Another Fallen Rider

[Reesha]

We call those 'dead corner' accidents. You really have to be aware that truckdrivers can't see everything. Those accidents happen really frequently in our country. We've tried to overcome this situation with special mirrors and camera's but still there remains a risk.

A good friend of mine lost a leg many years ago because of such an accident.

I always stay behind a truck or I stand in front of the truck so he can see mee.

I used to live in Brugge, and I can only imagine how bad some accidents are considering how few people wear helmets regularly!!!

[papaver]

I used to live in Brugge, and I can only imagine how bad some accidents are considering how few people wear helmets regularly!!!

It's changing... slowly but surely.

[OakLeaf]

I just don't accept that in that situation "they don't know how fast we're going."

They just passed us. They know how fast they were going before they passed, and they know how much they had to accelerate to get by us.

So saying they didn't know, pardon me but that's BS. It's just like they say "they don't see us," when the truth is that (as I say so often) they don't see school buses, garbage trucks or brick buildings at T-intersections, either. It's just that when the victim is a bicyclist, "I didn't know how fast they were going" or "I didn't see them" is accepted as an excuse by law enforcement and triers of fact.

[Tri Girl]

That's so terribly sad. I'm so sorry for his family...
We can never go into automatic pilot on the bike, and even when we are paying the closest attention; accidents can still happen. It's so sad.

[Reesha]

I think it's a good thing that we can't really zone out. People (including myself) zone out all the time in our cars because it gives us a false sense of security but when I'm on the bike I'm 100% alert at all times.