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.

[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!

[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.