Northern California - A Scary Crash: Monday Mt. Diablo Ride Report

It was killing me seeing all the cyclists on Mt. Diablo all weekend while I camped with my family. We hiked around and took 2 sight seeing drives up to the summit so I saw a lot of bikes. Monday after work I had to head up. It was 96 degrees when I headed out, but I am lucky that heat does not get to me. I drank all day long at work and every 10 - 15 minutes on the bike. I also kept my jersey damp with water carefully poured down my back occasionally. Those measures and endurolytes made sure I had no problems with effects from the heat or cramps.

It was sweet being able to descend Diablo all the way from the summit with no special clothes and to be warm as toast.
I went by myself but had a tourist take my picture.
http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q250/LanceOldstrong/Cycling/Aviewfromthetop.jpg?t=1277822709

I got to the the top 3 minutes slower than my personal best. I will take that considering the heat.
(don't ask for my time, it is called personal best for a reason: it is personal)

I am a much more cautious descender these days after the Mendocino Monster and with the low sun in my eyes I just cruised to enjoy the warmth and the views. I met a guy named Chris at the summit and he passed me descending about halfway between the summit and Juniper. When he passed I tried to match his speed for a while.

Two turns after he passed me when he was about 100 yards ahead, he crashed out. A mini van came around a hairpin turn on Chris's side of the yellow line. Every cyclist's nightmare mountain road scenario: blind hairpin turn, sun in your eyes and whoopsie a car in your lane when you round the bend. This guy, Chris, swerved hard right to avoid being hit by the van and laid the bike down. Oh man I hate that sound. He got a road rash on his right knee and pretty bad on his right elbow. He had several badly skinned knuckles too. His bike had a rear flat and both brake hoods were turned 90 degrees in, facing the stem.

The van stopped for just a second. The driver looked out the window and craned his neck back to see Chris up and yelling at him and then drove on.
I hope the guy had a nice time at the summit. I wonder how much you can see from up there with your head up your ass?

I stopped and gave Chris band aids and adhesive pads from the old Bento box. He patched himself up a little while I got his flat fixed for him and I straightened out his brake hoods.

After that Chris rode home to Danville and I continued my descent down to Walnut Creek.
It was scary but it could have been a lot worse.
All in all it was a good 41 miles, most especially because Chris's ride ended up at his house not the hospital.
Be careful out there.

The scariest is that the van driver didn't even bother to stop and help.

Is the driver at fault for this kind of situation? Seems if he swerved into the opposing lane causing this guy to crash the driver is to blame. I would have called the cops and had them meet him at the summit. Either way I'm glad the cyclist wasn't hurt worse and I hope he recovers quickly.

Lance, good for you for helping out and I'm glad to hear the cyclist is OK.

I'm also a bit confused as to why the cops weren't called if the driver was clearly at fault...?? Sounds an awful lot like a hit and run.

Crossing over the double yellow to cause an accident = call the cops. :2cents:

Lance, I happened to end up in San Ramon last night. I was hoping to get here earlier, but just couldn't get out of work early enough to see if you wanted to go for a ride. I guess I missed all the fun. I hope this guy is ok and his bike didn't have any unseen damage. I've have a quick class to do and I'm heading back home around 4pm. Maybe next time I'll have a little more time and we can catch a ride together.

Crossing over the double yellow to cause an accident = call the cops. :2cents:

You guys who say one of us should have called the cops are totally right. I can't believe we didn't. I thought of it, but hours later.
In the moment I just wanted to make sure the other rider was okay.

If there is a next time, I call. The driver would learn a lesson, and his insurance might pay for a new bike or at least doctor bills if any.

Wouldn't the van's insurance company (assuming he even has insurance) deny any claim for medical or bike damage reimbursement? It would be unprovable that the van had crossed over the double line. Even if the police were called to make a report, unless the van driver admitted he'd crossed over the double line, would could be written that would state the accident was caused by the van?

While the van driver was clearly at fault, it is quite common for people to cross over the DY, especially in left-handers. I see it ALL the time in the twisties.

It's much safer to get in the habit of staying to the right in blind right-hand corners.

... I see it ALL the time in the twisties...It's much safer to get in the habit of staying to the right in blind right-hand corners.

Thanks for the tip and the reminder

My policy is to assume there's a bad driver in the wrong lane around every blind corner... my assumption is correct often enough for me to confirm it's a good policy.

The cops won't come though, the folks to call on the Mountain are the rangers... 925-855-1730. They might not always side with the cyclist, even with a witness; but a hit and run is serious stuff.

It's amazing cars don't have collisions with other cars more often around these switchbacks... but then the bikes usually outnumber them by 10-1 or so.

My policy is to assume there's a bad driver in the wrong lane around every blind corner... my assumption is correct often enough for me to confirm it's a good policy.

+1

I don't care being a few minutes slower on the descent. I, however, do care reaching the bottom in one piece.

My policy is to assume there's a bad driver in the wrong lane around every blind corner... my assumption is correct often enough for me to confirm it's a good policy.

The cops won't come though, the folks to call on the Mountain are the rangers... 925-855-1730. They might not always side with the cyclist, even with a witness; but a hit and run is serious stuff.

It's amazing cars don't have collisions with other cars more often around these switchbacks... but then the bikes usually outnumber them by 10-1 or so.

I now always do this on Diablo...at least 3 or 4 times this past weekend I was passed by someone while heading up that went over the double yellow on a blind curve. They gave me plenty of space but in turn would've demolished anyone descending hot. I just don't mess with it anymore...no point...so I can improve my personal best on the downhill? Not worth it...

My policy is to assume there's a bad driver in the wrong lane around every blind corner... my assumption is correct often enough for me to confirm it's a good policy.

The cops won't come though, the folks to call on the Mountain are the rangers... 925-855-1730. They might not always side with the cyclist, even with a witness; but a hit and run is serious stuff.

It's amazing cars don't have collisions with other cars more often around these switchbacks... but then the bikes usually outnumber them by 10-1 or so.

Where does that number ring? Is that a general ranger number or the Diablo park rangers? I've often wondered if there was a quick way to access a ranger if I saw someone in distress...or if it was me.

Where does that number ring? Is that a general ranger number or the Diablo park rangers? I've often wondered if there was a quick way to access a ranger if I saw someone in distress...or if it was me.

That's the supervising ranger on Mount Diablo and I'm pretty sure someone will always answer that phone, it's the number I have programmed into my phone. I don't know what happens if you call the kiosk and no one's there - but here are some other numbers... some of them are just recordings or phone trees.



Other telephone numbers:
925-855-1730 Supervising Ranger

925-837-6129 Junction Ranger
925-672-4266 Mitchell Canyon
925-837-6119 Summit Museum
925-837-0904 Entrance Station (I'm not sure if this is NG or SG kiosk)
925-837-6122 Maintenance
925-673-2891 Sector Office



I also have these in my contacts:
Weather at the Summit (recording): 925-838-9225
Road conditions and closures and general conditions (recording):925-837-2525

That's the supervising ranger on Mount Diablo and I'm pretty sure someone will always answer that phone, it's the number I have programmed into my phone. I don't know what happens if you call the kiosk and no one's there - but here are some other numbers... some of them are just recordings or phone trees.



Other telephone numbers:
925-855-1730 Supervising Ranger

925-837-6129 Junction Ranger
925-672-4266 Mitchell Canyon
925-837-6119 Summit Museum
925-837-0904 Entrance Station (I'm not sure if this is NG or SG kiosk)
925-837-6122 Maintenance
925-673-2891 Sector Office



I also have these in my contacts:
Weather at the Summit (recording): 925-838-9225
Road conditions and closures and general conditions (recording):925-837-2525

Awesome...thank you!

I wonder if we could start a movement to sign the summit roads "Do not violate center lines. Cyclists descending" or some such thing.

LanceOldStrong: I feared opening this thread. Glad you are still rolling. And I'm not at all surprised that you were busy being you.

While the van driver was clearly at fault, it is quite common for people to cross over the DY, especially in left-handers. I see it ALL the time in the twisties.

It's much safer to get in the habit of staying to the right in blind right-hand corners.

My policy is to assume there's a bad driver in the wrong lane around every blind corner... my assumption is correct often enough for me to confirm it's a good policy.Agreed. Car, motorcycle, or bicycle, I try to stay way the hell over in blind turns, left or right. Too many nutbars out there, and they always seem to know the perfect time to jump out of the shadows. The roads with a marked or implied center line are bad enough, let alone the narrow "lane-and-a-half" roads.

Of course, it's just as scary when you're prepared for it, so I don't blame the cyclist in the OP. I'm glad neither he or his bike were hurt worse, and that you were nearby to help him out, LO.

Confidential to minivan driver: Classy.

Glad the guy is OK. LanceOldstrong nice job on the assist.

I wonder if we could start a movement to sign the summit roads "Do not violate center lines. Cyclists descending" or some such thing...

Perhaps a call to Mr. Ranger would work. Maybe they do this already, but I would love it if Mr. Ranger could give some brief instructions to the motorist while they're paying their entry fee. You know, be extra diligent about staying in the proper lanes, watch out for descending cyclist, yada yada yada...

BR

Glad he is ok! Earlier this year, we had two teammates get hit my a van who crossed the double yellow (to get around some other cyclists) on a blind turn. It wasn't a pretty sight and the guys are still healing.

Amazing how the guy didn't even bother to stop, I hope in some weird way he learned a lesson to be safer around blind turns. I don't know how cagers can take blind turns with so little disregard for their own personal safety. The thing coming on the side might be something bigger (like a Mac truck).