Another car/bike crash

[limewave]

This makes me so sad. (http://www.fox17online.com/news/fox17-lowell-bicycle-crash-aeromed-on-scene-of-bicyclemotor-vehicle-colliision-in-lowell-20110719,0,3129918.story) And is one of the reasons I won't do group rides anymore unless it is with a small handful of experience riders that I trust. I had some friends that were at this ride and they are quite shaken up. It sounds like the B group was sprinting to catch the A group. Once they caught the A group, there was a sudden slow-down bunching everyone up and causing a crash which then caused the other cyclists to swerve.

[smilingcat]

I hope the man recovers.

The whole thing just raises so many questions:


Why was the B group trying to even catch the A group?
A group should have enough experience so that they should never have made a sudden slow-down or stop for the group to crash. So why did they?
If someone in the A group had a blow-out or sudden flat, you would not hit the brake but coast to slow down, yell out, and raise your hand to signal others that you have mechanical. Did someone not do this in the A group?
B group leader should have kept safe distance from A group. After all, I would assume that B group riders are not used to "pack" riding or doing rotations. Why did they ignore this aspect?
why wasn't B group in single file or in riding two abreast? It sounded like they were riding in a big "blob" so that the rider who is in critical condition had to swerve into the car traffic.


Limewave, I hope you and your friends are not so shaken up from this. Just review some safety issues in pack riding and be safe.

[limewave]

I hope the man recovers.

The whole thing just raises so many questions:


Why was the B group trying to even catch the A group?
A group should have enough experience so that they should never have made a sudden slow-down or stop for the group to crash. So why did they?
If someone in the A group had a blow-out or sudden flat, you would not hit the brake but coast to slow down, yell out, and raise your hand to signal others that you have mechanical. Did someone not do this in the A group?
B group leader should have kept safe distance from A group. After all, I would assume that B group riders are not used to "pack" riding or doing rotations. Why did they ignore this aspect?
why wasn't B group in single file or in riding two abreast? It sounded like they were riding in a big "blob" so that the rider who is in critical condition had to swerve into the car traffic.



I had the same questions. I've noticed a growing lack of concern when it comes to following basic group ride safety precautions. I stopped going all together. I miss the intensity and camaraderie of group riding. One of my greatest experiences was doing a rotating double pace line. So much fun! I love cycling as a team sport, but you really have to trust your fellow cyclists when you are riding at speed mere inches from one another.

Last I heard the cyclist was still in critical condition. Also, I don't think the A group slowed down. From my understanding, the B group sprinted to catch the A and subsequently had to slow their pace when they caught the A group. Kind of like the yo-yo effect.