Southern California - Bicyclist killed Sunday, 10-16-2011 in Laguna

Anybody know anything about this? Very sad.

http://www.ocregister.com/news/bicyclist-322284-downhill-beach.html

Man - there are too many of these accidents happening... Sad

At least it doesn't say anything about being another hit&run. There are some monstrously steep hills in Laguna Beach.
If you guys end up reading one of these news stories like this about me one day, at least I went doing something I dearly loved.
Godspeed, Mark.

looks like the crash happened just after the hairpin turn where the gradient gets well into the double digits... plus from the residential section up top, its pretty much straight away at 12% percent, so you can be entering that hairpin at mach speed if you wanted to. the downhill lane on park is much narrower than the uphill one around that hairpin, so you really have to be careful going down at a speed you are comfortable with. wouldn't take much at those speeds leaning into a turn to throw you off. be careful out there, ride sensible and within your abilities.

Sad.

I wish Mark's family and friends the strength to bear his loss with fortitude and courage.

That sucks.

I've been wondering about this one. I guess he just crashed on a downhill? RIP...:(

I really hate descents. I'm so slow on them just to try and reduce the chance of death. I hope the fear keeps me alive.

RIP.....Cyclist #59 dead in Socal for 2011.

I really hate descents. I'm so slow on them just to try and reduce the chance of death. I hope the fear keeps me alive.

RIP.....Cyclist #59 dead in Socal for 2011.

Wow!! I didn't know the number was that high!

I'm quoting this site, as they seem to keep track of things: http://bikinginla.wordpress.com/

"
Very few details are available yet.
However, the Orange County Register reports that 28-year old Mark Leones of Costa Mesa apparently lost control on a steep downhill and crashed in a solo bicycle collision.
The wreck occurred on Park Avenue (http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Park+Avenue,+Laguna+Beach,+CA&hl=en&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=41.360684,74.619141&vpsrc=0&hnear=Park+Ave,+Laguna+Beach,+California&t=m&z=15) in Laguna Beach shortly after 11 am; Leones reportedly died on route to the hospital. He was wearing a helmet at the time of the collision.
Leones is the 59th cyclist confirmed to have died as a result of a bicycling collision in Southern California this year, compared to 55 in each of the last two years on record. He is also the eighth fatality in Orange County since the first of the year, and the 6th to die in a solo collision throughout SoCal this year.
My deepest sympathy to his family and loved ones.
More information when it becomes available.
Update: Still very little information on this wreck. Laguna Beach Patch reports that Leones fel (http://lagunabeach.patch.com/articles/man-riding-bike-down-park-avenue-in-laguna-beach-dies-after-crash)l on the 1900 block of Park Avenue (http://maps.google.com/maps?q=1900+Park+Avenue,+Laguna+Beach,+CA&hl=en&ll=33.547457,-117.765477&spn=0.010659,0.018218&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=41.360684,74.619141&vpsrc=6&hnear=1900+Park+Ave,+Laguna+Beach,+California+92651&t=h&z=16). Commenters on Slowtwitch.com described the location (http://forum.slowtwitch.com/forum/Slowtwitch_Forums_C1/Triathlon_Forum_F1/Sadly_another_SoCal_cycling_death..._P3587472/)as a steep downhill with a nearly 20% grade where riders can easily reach very high speeds; combined with the sweeping curves in that section of roadway, that can present a very dangerous combination that demands a high level of skill from a rider.
If anyone has more information, please let me know."

I'm quoting this site, as they seem to keep track of things: http://bikinginla.wordpress.com/

"
Very few details are available yet.
However, the Orange County Register reports that 28-year old Mark Leones of Costa Mesa apparently lost control on a steep downhill and crashed in a solo bicycle collision.
The wreck occurred on Park Avenue (http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Park+Avenue,+Laguna+Beach,+CA&hl=en&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=41.360684,74.619141&vpsrc=0&hnear=Park+Ave,+Laguna+Beach,+California&t=m&z=15) in Laguna Beach shortly after 11 am; Leones reportedly died on route to the hospital. He was wearing a helmet at the time of the collision.
Leones is the 59th cyclist confirmed to have died as a result of a bicycling collision in Southern California this year, compared to 55 in each of the last two years on record. He is also the eighth fatality in Orange County since the first of the year, and the 6th to die in a solo collision throughout SoCal this year.
My deepest sympathy to his family and loved ones.
More information when it becomes available.
Update: Still very little information on this wreck. Laguna Beach Patch reports that Leones fel (http://lagunabeach.patch.com/articles/man-riding-bike-down-park-avenue-in-laguna-beach-dies-after-crash)l on the 1900 block of Park Avenue (http://maps.google.com/maps?q=1900+Park+Avenue,+Laguna+Beach,+CA&hl=en&ll=33.547457,-117.765477&spn=0.010659,0.018218&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=41.360684,74.619141&vpsrc=6&hnear=1900+Park+Ave,+Laguna+Beach,+California+92651&t=h&z=16). Commenters on Slowtwitch.com described the location (http://forum.slowtwitch.com/forum/Slowtwitch_Forums_C1/Triathlon_Forum_F1/Sadly_another_SoCal_cycling_death..._P3587472/)as a steep downhill with a nearly 20% grade where riders can easily reach very high speeds; combined with the sweeping curves in that section of roadway, that can present a very dangerous combination that demands a high level of skill from a rider.
If anyone has more information, please let me know."

Wow, over one death a week. Yikes! Ride safe.

I think the most surprising statistic is that 6 out of the 8 deaths in Orange County were from "solo collisions"... it sounds like more than anything we are killing ourselves.

I think the most surprising statistic is that 6 out of the 8 deaths in Orange County were from "solo collisions"... it sounds like more than anything we are killing ourselves.

Completely agree.

heard from a friend that rides regularly with the group that mark was riding with at the time of his accident, and he said that mark lost control and ran his bike straight into a wall. i figured at 35-40mph, even if you fall off your bike, chances are good that you'll survive. but slamming into a concrete wall at those speeds is surely fatal.

I think the most surprising statistic is that 6 out of the 8 deaths in Orange County were from "solo collisions"... it sounds like more than anything we are killing ourselves.

That is not what the statistic says. 8 have died in OC. 6 of the 59 have died from solo collisions in all of SoCal.

I'm quoting this site, as they seem to keep track of things: http://bikinginla.wordpress.com/

"
Very few details are available yet.
However, the Orange County Register reports that 28-year old Mark Leones of Costa Mesa apparently lost control on a steep downhill and crashed in a solo bicycle collision.
The wreck occurred on Park Avenue (http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Park+Avenue,+Laguna+Beach,+CA&hl=en&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=41.360684,74.619141&vpsrc=0&hnear=Park+Ave,+Laguna+Beach,+California&t=m&z=15) in Laguna Beach shortly after 11 am; Leones reportedly died on route to the hospital. He was wearing a helmet at the time of the collision.
Leones is the 59th cyclist confirmed to have died as a result of a bicycling collision in Southern California this year, compared to 55 in each of the last two years on record. He is also the eighth fatality in Orange County since the first of the year, and the 6th to die in a solo collision throughout SoCal this year.
My deepest sympathy to his family and loved ones.
More information when it becomes available.
Update: Still very little information on this wreck. Laguna Beach Patch reports that Leones fel (http://lagunabeach.patch.com/articles/man-riding-bike-down-park-avenue-in-laguna-beach-dies-after-crash)l on the 1900 block of Park Avenue (http://maps.google.com/maps?q=1900+Park+Avenue,+Laguna+Beach,+CA&hl=en&ll=33.547457,-117.765477&spn=0.010659,0.018218&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=41.360684,74.619141&vpsrc=6&hnear=1900+Park+Ave,+Laguna+Beach,+California+92651&t=h&z=16). Commenters on Slowtwitch.com described the location (http://forum.slowtwitch.com/forum/Slowtwitch_Forums_C1/Triathlon_Forum_F1/Sadly_another_SoCal_cycling_death..._P3587472/)as a steep downhill with a nearly 20% grade where riders can easily reach very high speeds; combined with the sweeping curves in that section of roadway, that can present a very dangerous combination that demands a high level of skill from a rider.
If anyone has more information, please let me know."


I think the most surprising statistic is that 6 out of the 8 deaths in Orange County were from "solo collisions"... it sounds like more than anything we are killing ourselves.
I could be reading it wrong, but it looks like six of the fifty-nine cyclists who died in collisions in SoCal died in solo collisions as opposed to six of the eight who died in Orange County. There is quite a difference between 90% of dead cyclists having been done in by motorists versus 75% of them doing themselves in.

Either way, this is tragic. At least he was doing what he loved to do right up to the end. I hope to go that way, but I do hope it is many years away.

Yes, I reread, and it clearly says 6 solo in all of SoCal. Sorry.

59! Too many. Way too many.

What? That's leaves about 15 of us left? Ride safe everyone, and within your abilities.

At least it doesn't say anything about being another hit&run. There are some monstrously steep hills in Laguna Beach.
If you guys end up reading one of these news stories like this about me one day, at least I went doing something I dearly loved.
Godspeed, Mark.:D :thumb:

Some kind of curse on the OC, I can barely recall one about a year ago here in Dago.

I could be reading it wrong, but it looks like six of the fifty-nine cyclists who died in collisions in SoCal died in solo collisions as opposed to six of the eight who died in Orange County. There is quite a difference between 90% of dead cyclists having been done in by motorists versus 75% of them doing themselves in.

Either way, this is tragic. At least he was doing what he loved to do right up to the end. I hope to go that way, but I do hope it is many years away. Still safer than a crotch Rocket, Balboa had an entire ward dedicated to motorcycle accidents, some as bad as anything in combat, aside from having your best friends brains splattered all over your face. Amputations, paralyzed, TBI you name it they had it, everything but a purple heart & a combat action medal.

59, holy crap...thats insane

personally i will probably ride 100x more carefully after reading this....and i love descents....may they all RIP!

59 is a lot of bicycle fatalities, but I wonder how many people in Southern California will die this year due to cardiac arrest? It's probably in the 10's of thousands or something. Considering that cycling regularly will probably reduce my chance of cardiac arrest, I like my chances. Also - I would be surprised if auto fatalities was greater than bike fatalities. It's true that motorists are killing cyclists, but they are also killing other motorists as well.

A follow-up piece (http://www.ocregister.com/news/leones-323314-sister-bike.html) in the OC Register...