An older cyclists was going down a hill and tried to avoid a girl but locked up the front wheel and hit the floor with his head. I don't know who to blame? The girls? The Huffy? The helmet?
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Bicyclist dies after trying to spare girl
A 76-year-old man who loved children tries to avoid hitting one on the Pinellas Trail, leading to his own injury.
By ANNE LINDBERG, Times Staff Writer
Published February 22, 2005
SEMINOLE - Thomas Bragg loved birds, children and bicycling. He died last week from a bicycle accident caused when he tried to avoid injuring a little girl.
Mr. Bragg, 76, was headed home on his red Huffy bike about 4:30 p.m. on Valentine's Day when the accident happened.
He was riding downhill on the Pinellas Trail overpass across Park Boulevard when he saw three 7-year-old girls on roller skates, Pinellas County sheriff's spokesman Mac McMullen said.
Mr. Bragg slowed to avoid hitting one of them and his brakes locked, propelling him over the handlebars and onto the ground, McMullen said.
The child was unharmed. Mr. Bragg's helmet was damaged in the fall and he sustained blunt force trauma to the head.
He was taken to Bayfront Medical Center, where family members were told that Mr. Bragg had irreparable brain damage, said his son, Doug Bragg of Bushnell.
"They declared him brain dead," Doug Bragg said.
The family decided to turn off life support. Mr. Bragg died Feb. 15.
"We knew he was not that kind of guy. He didn't want to live like that or remain like that," his son said. "He went very peacefully, almost serenely. . . . He went doing something he liked to do."
Mr. Bragg's death was the latest tragedy for the family. His eldest son, Thomas, died of cancer.
"It's not been a good decade for us," Doug Bragg said.
Mr. Bragg's funeral was Monday. Afterward, family and friends gathered at his Seminole home to celebrate his life.
"There are stories and lies and all kinds of stuff being told here today and that's the way he wanted it," Doug Bragg said.
Mr. Bragg was a native of Columbus, Ohio, who came here in 1960. He was married and had two sons, Thomas and Doug, but his first wife died after 23 years.
While working at IRC, he met and wed Elsa, to whom he would have been married for 32 years on March 11. Mr. Bragg raised her three sons and adopted her daughter.
"He was very kind . . . to everyone, to children, especially," Mrs. Bragg said. "He was good. . . . He was a fantastic father and grandfather, too."
He retired as a design engineer from General Electric and spent his time bird and people watching and riding his bike. He would ride his bike on the Pinellas Trail and stop to watch the birds and people.
Mrs. Bragg said she plans to go to the overpass where her husband died to walk the place and see if there's a way to avoid such accidents in the future.
"He would have stopped if it had been a little bird," Mrs. Bragg said. "He would have given his life, because that's the way he was."
operator
02-22-05, 03:40 PM
That's a tragedy. But lets not start up the anti/pro helmet debate again please. An accident is an accident.
Helmet-Head
02-22-05, 05:01 PM
does anyone know if the "Pinellas Trail overpass" is a roadway or a multi-use path?
I wouldn't blame, but it does sound like this could have prevented by a change in his behavior.
If an MUP, sounds like he was going too fast for riding on an MUP, where an unexpected 7 year old skater should be... expected.
If a roadway, sounds like he was riding too far to the right.
But it's hard to say for sure given the ambiguities of the story.
slvoid
02-22-05, 05:08 PM
I hit a VERY big hole and endo'ed @ close to 20mph and went down on my head at a 45 or so degree angle and lived to continue on my way. He didn't. It was an accident. Next time, it could happen to me, or you, or anyone else.
Let's not make anything more of it.
But I will say, I've seen a lot of people open doors right in front of me, walk in front of me, turn around and stick their asses out of their door in front of me and if the inevitable happens and I'm in traffic, I will have my human airbag...
skydive69
02-22-05, 05:18 PM
does anyone know if the "Pinellas Trail overpass" is a roadway or a multi-use path?
I wouldn't blame, but it does sound like this could have prevented by a change in his behavior.
If an MUP, sounds like he was going too fast for riding on an MUP, where an unexpected 7 year old skater should be... expected.
If a roadway, sounds like he was riding too far to the right.
But it's hard to say for sure given the ambiguities of the story.
The Pinellas Trail is close to 40 miles long and has many steep overpasses over major roadways. It is inhabited by a pletora of idiots who wander back and forth with little regard to anything or anyone else. About two weeks ago, I was coming down one overpass at about 33 mph - it was clean and green except for a guy proceeding me on a mountain bike. When the idiot got to the bottom, he turned and stopped right in the middle of the trail without looking back. Needless to say, I had one ass puckering maneuver to miss him. I have vowed to stay off the trail, but in this instance I was accompanying a group ride that briefly traversed the trail, and I was riding ahead, because I enjoy attacking the uphills.
This is the second death on the Pinellas Trail in about a month. Another elderly gentleman was struck by a car at one of the roads that intersect the trail, but do not have overpasses.
Helmet-Head
02-22-05, 05:21 PM
33 mph on a MUP? That sounds about 25 mph over a safe speed! (hence the reason most -- there are exceptions-- MUPs are useless for real transportation that is safe).
alanbikehouston
02-22-05, 05:28 PM
Some folks will read this and feel sorry for a guy who got to live 76 years and spend the last day of his life riding his bike...see this as a sad, sad story.
Others might think "Wouldn't it be terrific to live to be 76 years old, and get to spend the last day of my life riding my bike". A great life to the end.
And, someone will seek to place the blame on the bike rider, the kids, the people who designed the road, the people who designed the helmet...someone has to be at fault.
But, me? I just hope I live that long. And, I just hope on the last day of my life, I get one last bike ride. Don't want to be age 76, laying in some "Old Folks" home.
r8ingbull
02-22-05, 05:51 PM
Some folks will read this and feel sorry for a guy who got to live 76 years and spend the last day of his life riding his bike...see this as a sad, sad story.
Others might think "Wouldn't it be terrific to live to be 76 years old, and get to spend the last day of my life riding my bike". A great life to the end.
And, someone will seek to place the blame on the bike rider, the kids, the people who designed the road, the people who designed the helmet...someone has to be at fault.
But, me? I just hope I live that long. And, I just hope on the last day of my life, I get one last bike ride. Don't want to be age 76, laying in some "Old Folks" home.
Same here. Like his wife said, he would have given his life if it had been a bird on the trail. Sounds like a great why to go.
skydive69
02-22-05, 07:04 PM
33 mph on a MUP? That sounds about 25 mph over a safe speed! (hence the reason most -- there are exceptions-- MUPs are useless for real transportation that is safe).
Which is a good point, but it was early Sunday morning before the heavy traffic. But then again, who needs a bike path where you go 8 mph - I can run a hell of a lot faster than that, and I might as well save the wear on my ride!
Helmet-Head
02-22-05, 07:09 PM
But then again, who needs a bike path where you go 8 mph...
In other words... (since most bike paths are unsafe at speeds above 8 mph)... who needs a bike path?.
They're fine for recreational "family" stuff, but, in general (there are exceptions), they are not very useful for real transportation.
Crack'n'fail
02-22-05, 07:11 PM
Which is a good point, but it was early Sunday morning before the heavy traffic. But then again, who needs a bike path where you go 8 mph - I can run a hell of a lot faster than that, and I might as well save the wear on my ride!
speed limits on multi use trails are usually 15 or 20 aren't they?
hi565
02-22-05, 07:33 PM
SEMINOLE - Thomas Bragg loved birds, children and bicycling.
:eek:
On a more serious note that really sucks.
LittleBigMan
02-22-05, 07:45 PM
A very sad story in the St. Petersburg Times.
SEMINOLE - Thomas Bragg loved birds, children and bicycling. He died last week from a bicycle accident caused when he tried to avoid injuring a little girl.
Mr. Bragg, 76, was headed home on his red Huffy bike about 4:30 p.m. on Valentine's Day when the accident happened.
He was riding downhill on the Pinellas Trail overpass across Park Boulevard when he saw three 7-year-old girls on roller skates, Pinellas County sheriff's spokesman Mac McMullen said.
Mr. Bragg slowed to avoid hitting one of them and his brakes locked, propelling him over the handlebars and onto the ground, McMullen said.
The child was unharmed. Mr. Bragg's helmet was damaged in the fall and he sustained blunt force trauma to the head.
"He was riding downhill on the Pinellas Trail overpass across Park Boulevard when he saw three 7 year-old girls on roller skates..."
vincenzosi
02-22-05, 07:49 PM
speed limits on multi use trails are usually 15 or 20 aren't they?
Near my parents is a Gateway National Recreation Center. They have a Multiuse Path with a speed limit of 15. That path is all but useless if you want to go for a real bike ride. I mean, not to bag on the people on it, but the people on it are barely doing 5 and have twelve kids and walk 5 abreast covering both directions.
In other words, useless.
Now don't get me wrong, I'm not the impatient jerk behind them yelling "On your left" etc. I just avoid that specially designed path altogether and ride laps on the entrance road. Much less to worry about when you're moving the same direction as traffic and, if the traffic follows the speed limit of 20, almost the same speed.
Dchiefransom
02-22-05, 08:48 PM
does anyone know if the "Pinellas Trail overpass" is a roadway or a multi-use path?
I wouldn't blame, but it does sound like this could have prevented by a change in his behavior.
If an MUP, sounds like he was going too fast for riding on an MUP, where an unexpected 7 year old skater should be... expected.
If a roadway, sounds like he was riding too far to the right.
But it's hard to say for sure given the ambiguities of the story.
It doesn't say what they think his speed was, but it could have been 15mph or under. The article said "his brakes locked". No matter where he was riding, his brakes either had a problem, or he put his brakes on so hard that he went over the handlebar. For all we know, he tried to squeeze the brake levers through the bar grips, causing the accident. He's an older nice guy that worries about injuring others.
Portis
02-22-05, 08:56 PM
I fail to see the need for analysis.
jeff williams
02-22-05, 09:35 PM
That's a sad story, I almost hit a rider fixing on a trail around 30 mph. I ditched ... he cel phoned the medics. Evac.
His fault, but 180 lbs @ 30 mph? I'd have messed him up bad, if I was riding a fs bike I would have out ridden the ravine. :mad:
I've ditched before = kids, old folks i'll bite it.
If i'm aware of a car in the next lane and an adult + your fault?
You might get smoked.
Learn to steer BEHIND AND PAST the object crossing your path.
Kids...well you ditch..but learn to ditch by rear braking, get down -slide the rear sideways.
Just like dropping a motorcycle.
Sounds like a very nice man, perhaps not a super cyclist.
R.I.P. Respect.
gritface
02-22-05, 09:36 PM
The air quality is better on a MUP, sometimes I don't mind the slower speed to avoid exhaust.
Raiyn
02-22-05, 11:56 PM
I was coming down one overpass at about 33 mph - it was clean and green except for a guy proceeding me on a mountain bike. When the idiot got to the bottom, he turned and stopped right in the middle of the trail without looking back. Needless to say, I had one ass puckering maneuver to miss him. I have vowed to stay off the trail, but in this instance I was accompanying a group ride that briefly traversed the trail, and I was riding ahead, because I enjoy attacking the uphills.
.
Sounds almost exactly like what happened to me except my idiots were a pair of middle schoolers one of whom stopped at the bottom directly in my original line and the other swerved over into the space that I would have had to avoid them had they moved together.
Serge, you don't ride in our area, I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell us what's "good" for transportational puropses in our area.
John E
02-23-05, 09:23 PM
Proper front brake modulation technique can be a bit tricky to learn. Stories such as this reinforce the public's general misplaced fear of the front brake.
Raiyn
02-24-05, 01:01 AM
Proper front brake modulation technique can be a bit tricky to learn. Stories such as this reinforce the public's general misplaced fear of the front brake.
True enough, but for what I see of most Huffy brakes he'd be lucky to have even gotten power form that brake
bab
02-24-05, 07:14 AM
Here is the website for the Pinellas Country trail... It is huge but just like any other public place, it has become to over crowded and you really need to keep your eyes open if you are on a bike..
http://www.pinellascounty.org/trailgd/default.htm
JohnBrooking
02-24-05, 10:01 AM
Shouldn't his helmet have protected him, as in slvoid's case? Might it have been a defective or broken helmet? Could he have been wearing it improperly? Or was this just one of those extenuating cases that helmets won't cover, without spending inordinately more money in their design and manufacture? (Probably it could have been any of these, but we'll never know.)
Not trying to open the wear-or-not-wear one debate, I'm just trying to figure out why my expectation of its protective ability was seemingly not met here.
galen_52657
02-24-05, 10:32 AM
A very sad story in the St. Petersburg Times.
An older cyclists was going down a hill and tried to avoid a girl but locked up the front wheel and hit the floor with his head. I don't know who to blame? The girls? The Huffy? The helmet?
Thats the problem with people in this country. They have to find someone to 'blame'. It was an accident. The guy died. It's sad. Casting blame will not bring him back. Get over it.
foehn
02-24-05, 10:51 AM
Thats the problem with people in this country. They have to find someone to 'blame'. It was an accident. The guy died. It's sad. Casting blame will not bring him back. Get over it.
I feel this way too! I tell my kids that sometimes "Stuff" happens. Blaming someone/something may make you feel better, but it's better to own up to the fact that bad stuff happens, usually for no reason at all. And I tell them to admit when they are wrong; when something bad happens to someone, much of the time(not all of the time) that someone had something to do with what happened to him/her. Take responsibility for your actions and realize that bad stuff sometimes happens to the best of us.
closetbiker
02-24-05, 12:08 PM
Thats the problem with people in this country. They have to find someone to 'blame'. It was an accident. The guy died. It's sad. Casting blame will not bring him back. Get over it.
I don't think any one is casting blame here, just simply trying to understand what happened so as to avoid a similar situation in the future.
Yes, stuff happens, but we should try to see if all that could be done was done to avoid a collision.
The kids were in the way at the bottom of the hill, maybe they should have not been in the way, maybe the cyclist was going to fast for sight or conditions or maybe his Huffy breaks weren't good enough or maybe his braking technique wasn't up to snuff. What about the surface material of the trail? If it was that gravel-type stuff, did that contribute to the loss of control and fall? Maybe the helmet worked to it's ability or maybe it was an old, substandard, previously hit or worn incorrectly. Maybe only 1 of these accidents happen for every 1,000 trips or 1 for every 100,000 trips. Which would be acceptable? How many die in accidents that happen every day doing ordinary, mundane things?
There was that story a while ago about 2 cyclists colliding on a Denver bicycle path resulting in the death from head injuries for 1 of the cyclists despite helmets being worn and a couple of months ago a Calgary cyclist was killed commuting from work on a bike path while wearing a helmet. The point here, I think , is to say accidents do happen, people do die, but in the larger picture was everyone doing what they could to prevent an accident and doing everything they could to benefit themselves (and others around them) by cycling?
I have a suspicion everything was done as best as they could be done and this was an isolated incident that shows us we are not immortal and there are no magic bullets that will avoid all manner of death. Being 76 doing something you love, while preventing possible serious injury to children is not a bad way to go out (as we all will at some point)
wannaride
02-24-05, 01:32 PM
I'm sorry to hear about this but several things make no sense and yes analysis is required. If we do not learn about mistakes we are bound to repeat them.
1. I've been on that trail and you generally have a very good forward field of vision.
2. I've braked hard enough to skid as hard as I could on two wheels for at least the last 40 years. The only time I've gone over the bars was when the front wheel got trapped in something. This includes racing motorcycles that generate huge front wheel loads under braking. I really doubt this event - there are no accidents in my book - occurred as described.
Toyman991
02-24-05, 03:04 PM
I used to ride the PT often but only between Tarpon Springs and Dunedin. Even on this relatively open stretch, you have to watch out for wandering pedestrians and those walking four abreast. Also, yelling "on your left" invariably causes them to move to their left.
These days, I avoid the PT altogether. John
skydive69
02-24-05, 03:53 PM
I'm sorry to hear about this but several things make no sense and yes analysis is required. If we do not learn about mistakes we are bound to repeat them.
1. I've been on that trail and you generally have a very good forward field of vision.
2. I've braked hard enough to skid as hard as I could on two wheels for at least the last 40 years. The only time I've gone over the bars was when the front wheel got trapped in something. This includes racing motorcycles that generate huge front wheel loads under braking. I really doubt this event - there are no accidents in my book - occurred as described.
The incident was exacerbated probably by a combination of improper braking technique, but also plying said poor technique on a downhill. It is a shame that one is allowed to ride a vehicle capable of going rather fast without demonstrating certain skills. I almost got taken out my a left turning motorist during a sprint, and with the adrenalin of the sprint, I locked up my rear wheel, but had the presence of mind to let off enough to regain traction, and ultimately stop just prior to becoming his hood ornament. I was able to carry over a skill I learned at the Motorcycle Safety Foundation's advanced handling course. Having said that, I wish there were courses like that for cyclists in that I certainly could use better bike handling skills.
Raiyn
02-24-05, 04:24 PM
Shouldn't his helmet have protected him, as in slvoid's case? Might it have been a defective or broken helmet? Could he have been wearing it improperly? Or was this just one of those extenuating cases that helmets won't cover, without spending inordinately more money in their design and manufacture? (Probably it could have been any of these, but we'll never know.)
Given the number of improperly fastened and positioned helmet I see everytime I ride the trail chances are decent that the helmet in this situation was worn incorrectly. It's sad that people don't follow the instructions that come with helmets. God knows how many people I've had come in and try helmets and put them on like they were a yarmulka. They're always so suprised when I explain that the way that they've been doing it is incorrect. <shrug>
edit: Please tell me that closetbiker is NOT going to twist this to suit his own ends
closetbiker
02-24-05, 05:27 PM
Given the number of improperly fastened and positioned helmet I see everytime I ride the trail chances are decent that the helmet in this situation was worn incorrectly. It's sad that people don't follow the instructions that come with helmets. God knows how many people I've had come in and try helmets and put them on like they were a yarmulka. They're always so syrprised when I explain that the way that they've been doing it is incorrect. <shrug>
but you don't know if it was worn properly or not. We had studies done here in BC monitoring helmet usage both pre and post MHL and rates of incorrect helmet use remained the same at about 8%.
We do know that there are many deaths of head injuries by cyclists who were wearing helmets properly and that helmets are not going to prevent all head injury deaths. There are warning lables on helmets about this.
There are more reasons for this death than just 1 reason. We should look at all of them.
elcabron
02-25-05, 05:50 PM
sorry guys.
What's a MUP?
Mass Unit Production?
Uh, Mobile Untethered Projectile?
I think it might be a cheap-ass bike?
Any accurate definition welcome...
El Cabron
bikecrate
02-25-05, 06:27 PM
There are too many variables to tell exactly why the man died. Was it poor quality or maintained bike, old or improperly worn helmet, speeds higher than his reaction time. Perhaps a younger person could have sustained the same injuries and survived? Maybe bad luck. Hard to say. Doesn't sound like anyone's fault. It's terrible in the sense that he tried to do the right thing and payed the price. I have ridden on the PT several times and it’s a great peaceful car less trail. The trade off is the multi use environment. There are walkers, runners, dogs, skaters, junk bikes, high end bikes, kids etc. trying to share space on a strip of concrete that's about as wide as two sidewalks. Throw into this mix the usual lack of attention people give to their surroundings. There is a speed limit as well, but it is routinely exceeded by most of the faster bikes on the path especially when they are coming down off the overpasses. Bikes are suppose to stay on one side of the path and walkers on the other. This is also sometimes ignored.
Bruce Rosar
02-25-05, 10:54 PM
What's a MUP?
Here's a definition.
Multi-Use Path: A path physically separated from motor vehicle traffic by an open space or barrier and either within a highway right-of-way or within an independent right-of-way, used by bicyclists, pedestrians, joggers, skaters and other non-motorized travelers.
jeff williams
02-25-05, 11:43 PM
Motorist upright and pedantic. MUP.
Rowan
02-26-05, 02:26 AM
Quote:
Multi-Use Path: A path physically separated from motor vehicle traffic by an open space or barrier and either within a highway right-of-way or within an independent right-of-way, used by bicyclists, pedestrians, joggers, skaters and other non-motorized travelers.
You (collectively) might have to rethink that bit about non-motorised travellers -- in Europe, scooters have become the bane of cyclists on paths and bike lanes. In Australia, powered scooters (like push scooters), pocket-rocket bikes, powered skateboards are leaving sickening plumes of two-stroke fumes, noise and general disharmony in their wake -- all legally, apparently.
pseudobrit
02-26-05, 05:28 AM
I think it's quite simple. There's no real blame to be found. He was a poorly trained cyclist on a cheap bike who made a mistake and died.
I've had to squeeze hard on my brakes going downhill at high speeds. While the bike gets a little squirrelly, I move my CoG back far enough that doing an endo is the least of my concerns.
Rowan
02-26-05, 02:52 PM
Poorly trained cyclist might be a bit harsh here. I wonder how your body will be at the age of this rider.
In my experience, the shift of body weight back over the seat is only part of the equation. I have found that most front endover incidents result in the collapse of the arms, allowing the body to pitch forward in an arc. It's rather like tripping up while walking -- the feet stay in one place, the upper part of the body keeps going over.
I would suggest that perhaps in all the panic, the simple act of locking the elbows and wrists FIRST then moving the body back almost simultaneously might not have happened.
As stated in a much earlier post, a tragic accident for somone who was cared about in his community, and who was doing something he was renowned for -- trying to protect the interests of a young person.
TrevorInSoCal
02-26-05, 03:42 PM
The incident was exacerbated probably by a combination of improper braking technique, but also plying said poor technique on a downhill. It is a shame that one is allowed to ride a vehicle capable of going rather fast without demonstrating certain skills. I almost got taken out my a left turning motorist during a sprint, and with the adrenalin of the sprint, I locked up my rear wheel, but had the presence of mind to let off enough to regain traction, and ultimately stop just prior to becoming his hood ornament. I was able to carry over a skill I learned at the Motorcycle Safety Foundation's advanced handling course. Having said that, I wish there were courses like that for cyclists in that I certainly could use better bike handling skills.
If you're a motorcyclist you may have heard many motorcyclists claim (I've heard the claim numerous times.) that there's no better way to learn how a bike handles at the limits of traction, than riding in the dirt. Same goes for pedal-bikes. Get a mountain-bike and go play in the dirt. Your handling skills will improve. OTOH, much like on a motorcycle, not all of those techniques are directly transferrable to the road, but the experience is invaluable.
Besides, mtn. biking is just plain fun. :)
-Trevor
slvoid
02-26-05, 08:47 PM
Shouldn't his helmet have protected him, as in slvoid's case? Might it have been a defective or broken helmet? Could he have been wearing it improperly? Or was this just one of those extenuating cases that helmets won't cover, without spending inordinately more money in their design and manufacture? (Probably it could have been any of these, but we'll never know.)
Not trying to open the wear-or-not-wear one debate, I'm just trying to figure out why my expectation of its protective ability was seemingly not met here.
Well I got lucky. Plus the week before, just out of the blue, I decided to tighten my straps so my helmet wouldn't slide backwards in an accident. I think that was the single most important thing I did that prevented me from serious injury.
Raiyn
02-26-05, 10:18 PM
Well I got lucky. Plus the week before, just out of the blue, I decided to tighten my straps so my helmet wouldn't slide backwards in an accident. I think that was the single most important thing I did that prevented me from serious injury.
By doing that one simple thing you corrected the number one problem I see untrained people with helmets having.
cycleup
03-04-05, 08:10 PM
Thats the problem with people in this country. They have to find someone to 'blame'. It was an accident. The guy died. It's sad. Casting blame will not bring him back. Get over it.
"Blame" may be pointless, but not accident analysis. Figuring out why an accident happened is a good way to improve things. Just ask any pilot. (Not that we have enough info here to do much in the way of analysis...)