
on the rollerblader's knees, who paid the replacement of the front wheel. He and his companion
were riding in parallel (vs. in single-file) on a bicycle path - thereby blocking opposite direction
traffic, blocking riders from passing by them on the left, and weaving all over the place, basically.

When he weaved unpredictably all over the place, my hybrid at perhaps 20 to 30 km/hr slammed
into his left arm/upper body, while I immediately clenched both front and rear brakes fully,
thereby grinding to a halt almost on top of the rollerblader, and crushing the front wheel, as
the momentum had the rear wheel rise perhaps 45 degrees vertically for a few moments.

Had to take some ice for 48 hours on the wrists, arms ...and take a half-day off from work.

Check it out....

Ouch! I am glad that your injuries were minor. I think that you were very lucky to get the guy to pay for the wheel. I hate to do it, but I usually slow down and holler at people when they are doing what you described, in order to get their attention. Best -

You're right...I feel I was lucky in getting away with just the injuries described above.
As always, the more you ride, the more you're physically fit, and the more experienced,
and resistant you are in terms of potential accidents. However, accidents are just that:
they may or may not happen, and when they do happen, it's a throw of the dice.

Considering the wheel. I feel it was only fair to be compensated. The steel fork has
to go...so that's another cost that wasn't factored into the accident, at the time
it happened.

He and his companion were riding in parallel on a bicycle path / he weaved unpredictably all over the place / my hybrid at perhaps 20 to 30 km/hr



I'm sorry, but you're an idiot.

You were closely passing TWO people weaving unpredictably on a bike path at perhaps 18mph?!?

You deserve everything you got.

Learn next time.

However, accidents are just that:
they may or may not happen, and when they do happen, it's a throw of the dice.




No.

Most accidents are NOT a throw of the dice. They happen when people do stupid things.

The roller bladers were stupid. You were stupid. Don't even call this an accident. This was destiny.

If I'm going to be riding on bike paths I carry a wooden train whistle with me. A good hoot on that get peoples attention most of the time. There are people who insist on wearing a WALKMAN and are oblivious to thier surroundings(why bother). These people are very dangerous, but you can even turn thier heads, ie get noticed, if you "signal" from close enough range.

Jim

It sounds like a learning experience, not a tragedy.

The quote in Belfast-Bikers signature is a tragedy.

On the bike trails, sometimes I encounter path blockers from behind. Well before I get to them, I make an effort to say "Passing" loudly but with a friendly voice (never gruff). They have never failed to step aside, leash their dog, or hold their child. Just as I pass them, I say "Thank you", again, in as friendly a voice as I can muster.
When I meet them again coming back from trails end, they are always friendly.

Slowing down and sharing the path with pedestrians, skaters, children, animals, faster and slower bicyclists is essential to community and my general peace of mind.

Why call them bikepaths? I to come upon every other people thing you can think of from about 8am on. They need to go to the parks to do what they do and leave the BIKEPATHS to,um,bikes? I dont like a 2 hour ride going fast and slow dow.,fast and slow down,did they hear me as i pass,wow look at that 50ft leash,gee another 3 year old with training wheel and no parent closeby,that all makes for such a wonderfull ride for me. If all these others would just stay to one side so we could simply pass but 90% just have to be in both lanes.

Shockhead, please do not take this as an attack on yourself. I am not trying to flame you or any on on the forms.

Rant mode on.....
"BIKEPATHS"? OK, first off they are not bikepaths as so many call them. They are Multi Use Trails or MUTs for short. They are built with tax money collected from everyone, people who ride bikes, people that walk dogs, people with 3 year olds on training wheels, people that walk etc. Even people who will never use them have helped to pay for the MUTs that so many enjoy. MUTs are not built for speed, due to the number of people that use them, as well as the many ways they are used. They are built for recreational uses for the community as a whole, and if we are lucky the MUT will connect places so they can be used for transportation.

Saying that "bikepaths" are for bikes only is like saying roads are for cars only. Or the woods are for huters only, A few states have already tried to restrict bicycles to bikepaths already. So, calling a MUT a bikepath is really a disservice to ourselves.

OK I’m done... I’m sorry if I offended anyone, Im going to get out my fireproof keyboard now....

Now, my MUT story. I used to do a lot of tandem rides with the blind, often with someone who has never been on a bike in their life. So the first time I would ride with a new blind stoker I would start on a local MUT. I was riding on the Norwottuck Rail Trail between Northampton and Amhurst Ma. with a stoker who had only ridden a bike as a child before loosing her eye sight. As we we came up to four skaters I called out “ON YOUR LEFT” and slowed down, they moved over so we could pass. But the skater in front did a spin to turnaround to see what was comeing, now he was right in front of us and no way to avoid hitting him. I did keep the tandem up right and did not dump my stoker. He had a few cuts and bruses to his legs, my stoker recived a bruse to her leg from one of his skates. At first this guy was really pissed off, and can’t say that I blame him. (I think anger and fear are closely related) He had just been runover. But latter he said it was his falt and stupid thing to do. We used the first aid kit I carry on the bike to clean out and bandage his cuts. And went on our way.

Yet another reason to stay off paths.

I'll take my chances with traffic anyday rather than deal with skaters, joggers and walkers.

Well what do you call them where i ride that every sign only says bikepath and they have painted on the trail stick figures on bikes? The paths go along the park that has walking paths in them and if like i have a few times used them to get out of the park,hay,these are for our use, you should be on the bikepats,we have kids here playing. You see,these paths are seperated from traffic,fenced off from the parks but for a few gates so you can unload your bike to get to the bikepath as only the signs say. No,the multi-purpose should be in the park except for bikes.

I think bike paths should have a yellow line painted down the middle of them. Just like riding on the road you have to follow the rules. It's like walking in the mall 80% of the people walk on the right side. Then you get a few butt wipes that have to walk against the flow. It's probably the same people that walk, skate and let their dog crap on the path.

I doubt belfast-biker is a real biker... most probably a part-time biker, and
full time roller-blader.

Clearly, it is too dangerous in many instances for a hyrid, MTB or road bike to
share the streets of big cities. There are speeding cars, cab drivers doing
U-Turns very often for no reason, people turning on red lights, drunk drivers (rarely,
but it's a risk), elderly people who haven't updated their eyeglasses in a long time,
SUV's that are hard to handle, people racing from work back home at 5PM, in a big
rush, oblivous to pedestrians and cyclists, car drivers who more often than you
would think, drive around with 1 headlight that's burnt out, so only 1 head-light is
turned on late at night. You figure it's a motorcycle, only to find out it's a car, etc.

Too dangerous to share streets with cars.

I will continue to use bike paths at medium to full speed, and will take the risk
of running over as many pedestrians and roller-bladers that may misbehave
(by using up both lanes, or pretending this is their living room or back yard, for example.)

I prefer to run over 10 roller-bladers than for 1 car to run over me, on a street.

Finally, regarding Gojohnnygo's question, yes this path has a line painted in the middle for several
miles.

I doubt belfast-biker is a real biker... most probably a part-time biker, and
full time roller-blader.


Are you telepathic? I am indeed a part-time biker! I cycle less than two hours a day. Sometimes I even walk places instead of biking there! When I'm not walking or biking, I swim, climb, work, read, and occasionally sleep. I try hard to be a real, full-time biker, but life gets in the way...

BTW what's a real biker? One who "continues to use busy bike paths at medium to full speed, and takes the risk of running over as many pedestrians and roller-bladers that may misbehave"?

In case you misheard the first time, you're an idiot. No wait, you're worse, coz you refuse to learn from your mistakes.

What? Rollerbladers can't see that painted line in the middle of the path are they blind? HELLO! Sounds to me like big fat path hogs.

Are you telepathic? I am indeed a part-time biker! I cycle less than two hours a day. Sometimes I even walk places instead of biking there! When I'm not walking or biking, I swim, climb, work, read, and occasionally sleep. I try hard to be a real, full-time biker, but life gets in the way...

BTW what's a real biker? One who "continues to use busy bike paths at medium to full speed, and takes the risk of running over as many pedestrians and roller-bladers that may misbehave"?

In case you misheard the first time, you're an idiot. No wait, you're worse, coz you refuse to learn from your mistakes.


So you think cyclist should get out of the way of the others? I have no problem with anybody else on the paths but they need to be on the right side,stay in the lane and dont just dart to the side and not look.

So you think cyclist should get out of the way of the others? I have no problem with anybody else on the paths but they need to be on the right side,stay in the lane and dont just dart to the side and not look.


Ah, if everyone lived in a perfect world such as that...!



I passed a five year old on skates on the way home. (one of many people in the wrong place at the wrong time. C'est la Vie.)

She was on the wrong side of the solid white line along the river tow path. The little cow. By your reasoning, I should have mowed that five year old down.






Guys....

it's all about common sense.



It may be a bike path, but if there are other non-bike-users there, go SLOWLY past them. Buy a bell. Get an assertive voice. Learn to change down through the gears noisily. Do whatever it takes to make yourself noticed when approaching others on the path who should not be there. Then, when you've been noticed, go past them real slow anyway. Never know when a wet dog is going to come crashing out of the bush to get to it's master, or a wayward child back into the fold when the nasty man on a bike passes.

It's not rocket science folks.

My Bianchi alone of all my bikes has a brake squeal that I cannot get rid of. I was ready to try some different pads but discovered squealing brakes on the bike path get much more attention & response from strollers, skaters, kids etc. than any bell or warning call. I just tap my brakes from a good distance & even the headphone wearers make way. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to duplicate that squeal on my other bikes. Don

The storry attached is from the local paper in Calgary. Happened last weekend. Unfortunatelly, the cyclist (who turned out to have been 72) has not survived. Several lessons to take home form the tragic event.




Cyclist critical after path crash
Overcrowded route blamed for collision

Sherri Zickefoose
Calgary Herald


May 9, 2004





A Calgary man is clinging to life after hitting the pavement face-first when his bicycle collided with a young boy on a crowded pedestrian Bow River pathway.

"I heard the brakes squeal and he hit hard," said David Gray, who watched the man, believed to be 61, trying to slow and steer his bicycle away from an 11-year-old on the busy two-way pathway near the 10th Street bridge and Memorial Drive just before 10 a.m.

"I grabbed him and blood was pouring out of his face," said Gray, one of a trio of bystanders trying to give artificial respiration to the man, whose jaw was clenched shut as he started having a heart attack.

Paramedics resuscitated the man, who swallowed his gum during the crash, cutting off his airway and prompting the heart attack.

The gum was later seen in a chest X-ray.

Besides the many cyclists, runners and in-line skaters taking to the pathway Saturday, there were nearly 300 extra walkers taking part in a charity challenge.

"It was ridiculous to have that many people -- it was an accident waiting to happen," Gray said of the packed path.

The young boy struck by the bicycle was part of the Calgary Pro-Life Association's 11-kilometre march.

Witnesses say the boy was on the wrong side of the path looking at river rocks, and was trying to jump back into the proper lane but didn't make it.

The boy was taken to hospital with facial and soft tissue wounds but they are considered minor and non-life threatening.

As the cyclist, who was wearing a helmet, tried to avoid the young boy, his bike hit the river rocks lining the path.

The force catapulted him over his handlebars and twisted the bike's front tire.

Teenagers participating in the march ran to assist the injured boy, who was in pain and dripping blood from his smashed nose.

"I held his head and tried giving him artificial respiration," said 14-year-old Lisa Holdsworth, who said she worked harder when she realized the man's face and hands were turning blue.

Her friends, just metres ahead when the crash happened, tried to direct the heavy pathway traffic away from the injured people while John McNeil took a turn trying to keep the man's heart beating. "I was saying some prayers for the fellow," he said.

"It was really scary. There was a lot of blood," said Charissa Hong, 18.

"We prayed a lot."

The cyclist remains in critical condition at Foothills hospital.

The police traffic investigators are currently investigating this collision.

Why anyone would ride on those stupid multi-use paths is beyond me.

What an awful accident.

Kev, your attitude is amazingly childish. YOU'RE not a "real biker" if you're just sticking to "bike paths" and willing to run over other people who get in your way. What a disgrace to the cycling community. It's a good thing you didn't get the other people to pay for the fork. Given your attitude, they shouldn't even have paid for the wheel. Maybe the wallet hit will instill a less arrogant attitude. How immature can you be? Your idea that you own the path means you don't deserve to use it. Your attitude suggests you're probably in high school and probably haven't contributed any to the funds required for the path you intimate is yours, but think it was laid soley for your personal enjoyment. By all means, be a jerk on the path and give the non-cycling community another reason to dislike cyclists. People like you make it harder for those of us who ARE real cyclists. You're no better than the rollerbladers...

PS Let's hope that one of the "10 rollerbladers" doesn't wind up being a baby you hit at "full speed" rounding a corner. Idiot. Maybe some parent will see your less-than-considerate behavior and get you banned from the path (which you might be surprised to find out is a definite possibility).

I"ve hit people before but that was a lot more unavoidable than this. Did you have a bell and try ringing it? I'm amazed there was so much damage...

Bikepaths are stupid

That is my intellectual quote for the day

Sometimes, bikepaths are the only alternative when you cannot go on the road due to everpresent heavy traffic or armies of potholes. And yes, it can get annoying when there are dogs without a leash, kids without a clue and rollerblades with flailing arms. And while it is a nuisance to slow down, pass them and then get back to speed, it is still a common courtesy. Only because other people act somewhat stupid or clueless it does not mean one has to follow their lead.

I went ahead and bought myself a silly little kid's bike horn which sounds like a rubber duckie on steroids. The squeak carries far and it is always fun to watch people's reaction when they turn around to expect a toddler creeping up on them with training wheels only to realize that it is me instead.

And I hardly qualify as a toddler anymore.

So there, show some mercy to inline skaters, kids and old geezers with dogs.

I have to agree with belfast, though hesitantly. Just for my karma, I've always "tried" to maintain an attitude of not bashing people for their mistakes. Rather I realize it could have easily been me. I simply try to learn from them.

Obviously, you've never ridden a bike in a large populated city, or you pretend
to never have done so.

Everyone understands that on the city streets (using your words), the "automobile
drivers behave as if they own the roads."

What's surprising in cyclists behave the same way on so-called "bicycle paths" ?

Notice the terms "bicycle path " !!! It doesn't say "Roller-Blader path" or "Idiot Path"
or "Marijuana-addicts path" .... its saying "bicycle".

That's it, that's all.

I reiterate that riding on city streets at 4 or 5 PM in the afternoon, is like a Kentucky
Derby ...U-Turns, speeding drivers, maniac drivers ....lunatics are at the wheel. I want
no part of it, as a cyclist.


CarlJStoneham wrote:

"Your idea that you own the path means you don't deserve to use it. "

Everyone understands that on the city streets (using your words), the "automobile
drivers behave as if they own the roads."

Yes, they DO act as though they own the roads. However, they SHOULDN'T!


What's surprising in cyclists behave the same way on so-called "bicycle paths" ?

Not a thing, sadly - but as a cyclist, I'm quite sorry that some of us lower themselves to the same level as the drivers who won't share. Do I find walkers on paths designed for bicycles irritating when there are parallel (nicer!) paths for pedestrians within ten feet (as along the west side of Manhattan)? Yes. Do I mow them down to teach them a lesson? No, I ring my bell, or I shout, or I squeal my brakes - and, if they don't move, I slow and wait until it's safe to pass them. Just as I like cars to do when I'm on narrow streets (though I don't much appreciate their honks - they make enough noise that I know they're there anyway!)

-chris

Ringing a bike bell on the bike path works sometimes, more often it will cause the person to ever totally ignore it or as the other day ride across your path to look back (this is scarily common),the level of stupidity among bike path users is amazing.
I have been "walked" of the path 3 times in the last fortnight.
I have so far avoided running over anyone but only at significant risk to myself.
I am seriously thinking of getting an airzounds horn for the idiots, or even to blow it half a block away so they have time to work out they should move.
Sorry about the rant but I sick of having to hit the grass or lock up due to others lack of curtesy/inteligence.
Whew.

I have to agree with belfast, though hesitantly. Just for my karma, I've always "tried" to maintain an attitude of not bashing people for their mistakes. I simply try to learn from them.


Ah, but sometimes "bashing people for their mistakes" is a good deed.... if the consequence is that it leads to a positive act (one idiot reassessing his ownership of bike paths) then surely it is postive in itself? To not bash where possible in this case would have been a negative act... and when I bash, I am indeed full of positive, not negative, emotions - I just word them in a language that the recipient will best understand... :)

Why call them bikepaths? I to come upon every other people thing you can think of from about 8am on. They need to go to the parks to do what they do and leave the BIKEPATHS to,um,bikes? I dont like a 2 hour ride going fast and slow dow.,fast and slow down,did they hear me as i pass,wow look at that 50ft leash,gee another 3 year old with training wheel and no parent closeby,that all makes for such a wonderfull ride for me. If all these others would just stay to one side so we could simply pass but 90% just have to be in both lanes.

Yea around here they do the same in cars, its not uncomon for the 'fast' and passing lanes of the interstate to be moving slower than the right hand lanes.(I've been through the whole bayarea[sanfran] during rushhour, those are good drivers WA on the other hand just tests to see how many ways you can park, no freeway testing at all.)
but we don't really have bike paths or MUPs or sidewalks or even gravel shoulders, just a ditch. The busier roads usually have shoulders though, paved even- near the cities. Pick your road carefully or ride fast.

Man,i must be missing something. We have bikepaths seperated from the parks and city streets and nothing but bikepaths signs and a divided line that seperates the lanes. Not one place from the beach to the dam which is about 40 miles of path is there anything that says anything other then bikes. Fine. We have a place to be out of everybodys way. So what happens, every non-motorized person comes and uses it. Fine. Say in your lane and the cyclist can pass and everybody is happy. I wish i could say,wow on our bikepath all the non-cyclist stay in the lane and we just pass without a problem,NOT. Why? Because on our bikepaths they dont feel we should be on it, hay,dont pass me so close,hay,go down to the street if you have to go so fast,hay get the hell of the trail,hay a$$hle. Slow down,speed up,slow down,go around,stop,go,all on a BIKEPATH.I wouldnt but boy how i would like to knock a few down.You know what i say,get the hell off our bikepath,we need someway to ride.

I think that the missing part here are the rules. In Calgary, at least, we have speed limit on all bike paths. It is 20 km/h. And we also have to have a bell or something like it on the bike. Police does control this and several people I know had to pay $50 fines for either speeding or not having a bell. I dont know if Calgary is an exception, but when I and others stay slower than 20 km/h, it is easy to avoid excidents even when paths are busy. The problem is when we want to go faster. And if I do, I am learning that the streets are also an option.

No bells but a speed limit wouldnt be so bad.

I ride a bike path by me reasonably often. I try to ride it only M-F during business hours. There are a lot less people out then and the ones that are are regulars and know the rules of the trail. After work and on the weekends the trail gets insane. This weekend I went for a quick 5 mile ride to test some modifications I made to the bike and almost ran over a large golden retriever that wasn't on a leash. The 3 old ladies side by side walking it went to the side when I called out but didnt bother to control their dog. On the path their are signs saying stay to the right, pass on the left, speedlimit of 15mph, pets on leash and so on, but I dont think people read them. There are bike cops that ride the path all the time, but they are just out there riding for fun, I have never seen them yell at anyone for breaking the rules.

If people would just follow the posted rules and be predictable the path could be a good safe place for all.

I think that the missing part here are the rooles. In Calgary, at least, we have speed limit on all bike paths. It is 20 km/h. And we also have to have a bell or something like it on the bike. Police does control this and several people I know had to pay $50 fines for either speeding or not having a bell. I dont know if Calgary is an exception, but when I and others stay slower than 20 km/h, it is easy to avoid excidents even when paths are busy. The problem is when we want to go faster. And if I do, I am learning that the streets are also an option.

I think in Shokhead's case, a few tickets for people not on bikes being on the bike path would be good. On most Multi-use paths, pedestrians have the full right of way over all other users except people on horses, unless posted otherwise. Actually, if someone is riding on a path, why is this posted in the "Road Cycling" section?