This week a Kiwi Bike Race promoter was found guilty of being a bad person and this lead to the death of a cyclist during a race last year.
Now I don't know all the details but what follows is my (mis?) understanding of what happened.
Race promoter puts on race and declares that "Summit Road is closed for this race". Note that the whole course was not closed and no-one said it was closed. The road was apparently closed so the organizers could check riders were actually registered! Fair enough I say.
Woman in relay team rides along Summit road and then off summit road and on to another road. At a blind corner, she passes several other cyclists and into the path of a legally oncoming car!. Woman dies. Bugger.
Dead relay woman is not confirmed as ever having heard race announcement. Family of course says she wouldn't have been on wrong side of road if she klnew it wasn't closed. Amazing that dead people all seem to be law abiding angels.
I've never met the dead woman, the race promoter or whatever. I'm sorry she died. Who's fault is it? I don't think the race director. I think the Judge screwed up. Bummer for bike racing in NZ.
When I do races, I occassionally break the rules. For example the race director many times will say. "This is not a closed course, do not cross the centreline of the road". In this case, since the road isn't closed, I believe the normal road rules apply. This means I am allowed to cross the centreline to pass slower vehicles (bikes and/or cars) when it is safe to do so. In one big bike ride here in New Zealand there are 7000 entrants starting in about 4 big waves. I pass people where it is safe to pass. I think that the first 25 miles is closed so I can stay on the wrong side of the road if necessary. Quite often there are medical cars coming the other way, slowly. I look for them and avoid as necessary. After the 25 miles there are still so many cyclists we illegally hog the road. Oncoming traffic has to avoid us (out of courtesy I guess) and everyone seems to get along fine. When the bunch spreads out, I also occassionally pass on the wrong side of the road, but only when the way is clear.
Near the end of the race one year, the last downhill was choked with riders and I was doing over 55mph, passing other wussy braking cyclists, in the opposing lane. When I could see cars coming towards me I would brake and get back on the correct side of the road. When the way cleared I would check over my shoulder for other downhill demons and pull out and start passing again. Good fun, legal and safe.
I wouldn't go on the wrong side of the road on a blind curve to pass, road closed or not. The risk/reward ratio is all wrong.
What do you good people think?
TriDork
TriDork
"Happiness is a myth. All you can hope for is to get laid once in a while, drunk once in a while and to eat chocolate every day"
Now I don't know all the details but what follows is my (mis?) understanding of what happened.
Race promoter puts on race and declares that "Summit Road is closed for this race". Note that the whole course was not closed and no-one said it was closed. The road was apparently closed so the organizers could check riders were actually registered! Fair enough I say.
Woman in relay team rides along Summit road and then off summit road and on to another road. At a blind corner, she passes several other cyclists and into the path of a legally oncoming car!. Woman dies. Bugger.
Dead relay woman is not confirmed as ever having heard race announcement. Family of course says she wouldn't have been on wrong side of road if she klnew it wasn't closed. Amazing that dead people all seem to be law abiding angels.
I've never met the dead woman, the race promoter or whatever. I'm sorry she died. Who's fault is it? I don't think the race director. I think the Judge screwed up. Bummer for bike racing in NZ.
When I do races, I occassionally break the rules. For example the race director many times will say. "This is not a closed course, do not cross the centreline of the road". In this case, since the road isn't closed, I believe the normal road rules apply. This means I am allowed to cross the centreline to pass slower vehicles (bikes and/or cars) when it is safe to do so. In one big bike ride here in New Zealand there are 7000 entrants starting in about 4 big waves. I pass people where it is safe to pass. I think that the first 25 miles is closed so I can stay on the wrong side of the road if necessary. Quite often there are medical cars coming the other way, slowly. I look for them and avoid as necessary. After the 25 miles there are still so many cyclists we illegally hog the road. Oncoming traffic has to avoid us (out of courtesy I guess) and everyone seems to get along fine. When the bunch spreads out, I also occassionally pass on the wrong side of the road, but only when the way is clear.
Near the end of the race one year, the last downhill was choked with riders and I was doing over 55mph, passing other wussy braking cyclists, in the opposing lane. When I could see cars coming towards me I would brake and get back on the correct side of the road. When the way cleared I would check over my shoulder for other downhill demons and pull out and start passing again. Good fun, legal and safe.
I wouldn't go on the wrong side of the road on a blind curve to pass, road closed or not. The risk/reward ratio is all wrong.
What do you good people think?
TriDork
TriDork
"Happiness is a myth. All you can hope for is to get laid once in a while, drunk once in a while and to eat chocolate every day"