Just wanted to share this article about Dr. Joe Jabaily, a local who was killed in a triathlon yesterday in Loveland, Colorado. It’s a sad story. Be careful out there…
Friends of Jabaily said they believe the car was traveling at 50 mph when it went through the green light, although officials say alcohol and >speeding were not factors in the accident.
You go through a “monitored” intersection (with barricades and Police up ahead) at 50 mph? Sounds like there was more to it than a “freak accident”. Even if it was less than 50, he must have been broadsided with significant speed…
Hope they investigate…
My heart goes out to his family. What a horrible way to go.
How in the hell did the policeman just ‘assume’ that the car would ‘beat’ him to the light? Most of us aren’t Lance, but we’re moving a lot faster than folks just out for a little air.
that makes me really sad to read that story. Why oh why can’t these drivers stay the hell away from these races…Wouldn’t hurt the drivers to stay away or use some other route or wait until the race is over…
How many times have we all had a near miss whith some ahole driving their car with no reguard to the cyclist. They cut you off. Throw things out there window at us. Curse us. It’s unbelivable on Long Isalnd trying to go out for a ride. You take you life in your hands. These grandma’s driving and can’t see 25 feet ahead or they are sitting down so low that their head doesn’t even go above the stearing wheel is so messed up. Wonder why I do most of my cycling in a spin class.
I hate to say it, but it appears the officer is the one at fault here. Keep a heads up out there during your races when you come up on an intersection that is being controlled by police. Once a cop takes control of an intersection, they are responsible for allowing cars through that intersection and being sure it’s safe for them to do so. It’s not the responsibility of the drivers to ensure everything is clear, that is why the cop is there directing traffic. In the case of a race, he might not see the bike coming and allow a car through or unfortunately in this case, thought it would beat the bicycle through. Basically, the cop is the traffic light. I really don’t see how much blame could be given to the driver of the car, he was following the officers directions to move across the intersection.
Anyways, keep a heads up regardless of what anyone is telling you about an intersection because it’s your ass flying across it.
That is really sad. He sounds like a very good person, and a great loss.
I guess one more difference between the small local races and the big races is that they take traffic control very seriously.
I find it ironic that whenever you read “car hits cyclist” stories that they always make a point of reporting that the driver was uninjured.
I guess one more difference between the small local races and the big races is that they take traffic control very seriously.<<
What??? Exactly what do you mean by this? The small local races hire the stupid policemen? This could have happened at any size race.
clm
I am simply fed up with cars and drivers who see fit to cut bicyclists off. throw things at us, yell and honk when they are right beside us…and ok following the officer’s directions? hmm I wonder…and I wonder why in hell the driver had to go that way …which is what I mentioned in a previous post. Hell, during the Lifetime fitness triathlon last week I was passing another rider and both of saw the volunteers waving to a damn huge pickup truck with one person in it trying to make a left hand turn…she hesitated and then pulled right in front of us and just sat there with stupid look on her face and I suppose panicked as both of us hit our breaks and managed to get around her with a foot or so to spare between her huge stupid pickup truck and the curb and spectators. I was pissed as hell, shaken, and wish there was more I could do other than just keep on going… Why she had to be driving out there in the course or anywhere near it is beyond me at the moment.
so, yes I keep a sharp eye out for stupid drivers and expect em to come at me at any time even though the courses are supposed to be closed!!! yeah right!!! just sign me sick and tired of the whole stupid thing with stupid drivers out there…
That is a sad story indeed. I remember when I first got a motorcycle years ago, a family friend advised me to, “ride like everyone is out to kill you.” Good advice for all types of highway travel.
“The small local races hire the stupid policemen?”
That’s not what I was trying to say. I guess that I am contrasting having just done Lake Placid, where the roads were full-on closed in many places, and where the police always stopped traffic in favor of cyclists, with the local races that I usually do, where motorists blow off the flagmen, and the police, while present, seem more like observers than people providing traffic control. At the local races, they are very well run, but there are often no signs up in the days before the race alerting motorists to the event, and traffic control is a few cones in an intersection with a cop standing on the corner watching the cars go by.
Your point is well taken, however. It could have happened at any race. But perhaps the police take it a little more seriously when it is a larger race. I guess that’s all I’m saying.
Agreed.
When competing in a triathlon, as is often the case, the roads are open to traffic. Even with police handling traffic at key intersections you need to cycle with your head up and attentive to what is going on at ALL TIMES.
I do not know the particulars of this situation, but part of the problem generally in triathlon is that many triathletes think that the bike leg is a head-down hammer session ITT for Xkilometres. It is, but only in part. You are racing head to head with others on the road and as I stated above, the roads are open to traffic. Heads up at ALL TIMES.
Ever, since being directed the wrong way, by a police officer in a big triathlon a long time ago, I have always approached intersections in races with caution, made eye and vocal contact with the police officer at the intersection, slowed down and scanned the intersection myself and then moved on through. Then thanked the cop for helping out.
and ok following the officer’s directions? hmm I wonder…
Gimme a break! You don’t know what happened. You weren’t there. The article mentions the cop waived the car through. Don’t just assume the car was at fault.
I wonder why in hell the driver had to go that way
Again… what??? Perhaps the driver was unaware that a race was going on until he/she arrived at the destination. Perhaps it was the only way to get where he/she needed to go. Why are racers necessarily entitled to the ENTIRE road during a race?
I’m sorry about your close call at Lifetime. Sounds like the truck was clearly at fault. But like it or not, it’s not always possible to completely close the roads during a race. This appears to have been just a freak accident. If you don’t want cars on the course, then I’m afraid you’ll have to find only races that close their courses to all traffic. Good luck with that.
no give me a break…I don’t give damn that I wasn’t there…I am sick and tired of stories about drivers killing cyclists!!! period…end of discussion!!! am I angry you bet I am…so I am going to drop this right now and will not discuss with you anymore…
Fine. Take your ball and go home. My point was simply that you shouldn’t put the blame on the car/driver here. According to the article, the cop screwed up. The driver relied on the police officer’s judgment.
Be angry! Be frustrated. But don’t just assume the car/driver is at fault. I’m angry about cars killing cyclists, too. I’m sick of hearing about it, too. I’m angry that we have to put up with people yelling at us on the road… throwing things and generally being assholes. However, THIS situation is clearly different.
It almost happened to me this past weekend at Racine 1/2…cop waved a car through and the guy didn’t go fast enough so the cop tried to stop him at the last second but the driver didn’t get it and floored it through the intersection…had I not been heads up watching all this I would of been blindsided. Tragic accident but the burden has to be on the athletes to pay attention at all times (especially when roads aren’t closed).
Properly worded. Most of the cops on the courses these days are aux police. They are not paid & are not properly trained. Watch out for these maniacs on the road they are trying to kill us.
Smitty