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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We lose to many every year. RIP.
Horrible news not coming home from a nice ride, or any other activity.
I've been teaching my Pedalwan's to use the road way more better than a car driver. Be more alert and always make eye contact with the driver. As drivers, (most drivers do not ride) they are not looking for pedestrians, cyclist, animals, they're looking for other cars not to hit.
Also more so these days is dumb drivers using smart phones and in car GPS's.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oal-vBFmnRk
And light up - day and night! Anything to catch other road uses attention.
http://www.velominati.com/technology/the-eye-of-sauron/
@TK
Given that Amy's death was caused by a drunk (if memory serves correctly) driver that plowed through the Australian national team while out training as a group, I don't really see how brighter colours would have helped them. If 8-10 cyclists in a group all wearing white jerseys with yellow & green bands around them doesn't catch your attention, I doubt an extra splash of bright yellow is going to change the situation.
As Wiscot & the others mentioned, blinking lights are much more likely to attract an inattentive driver's gaze.
I drive cars, I ride motocycles, but most I enjoy riding road bikes. And what I can tell, even if you are in a car, or on a motocycle or you ride // the zero protection// road bike, chances to shit happents are the same. You can die in any of then just like ..you can die when you cross the street on foot. Nothing will me make me change.
RIP Kristof Goddaert
It's always sad news when any cyclist is killed. I feel like saying murdered because thats what it is. I do not understand the cars that can not slow for what, 10 seconds, even 30 if thats what it means to pass a cyclist safely.
I am now commuting in Miami and weirdly it is sort of mellow because the speed limits are 30-35 mph and I am used to Boston and NYC where some roads are much faster. Having said that any ride that involves cars (and now crazy Latino- Caribbean- Old) means accepting the odds. Its like jumping out of a plane on D-Day, some died right away and some lived until 89. My rides are duels and there is no room for inattention, only focus.
Lastly, you don't need the YJA but light colored clothing, reflective bits and enough lights so that when Mrs. Wife goes to court to watch the trial of the Escalade/Rover arsewhole driver she can yell out "Which fucking light did you NOT see."
@Mikael Liddy
Wasn't a drunk driver, just a newly-qualified one who lost control of her car.
Visibility wasnt an issue because the driver lost it going over a hill on a bend.
@Mikael Liddy
This isn't exactly the same thing, but it might still be relevant: a sea kayaking partner of mine is friends with a Coast Guard SAR person; this person told him, "We don't see bright colors. We see flashing lights."
@Marcus
fair enough, was a little shady on the exact circumstances & decided to take the Frank D. Strack approach to research.
Respectfully feels as though we should not argue these points any further.
How to have a moment of silence online?