Crash on my morning ride - scared now

[chicagogal]

Hi ladies,

This morning started out as just any other day. I met a friend just after sunrise on our most popular multi use path just minutes from my house. We were planning a relatively easy out and back along Lake Michigan before work. I should say that this path is usually pretty crowded with cyclists, joggers, walkers, rollerbladers, etc. The path is really only usable for cycling in the early mornings when the crowds are thin and the people (cyclists and pedestrians alike) on the path know how to use it - to hold their lines, to pass safely, to stay to the right when going slowly, and to look over one's shoulder before making an erratic move.

Over time, I have had a number of close calls on the path where I was forced to come to an almost complete stop. These moments were harrowing, but considering the more than 1000mi logged on this path and the fact that close calls can be counted on one hand, it really hasn't been all that bad - until this morning.

It was only 2 miles or so into our ride, with my friend just ahead of me as we passed a few joggers. Suddenly, without any indication and without checking to see if there was anyone coming from behind, a jogger decided to turn sharp left (presumably to start heading the other direction) directly into my friend and her bike.

There was no chance for any sort of reaction, the collision was immediate. My friend was sort of lucky in the end, the pedestrian broke a collar bone, my friend came away with a torn ligament in her shoulder, some bumps, bruises, and only a bit of road rash. It could have been much worse.

But now I am scared. I don't know if I will ever be able to use that path again. I certainly can't ride worried that every pedestrian will do something stupid and cause me to wipe out. I need to be able to trust (to some reasonable extent) the people around me to not be paralyzed by fear.

Any advise on how to keep going after an incident like this?

[crazycanuck]

I ran into another cyclist on a bike path(blind corner) in late 07 & tore knee ligaments etc. I now take it easy on blind corners!

Is there any other way of cycling in your city? Do you have to use that path?? Btw..bells don't work & are incredibly rude IMHO. i'll stick w my OI! as it gets people's attention PDQ!!!

We have the Swan river bike path here in perth & now take detours due to the bloody pedestrians/mummies w double prams etc

Keep your eyes peeled for other useful paths

[bikecanada]

I have a bell on my bar end and I like to ring it just before passing or shout, on your left, before passing runners or other cyclists...just so they're aware of you.

I'm glad to hear that your friend wasn't too injured!

[Selkie]

Ride defensively and make sure other trail users know you're there. Adjust your speed accordingly. If I see them wearing Ipods, I yell in my best "playground voice," "Passing on your LEFT."

I know some old gent cyclist who uses an AIR HORN around blind curves, and it works like a champ. I've been tempted to get one (be a great safety device too, for warding off dogs, perverts, etc).

I've seen a lot of unsafe behavior by other trail users, including other cyclists.

[sundial]

I know some old gent cyclist who uses an AIR HORN around blind curves, and it works like a champ.

Hubby has an air horn that is L O U D as the dickens! Almost blew Kali's ears off.

[OakLeaf]

I certainly can't ride worried that every pedestrian will do something stupid and cause me to wipe out. I need to be able to trust (to some reasonable extent) the people around me to not be paralyzed by fear.

What needs to happen is replacing "worried" with "prepared." And part of "prepared" is never, ever, ever trusting anyone around you, except the people in your own paceline whom you've ridden with hundreds of times.

No, you shouldn't ride worried (besides taking the fun out of it, it slows your reaction time). But just as putting a helmet on for every ride is not the same as worrying about TBI, having the skills and the preparation to avoid a crash like that is not worrying. You need to be aware that while (most) pedestrians don't weigh as much as cars, 99% of them are even more unpredictable than cars, and you need to be able to respond to them instantaneously. Think of pedestrians as enormous cognitively impaired squirrels and you'll get the idea.

No one's perfect - everyone's attention wanders from time to time - and that's how accidents like your friend's happen. (Shoulder injuries are horrible, so I'm sending her my best wishes for quick healing!) But you DO need to be seeing with your whole eyes, being aware of everything in your peripheral vision, not focusing excessively on any particular thing, person, or sector; and watching closely for the micro-signals that people give out before they're about to change direction. And you DO need to have the skills and reflexes to come to a complete stop at ANY time, turn right along with the right-hooker, accelerate past the one trying to turn left in front of you, stay upright if you have to leave the road surface, etc.

+1 that no one hears bells. They're just too soft. A bell came installed on my commuter, and I'd estimate that not more than one in ten people can hear it. On my commuter, I installed a pretty loud squeezy-horn. I use that in combination with hollered (and I do mean hollered) verbal warnings. Which many people don't hear or respond to those, either. If I were spending a lot of time on MUPs, I'd get an air horn too - as secondary warning at people who ignore my hollering.

[Selkie]

Hubby has an air horn that is L O U D as the dickens! Almost blew Kali's ears off.

My goodness, it must be loud. Mz. Kali's ears are legendary!

[chicagogal]

There are other places to ride in and around the city, but for a short 30mi or so ride before work, this path has become the old standby because the city streets during rush hour are impossible and there isn't time before work to get out of the city. That is partly why this path is so popular with more people than just myself.

I don't have a bell, but shout "on your left" or "CYCLIST! On your left!" when passing pedestrians and cyclists (note that many pedestrians ignore this warning, or respond to it by moving left). The only problem on this particular path is that at almost every moment, you are passing someone, so instead of sounding like an obnoxious broken record, we usually reserve the announcement for people who don't seem to be aware of their surroundings, or who aren't holding their lines (and slow way down before passing these people so as to be able to come to a complete stop if necessary). Otherwise most people use this path the way that cars use a multi lane highway - staying to right when moving slowly, and looking to the left and over the shoulder before moving left. I know it sounds dangerous, and obviously is dangerous, but it is what you get in a big city. The only good thing is that there are almost no blind turns. The path is flat and straight so you can see what is going on a ways down.

Due to the high volume of pedestrian traffic there, I have always thought of that path as being the most dangerous place we ride, and have always been "prepared" and like I said, have successfully avoided any and all accidents myself. But having witnessed my friend's accident, I realize that no amount of being "prepared" could have prevented it - it was so fast, and so unpredictable. It now feels like the only way to safely navigate the path is with a police siren strapped to the bike.

[7rider]

I don't have a bell, but shout "on your left" or "CYCLIST! On your left!" when passing pedestrians and cyclists (note that many pedestrians ignore this warning, or respond to it by moving left).

That's one of the reasons why I gave up saying "on your left" and replaced it with "I am passing on your left." Meh...maybe it works, maybe it doesn't, but (fingers crossed, knocking furiously on wood) so far, I get a brief wave of acknowledgement (from those walkers NOT wearing ear buds), and no problems.

But having witnessed my friend's accident, I realize that no amount of being "prepared" could have prevented it - it was so fast, and so unpredictable.

That's exactly it. It was an accident - b/c I highly doubt the jogger turned to be malicious. If you could prepare for every accident, well then, accidents wouldn't happen, right?

The best you can do is ride defensively. Ride like the others are unpredictable, because they are. My sister used to have a bumper sticker when we were kids. It said "Be alert. The world needs more lerts!" I guess you just need to add another lert to the world. But please don't let an accident freak you out and off the bike.

[tulip]

I vote for the airhorn. You cannot deny hearing an airhorn, even with earbuds. And it won't get drowned out by city noises, either.

I think that alot of people (not you, necessarily) think they are shouting "on your left" but it comes out alot softer, and way too late. I've been passed by people who are quietly saying on your left as they are passing me. That doesn't do any good.

I use a bell and it's a loud one (Incredibell) and it seems to really work. With a bell or airhorn, there's no language barrier to overcome, either.

You mention that you yell out, but did your friend yell out "On your left?"

[OakLeaf]

If you could prepare for every accident, well then, accidents wouldn't happen, right?

I really, really strongly disagree with that.

Accidents happen because two (or more) people weren't paying attention. As I said, this isn't necessarily a value judgment. Some people are permanently not paying attention, and them I don't excuse; but over a ride of several hours, no one is immune to having her attention wander from time to time.

Accidents are never unavoidable (with the possible exception of meteorites falling from the sky on a trajectory behind the rider). The minute you start thinking that they are, that becomes an excuse to not pay attention, to not continually hone and maintain your skills.

I think a lot of people walk and bicycle the way they did when they were kids, not considering that they're a vehicle in traffic. Riding a motorcycle cures that, quick.

You need to be able to anticipate what's going to happen in front of you. You need to not be riding faster than your skills, reflexes and attention will allow you to respond to what's going to happen in front of you. No exceptions, no excuses. "Fault" and "right of way" are one thing, but winding up in a medflight chopper is another.

We all push those boundaries and sometimes outright exceed them - I'm no exception to that, especially on fast descents - but to say that an accident is unavoidable in those circumstances is just dodging responsibility.

[channlluv]

Where do you get an airhorn? (You mean those loud, blaster things people blow at ballgames sometimes?)

Roxy

[7rider]

I really, really strongly disagree with that.

What I mean is that you can never prepare yourself for every possible contingency in a life filled with inherent risks.

It isn't a function of responsibility or placing blame - it's a function of the universe being a big cosmic jokester with a sick sense of humor.

[OakLeaf]

Where do you get an airhorn? (You mean those loud, blaster things people blow at ballgames sometimes?)

Roxy

Yep, those, or you could get your LBS to order one of these.

[kjb]

The Lakeshore path is just jammed with people - most not paying attention. Lots of tourists, too, sightseers and the like, tiny dogs on those ridiculous retractable leashes. It seems like 90% of people on the Lakeshore are wearing headphones, running totally oblivious to their surroundings. I totally understand your reluctance to bike the Lake. It's really prettyI feel much more safe biking down Lawrence than I do at the Lakeshore.

Is there any way you can get out to the North Branch Trail for your morning ride? I ride all the Chicago trails and the NBT is by far my favorite. It's nicely paved, quiet, and not crowded. Or even the North Shore Channel Trail? It's usually pretty quiet during the week, especially in the early morning.