Fifty Plus (50+) - Sally Meyerhoff, star marathoner, killed in bicycle accident

March 9, 2011 2:21 PM

Sally Meyerhoff: Athlete's fatal bike crash.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-20041185-10391704.html

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-naw-sally-meyerhoff-20110309,0,5939791.story

It's a tragedy anytime someone is lost in this manner. But the CDC is way out of line with their comment or, CBS/AP reported what they said out of context. Most emergency room visits by cyclists don't involve a rider hitting a truck or automobile for that matter. The numbers are really about kids on bikes doing what kids do. Sorry for the rant, but it just annoys me that someone is dead, and now everyone wants to jump on the bandwagon. I'll keep Sally's family and friends in my thoughts tonight.

Yes, the cbs/ap article goes into little detail about what happened.
I wonder if it really was as simple as blowing through a stop sign? "still investigating"
Sad, in any case.

If she went through a stop sign, then riding the bicycle is not the problem. she might have been killed in a car if she went through the stop sign. The problem here is not obeying stop signs, if that's what actually happened.

Whatever the details, it's horribly tragic. I know the shock waves that family and friends feel after a sudden, unexpected loss due to a tragic preventable accident -- one needs to experience it first-hand know the sickening punch-in-the-gut feeling and hurting heart it causes in the aftermath. I feel for her family, friends and fellow athletes.

It's a terrible thing to lose some of our best people, especially so when they are just reaching their maximal potential.

27 y/o So sad.

Sad. Especially since it was apparently preventable.

It's all too common that people are willing to use a coffin as a soapbox to espouse their own pet peeves. In other times and places it would be considered appalling.

It's a tragedy anytime someone is lost in this manner... it just annoys me that someone is dead, and now everyone wants to jump on the bandwagon...
Amen! I actually had a motorist tell me "You should get off the road - I don't understand why you want to put yourself in danger by biking in the road... etc." Whereupon I reminded him that it is a law that we share the road equally and respect each other's rights (man, was I surprised at myself!). If the bare fact of her going through the stop sign is true, then while no less tragic, her death would be condsidered avoidable. RIP, Sally. I will remember your lesson well.

After the earlier death of another great runner, CDC did not say:
"Steve Prefontaine: Athlete's fatal car crash one of tens of thousands each year."

Paul

After the earlier death of another great runner, CDC did not say:
"Steve Prefontaine: Athlete's fatal car crash one of tens of thousands each year."

Paul

CDC did not write the article - CBC used info from CDC in their article about the death.

After the earlier death of another great runner, CDC did not say:
"Steve Prefontaine: Athlete's fatal car crash one of tens of thousands each year."

Paul

In Pre's case, it would have been a legitimate public service to point out that he was driving drunk and crashed while speeding in a residential neighborhood. He was putting every other user of the public right-of-way whom he encountered at risk. It was preventable, and it could have been a lot worse.

This was mentioned in our club meeting last night. The fact she ran the stop sign was also mentioned, but, I dont know what source the person had for that information.