Every time we get on our bikes, we are playing a game of Russian Roulette. We take care to maintain our machines, to make sure they are in perfect running order, we look after our bodies to maximise our performance, and we, hopefully, abide by the rules of the road to keep ourselves safe from the dangers of other road users. But ultimately, our lives are in the hands of fate, destiny, or even other people. Ours is a sport fraught with danger, and every now and then, and increasingly all too often, we are reminded of the thin black line between life and death.
Such a reminder came today with the news that yet another Pro Cyclist, Kristof Goddaert, lost their life when going about their everyday job. Maybe we are less at risk in our own day-to-day lives than these athletes, but we shouldn’t take with a grain of salt the dangers that are inherent any and every time we cover ourselves with a thin shield of lycra, mount an 8kg piece of plastic, alloy and rubber, then surround ourselves with tonnes of fast-moving metal often operated by less-than-accommodating drivers. We should regard every motorist with caution, never knowing if they themselves are a cycle-aware operator or one of the increasingly common outspoken anti-cyclists that seem to crawl out of the woodwork to vent their disdain for us every time an online article regarding any aspect of sharing the road appears. Make no bones about it, there is a lot of contempt and anger towards cyclists from many drivers.
There’s only so much we can do to minimise our risk of not returning from a ride. Wearing a YJA is not going to help. Having a foam lid half-encasing our craniums will only do so much (let’s not get into a helmet debate here though). Not putting ourselves into a dangerous situation by flouting road rules, running red lights or riding erratically in traffic should be a no-brainer. Yet just by joining the arterial flow of cars, buses and trucks we put ourselves at the bottom of the transport food chain, and like a hyena in a lion-filled savannah, we need to be alert and aware of our surroundings and regard everyone around us a potential predator.
We’ve lost many of our own, and it’s often I think about our community friend @itburns when I kit up. Every time I read about another cyclist tragically killed, the reality of the dangers of our passion hits home, again, hard. Having met Kristof on KT12, when he gave up his time to talk to us before Paris-Roubaix, answering our questions, humouring us as he prepared for one of his most important days at work of the year, it feels that little bit more personal, even though our worlds were so far removed from each other. And now, he is removed from our world completely, a victim of bad luck, a tragic accident of circumstances that we might never consider could happen to us. Which only serves to remind us that it can.
Be careful out there, friends.
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Wearing a YJA might not help but it will allow me to go before a judge and refute the driver's claim that they didn't see me. They might not have seen me, but the judge will certainly think they should have. And that will be enough for me (or my heirs ) to win damages. G
The fact that you snobs won't ride with me is just icing.
The day the lead pic was taken was a nice day. He leaned against that AG2R car for a good half hour talking to us about his love of riding the cobbles and how he hoped to continue improving in P-R. Nice guy, just shooting the shit with other cyclists who shared the love and traditions of the sport. He knew he was lucky to be participating in something very special and seemed to respect that. Too bad he's gone. Fuck, that's young.
@Walbly Maybe we can keep it classy and avoid trolling on this thread. If you have a beef, take it up in the Rules section or somewhere else. Otherwise, welcome.
http://m.bikeradar.com/road/news/article/killed-cyclists-helmet-smashed-to-bits-by-slow-moving-van-court-hears-39617/
Killing cyclists is considered acceptable in Southampton now.. And this is what members of the public think -
http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/yoursay/letters/10996773.Cyclist_s_death__was_the_fault_of_all_cyclists_/?ref=twtrec
Truly disgusting..
Stay safe fellow cyclists..
I believe in the UK there's official guidelines for working out proportional liability in the case of an insurance claim, where it's basically akin to a points-based checklist. Was the cyclist travelling at an appropriate speed for the road and conditions? Were they wearing a helmet? Did they have lights? Were they visible i.e. YJA? Were their senses otherwise impaired e.g. headphones?
Basically if you're riding in the dark with no lights, headphones and dark clothing, kiss any compensation goodbye, but it makes you think that despite how moronic they look (and most likely how useless they are) a YJA could be significant if you were to suffer serious injury.
I believe the document I saw it in was from the DfT, I can find a link if anyone's interested.
Wow, some of you had met him. RIP, Kristof. Definitely too young to go out.
Yup, sometimes I hate that the sport I love means being involved with careless cagers on open roads. I wish I like golf, or something. It is crazy how distracted and even hateful drivers are towards cyclists. I was just wondering today how much of it has to do with the fact that so many people are a) not happy with themselves b) in poor health due to personal choices c) jealous of an adult who is able to have fun like a kid, on a bike.
I also wonder how fucking bonkers people would go if say Wayne Rooney were run over by a cyclist and killed while working on free kicks. Or if Lebron James was smashed by a moped while shooting free throws. Not encouraging this, just a shame that so many PRO cyclists (and non PROs) are killed simply doing what they enjoy. Not many other sports have the top players frequently killed by automobiles.
Ride defensively aggressive, everyone!
What does YJA mean?
Oh, I'm also involved with my city's cycling coalition to work for better/safer cycling. I encourage others to see what they can do to be advocates. The more cyclists out there, the better.
@Gunnersaurus I ride in Columbia, South Carolina with a reputable rider named Gunner. Gunner-saurus?
@Pedro
YOUR JACKET is ASS-OUT-LOUD!
@Ron
[ Emperor voice ] "Good... good..." I am (also) working directly with Palmetto Cycling Coalition to help them create a new brand identity and stronger documentation, but mainly to help them realize how they can connect with riders like myself -- that train weekly over different county lines. And I also get the insider perspective of regular folk that just want to ride downtown -- safely.