Yesterday we met an Australian TV information reporter who survived a brush with loss of life when a bike owner rode previous him in a motorcycle lane at an inexpensive pace:
Little question it was a terrifying ordeal, however I’m guessing he wouldn’t need to commerce place with these two riders in Texas:
Little question you’ve heard about this by now because it’s the most important cycling-related story within the non-cycling media since that entire factor with the chef–not as a result of individuals are notably involved about cyclists getting run over, however as a result of there’s a horrific video of the incident, which I’m not going to put up right here. In any case, right here’s what occurred:
Love. It’s what makes a Subaru a Subaru:
It definitely appears intentional within the video. Whether or not this was the truth is the case is unclear, however being a Subaru driver he did try to apologize afterwards:
Mercifully and extremely, each riders appear to have fared significantly better than you’d probably think about after watching the video. As soon as was handled on the scene, and the opposite appears at the least be nicely sufficient to speak to reporters–and in a twist, credit his bike for saving his life:
Right here’s why:
I’m assuming that’s a carbon fiber bicycle, and that because of its inherent lateral stiffness and vertical compliance it acted as a spring as per Jan Heine’s principle of planing.
Regardless of the case, hopefully each riders make full recoveries, and proceed to experience for a few years to come back–although definitely experiencing one thing like this could trigger even essentially the most devoted rider to query the knowledge of doing so. Once I’m driving on the highway I usually take into consideration how a lot belief (or relatively blind religion) we place within the drivers behind us. As they overtake me I think about what is likely to be happening contained in the automobile at that second to take their consideration away from the highway–often I see a hand groping round in a console for a cellphone or one thing, inflicting them to float into the shoulder–and it all the time looks like a small miracle when this doesn’t occur and so they move me with out incident. Then there are the instances when the do move intently sufficient for me to really feel it in my arm hairs, and I by no means know for certain whether or not they did it to make a degree, or they had been merely oblivious to my presence as they succumbed to any one of many gazillions of petty distractions that may transform issues of life and loss of life.
As cyclists we regularly really feel uniquely weak, and in some ways we’re. Nonetheless, you don’t have to be out on the open highway for one thing like this to occur to you, nor do you even have to be on a motorcycle. Your life is equally topic to the whims of the strangers behind you while you’re doing one thing as mundane as ready for the subway:
“Solely” 17 folks had been hit by subway trains final 12 months on account of being pushed into the tracks. Whether or not you’re on a motorcycle or a platform, statistically the percentages are nicely in your favor, and also you’d be out some huge cash if you happen to had been to maintain putting wagers by yourself demise. Bicycle owner or a straphanger, you’ve had one million folks in your tail with out incident. Nonetheless, this doesn’t make the prospect of one in every of them hitting or pushing you any much less actual, no matter whether or not they do it out of malice, negligence, or derangement. All we will do is take the same old precautions, and keep in mind the knowledge of Frank Drebin:
I meditate on these phrases just about day-after-day.
