Wednesday, May 23, 2012

tough time for cyclists in area - accidents. death.

http://www.therecord.com/news/local/article/728756--cyclists-face-tough-tour-de-waterloo Barrie Conrod is gone. That won’t change. And local cycling enthusiasts are marked forever. “His death has left a scar,” said Malcolm Steven, the chair of next month’s Tour de Waterloo event. “How could it not have?” Two Sundays ago, Conrod cycled with his wife in Wellesley Township when was hit from behind by a sport utility vehicle on Herrgott Road. His body struck the pavement. The Waterloo financial adviser was killed instantly. “Any cycling death is bad,” Steven said. “But his, in particular. . . .” Conrod, 52, was a road cyclist on a rural road. Just like Steven and other members of the Waterloo Cycling Club. Just like the avid cyclists — as many as 800 — who are expected to take part in the 3rd annual Tour de Waterloo along area roads on June 24. “They’re rabid cyclists too,” Steven said of Tour participants. “They ride the rural roads where we generally feel safe.” Conrod’s death leaves cyclists with an acute sense of unease. ------------- D - here is a plea from Conrod's widow for safer cycling infrastructure. http://www.therecord.com/opinion/columns/article/727318--let-s-make-the-roads-safer-for-all I think that expecting to separate bikes and vehicles is oversimplifying the issue, and not a viable solution for the short-term anyway. Cycling trailways are an excellent idea, but the infrastructure would take a great deal of time, money and government commitment to create. Bicycles are vehicles, in any event. Bike lanes could be accommodated with the least amount of expense. That would be a start. Raised reflectors could be set into the white line between the bike lane and roadway. Rumble strips could alert drivers who cross over the line. Warning signs on the roadways around Waterloo Region would alert motorists to be aware of cyclists. We could also lower the speed limits on the country roads in the area. ------------- D - I was very nearly in a serious accident on my cycle a coupla weeks ago. I always travel to Heidelberg and back. The road edge is paved. I do have mountain bike tires on the 'bent bike, so can slow down and go onto gravel for big rig trucks (which I do). This is not an option with the hard narrow tires of a 'ten speed' style racing bike. I was on the return jaunt back Waterloo. A car rushed to as fast as possible to the very edge of the highway from a side street from the left. Visibility was great, there was no rush, there were good sight lines. None of this matters with the "bumper with your name on it"... He rushed that road edge so fast that he 1) hauled on the brakes hard, 2) this rocked the car, 3) then clearly planned to use the car's rocking motion to leap forward. He was literally moving as fast as he possibly could, while nominally stopping. He stopped right at the edge of road. I was coasting downhill on the return. But coasting amounts to c. 35kph for me on a 'bent bike (less air resistance, heavy frame moves quickly downhill- 70lbs of steel with all the accessories). I have a mirror on my bike so knew there was no car behind me (though there was cars coming from the other side). I had very little time to react, so I shift onto the road proper off the paved edge. But the driver of the small, white boxy sedan with license plate BP?????? had already committed to go. He pulled out INTO MY PATH. My bike briefly turned into a unicycle as I hauled on both brakes and tried desperately to pull right. No luck. Too sharp an angle, too fast. No time. He accelerated just fast enough for me to slow down before striking his bumper. He nearly killed me. That was not a proper stop by a cop's standard. The point of stopping was to look to see if road was clear. His casual nonchalent 'Indy 500' disdain for sensible precautions nearly severely hurt me, at the very least. I could easily have died. There are far too many idiots like that driving. And you know what they always - ALWAYS -say? "I didn't SEE YOU - you came out of NOWHERE." The van that hit me a few years ago, the driver said that. Threw me a whole lane. Crumpled my bike. Again, I had right of way. There was no traffic. Sight lines were great. He did not stop properly (slowed down enough to pull a high-G turn). He did not look. He did not yield to my right of way. He said that. I had an LED flashing light mounted on my helmet. It was flashing directly at him. But. "He did not SEE me." --------------- Barrie's widow: "Herrgott Road was open, flat and the sun was not in our eyes. There was really no reason for the accident..."