Originally Posted by markward
My son and I had a tandem for 18 months and he always rode captain. He is 16 and was learning very well, gaining confidence and experience daily. However, I now feel I did too much of the spotting hazards and danger and telling him when to slow for corners etc.
On 14th August we were comming down a fast hill, about 35mph, and I did not foresee the bend to warn him. We cornered hard but he must have panicked and straightened up before clearing the bend. The bike touched the verge, he lost control and we came off. He sustained massive head injuries, up from below is neck (a helmet would have made no difference) and he died two days later. We buried him a week ago and I still cannot believe it.
I sustained the usual road rash, cuts and bruises and a three smashed metatasels. My body will mend but my heart will always be broken. I shall not ride a tandem again.
Please take care at speed, it can kill!!!
I'm very sorry to hear about your loss. I can't imagine what you must be going through. I thank you for warning us about being safe during this difficult time for you and your family.
I am extra careful these days when riding- I commuted via bicycle for many years and found out how many drivers really don't pay any attention to the road. These days, I rarely go over 25mph even on the steepest of declines- at my weight, bicycle brakes don't do a great job at bringing me to a complete stop once I reach higher speeds. So with the weight addition of another adult rider, my guess is that we won't see speeds of more than 15mph on any rides soon- I also plan to mainly stay on flat grounds since that's possible where we live.
Sorry again for your loss.