AS you may already know, this past Sunday in Southeast Michigan was incredibly tragic as two bizarre, serious accidents produced lethal results for one cyclist, wounded three other riders and four other motorists.
This editorial, as near as we could do it, recounts what happened on April 10, 2005 in Michigan: Black Sunday:
Truly sobering Tom, a fine piece about a very horrific subject. There is talk today on the board about safety, and bike handling. But all the good jugdement, flashing lights and superb bike handling skills mean nothing to a 3000 lb vehicle intersecting the same point in space you are occupying. At that point all else becomes moot.
Exactly. I hope I pointed that out in the editorial. No amount of caution can mitigate the incredible risk we take. People die regularly, and that is no exageration.
On April 11, the day after Black Sunday, I did a Google search on “Bicycle Accidents” to sort through reports about Todd’s fatal accident.
There were 418 news reports of bicycle accidents that day in the news search. Most fatal. Most children but some adults. Most involving cars. 418. Imagine that. If there were a school shooting that involved 418 victims it would command national attention. That is roughly 1/6th the number of people killed in the terrorist attack on 9/11/2001. That is a huge number of people for such an innocent pursuit.
People have no idea how dangerous this sport is.
Try doing your search on DUI, the numbers are staggering. Even scarier are the number of DUI deaths where the drunk had previous arrests. Even more staggering is the average number of times peopel drive drunk before getting caught. If terrorists killed as many as drunk drivers, we would be at defcon 1.
There is some information to suggest the driver of the Mustang that killed Todd was drinking or had elevated blood alcohol levels- I can’t remember which. I didn’t have any good information on that so I didn’t really mention it in the editorial.
The smart thing to do would be to quit riding.
The next best alternative is to get lots of life insurance, be careful and never ever let your wife read this editorial.
“The smart thing to do would be to quit riding.”
There is some wisdom to that.
When Mike Aderhold got home that night and told his wife the entire sotry she told him, “We need more life insurance.”
It didn’t make him feel much better.
Your description in the editorial that road cycling has become warlike is so true.
I still haven’t gotten back on the bike since my close call last week.
Still trying to flush out my nerves,and thought it was a good time to focus more on the run and swim.
I’m taking great lengths to find some back back,way back country road to bike on.
I’m here in New England so we have them.
If it means putting the bike on the car and driving out there,I’ll do it.
I’ve got a family that needs me,and they will always come first and foremost.
I want to be able to ride someday w/o having to hold my breath everytime I feel a big truck coming up behind me,and wondering if this is the day.
We are such a wasteful society and take everything for granted.
We drive around in such big trucks and SUV’s w/ gas as high as it is,and are always in a rush to get somewhere ,w/o really thinking things through.
Its always been the problem in the evolution cycle of a species.
I don’t pretend to have any wisdom to offer as a solve,as I too am a guilty consumer in our world,…BUT…I do know that when I’m out there on public roads- I am super conscious of people biking, running,and walking .
And I never cross a double yellow line !!!
Why people can’t fathom the fact that when they do this very evil manuever, they take other peoples lives into their own hands.
And then of course there are the a-holes that drive after they’ve had a few.
Why can’t our gov’t legislate laws that simply state- If you mame,or kill a person while driving drunk…its the GAS Chamber!
That will really curb a persons enthusiasm.
Tom – I think this is one of the best pieces you have written to date. The writing and subject matter complement each other in a sadly somber way that is appoproriate given the circumstances. Well done, and it’s sad you had to write such an obviously difficult piece.
Thanks. It is easy to write about an important topic. The people who were there wrote the story, sad as it is, all I had to do was tell it as it is or as I heard it.
What I hope to acheive is to scare the shit our of everybody. I hope I make peolle think twicve about what they are doing. I hope I scare them into always checking their equipment, wearing a helmet, selecting good routes, doing everything they can to stack the odds in their favor, however minimal that may be.
When you think about the guys who survived the accident at Godfredson and Ann Arbor Trail it is amazing to consider that two guys instead of one could have easily died, or for that matter, all three of them. The first rider in the pace line missed death by a bike length. Dan Foster, who was sitting third in the paceline, saw the man in front of him die instantly and suffered injuries that, as we learned two hours ago, are more serious than originally thought. His wrist and hand are severly injured with multiple fractures.
Worse yet, the guys at D&D Bicycles have to somehow face customers and the bike business with one of their guys gone. That is not fun.
This sport in dangerous. Be careful. The rest is luck.
Good article. I agree. After many close calls and a couple direct hits I do most of my riding on a trainer except for a weekly long ride. After a while you start to get the creepy feeling that your number is going to come up. Out on the road I tend not to think of it but it hits me at home when I’m with my kids.
After this year I may hang up triathlon and focus on running fast. There are just to many dangerous drivers on the roads.
I see good reasons to not ride a road bike on the road. This past Sunday is one.
The issue for me, is that the sport is apart of my living and my lifestyle. I don’t want to not participate. I want to ride on the road and will continue to. I put the chances of being killed in a road cycling accident for me, given a lot of factors, at around 30-40%. The statistical majority of my friends who have died in the past decade have done so on a road bike in an accident.
That said, I won’t abandon the sport. I think there are constructive solutions. Todd Scott in our state has spearheaded an issue to block ridiculous legislation requiring riders to ride single file. That doesn;t address the issue.
Changing driver’s education to include information on driving in an environment where road cyclists are present is a constructive step toward fostering a constructive relationship between motorists and cyclists.
My next editorial is about exactly that.
“What I hope to acheive is to scare the shit our of everybody.”
As someone who lives about halfway between those two accident locations (Plymouth) and who regularly rides on the roads where the accidents occurred, you have achieved your goal.
Michael Bey
You should email your article to that Detroit radio station that was broadcasting the bit on creative ways for drivers to harass cyclists last spring.
“Even more staggering is the average number of times peopel drive drunk before getting caught.”
Read somewhere that the average DUI had driven around 200 times drunk previouisly before getting busted. I live in a rural area and have had a few close calls. It’s not uncommon for local billybobs to be driving around in their pickups with a beer on their lap. Still, I still think it’s safer than a lot of urban areas.
I’d say on average, I get yelled or honked at once a ride. I figure 95% of the people who do this are drunks. Seems to have gotten worse over the years. There are sadistic people out there that like to aggravate people for no other reason then because they can, and the alcohol compounds the problem.
Hopefully video cameras will become lightweight and portable enough so you can mount them on your bars. Then maybe you have a chance of taking action against these people.
At 45, with 4 kids I do not go on the same roads I did when I was 30. I try to stay in the quiet parts of town and hope for the best.
Lastly, I always tell my wife and kids that I love them when I am heading out the door, and she knows why.
Hate to keep the bad news coming, but just today in my small town a bicyclist was hit commuting to work in the morning. I talked to the guy who was driving behind the culprit and saw it all. He was faced with the immediate decision of following the driver or stopping to help the bicyclist. He stopped. The driver kept going…presumably to work, now without a passenger side mirror. Bicyclist in the hospital. Haven’t found out who he is…maybe I know him.
Changing driver’s education to include information on driving in an environment where road cyclists are present is a constructive step toward fostering a constructive relationship between motorists and cyclists.
My next editorial is about exactly that.
I will be very interested to read this. I not only race tri and ride recreationally. Riding is a lifestyle choice for me. I commute to work, get groceries, go to the laundromat, all on my bike. I live in a small town and starting up the car to go three blocks never made sense to me.
I have had to develop my own defensive measures to insure my safety, even on the short rides that comprise my day.
There are six lights on my bike.
I wear a lighted cycling jacket at night
My brightest lights are on in daylight.
In inclement weather, or winter nights I ride the sidewalk. Not normally recommended but is much safer in these situations, plus almost no pedestrians at these times.
I am exceedingly courteous to drivers, waving them past me if the road ahead is clear. I always give anyone who makes eye contact a wave or a thumbs up. I am also really courteous to the a-holes who yell stuff at me. It confuse the heck out of them.
I ride super defensive, I truly treat every car as a potential threat. If I think they are not paying attention or may have seen me but it didn’t register, I move to avoid them first.
The above applies to my intown commuting. I obviously don’t have six lights on my race bike. Of the above 5+6 apply to my training rides. Plus I have access to a lot of lightly traveled country road. I have more close calls in 20 miles of intown than in 200 miles of training.
Two of my students recently completed drivers training. Tonight I think I will ask them what they learned about cyclist and driving in drivers ed. I think the results will be enlightening.
Hello,
One more safe cycling tip.
When you are riding a wide shoulder or when the road narrows for any reason get into the actual lane, blocking traffic until you can safely ride on the shoulder again. Sure motorists will be pissed, but its better than hugging the edge in a dicey situation and encouraging people to squeeze by you.
Styrrell