But so is jumping off a cliff, driving everyday to work and playing with fire. But, I still don't understand why cars have such issues with bikes on the roads. If bike riders and cars just both paid attention and shared the road like they should, this would be a much better, enjoyable world.
And not even the most experienced riders are immune.
Case in point: Dave Scott is reported to have broken bones, including collar bone, because he was struck by a car this week, riding in his hometown of Boulder, CO.
Another unfortunate case: Dallas-based coach and top amateur triathlete Ahmed Zaher was struck by a car in Kona during his Playtri Kona camp on a road that didn't have a shoulder and was one way each direction. The story goes the lady in her truck was angry that he was going so slow (he was going uphill) that she angrily swerved to pass him and struck him with her passenger side mirror, throwing him off his bike and breaking ribs and his collar bone.
In early 2007, I was also involved in a bike crash three months before IM AZ, though it wasn't a car - it was a guy riding with us in the back of our group. I have to say that coming back from a crash on the bike is scary, just like you were involved in a horrible car accident (which I also was in 2005). You get nervous with every movement, it took me a while to get back in a peloton group - it's just really hard. But, you have to get back on sooner rather than later or else it will play with your mind. I've also had some close calls with assholes who get impatient. Sometimes I wish I had a bullhorn to give them a piece of my mind - my road rage rears it's ugly head a lot when riding.
So, we can't trust the cars out there, just like you can't trust them when you're in your own car. And unfortunately we can't do much when they come barrelling at you. Here's to safe riding. Unfortunately, as the saying goes, there's two type of riders: those who have been in a bike crash and those who will be.
UPDATE: It was reported today (5/21) that a 61-year-old driver was ticketed with careless driving causing bodily harm. She was apparently doing a "slow" U-turn looking for an open house and caused Dave to run into the side of her car because he couldn't brake fast enough. I still don't know what to think/say, but just wish we could all just get along!
1 comment:
I hear ya. It took my body weeks to heal from the bruised (cracked?) ribs and months from the deep muscle bruise but to this day (over a year later) I still cannot descend down hills like I used to. Crashes can really mess with your mind. Be as safe as you can out there and the rest is out of our hands ...
Post a Comment