Bicycle racers crash, tacks thrown onto course

[Susan126]

What is wrong with some people?!

Bicycle Racers crash after tacks were thrown onto the course.

[aicabsolut]

i was one of the ones who crashed due to a flat tire...about 3 or 4 laps from the end of my race.

[Bike Chick]

That's terrible! I hope you are ok.

[Susan126]

aicabsolut I'm sorry that you crashed! I hope you weren't seriously injured and that you are recovering! Take care.

[XMcShiftersonX]

Argghhh that's bullshit! That pisses me off. Sue, I don't know if you did STP a few years ago when someone threw tacks out on the route by UW? My brother-in-law did it that year and I guess a whole bunch of people got flats. I don't know the extent of injuries or anything though. But obviously that was intentional, someone thought it would be funny to cause harm in an area where 10,000 cyclists would be riding by. It's too bad that our world is filled with a bunch of assholes.

[aicabsolut]

I'm ok. Got bruises and road rash, but I'll be fine. I think my bike is ok. Need to have the shop assess the front rim (the wheel that flatted--I scraped and dented the rim some when I tried to make a sharp turn with no air), the carbon handlebars and seatpost. All major things like my frame and noggin seem to be just fine. I am pretty upset about the whole thing, though. There were just so many people going down throughout the day from flat tires (or pileups behind people crashing with flats). Some people had much more bike and bodily damage than me, though I think there was only one bad injury--broken collarbone. Could have been a lot worse I guess.

My team got an email from one of the moto officials today. Apparently the refs were pulling multiple tacks out of their motorcycle tires after the races too. Luckily, none of them got flats because of it.

[MM_QFC!]

Argghhh that's bullshit! That pisses me off. Sue, I don't know if you did STP a few years ago when someone threw tacks out on the route by UW? My brother-in-law did it that year and I guess a whole bunch of people got flats. I don't know the extent of injuries or anything though. But obviously that was intentional, someone thought it would be funny to cause harm in an area where 10,000 cyclists would be riding by. It's too bad that our world is filled with a bunch of assholes.

Well, I know it didn't just happen a few years ago as, when I rode my 1st STP in 1999, I recall hearing people say to watch out for tacks in/around Chehalis as it was well-known that it happened frequently in that area. Chehalis area residents were quite vocal about inconsiderate even rude STP cyclists blowing through their area, not heeding any traffic laws, using lawns as bathrooms (ick!), littering and generally acting in a way that reflected very negatively on all of us...too bad. I did keep a watch out for tacks, especially on my 4 one-day STPs, and didn't have any problems with tacks, myself, but know a number of riders who did...and Cascade has done a good job of reminding riders to behave as good neighbors while riding through every community from Seattle to Portland...