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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    West MI
    Posts
    4,259

    I've never been so afraid to ride on the road

    Yesterday we suffered the tragic loss of a rider during the ODRAM ride. I've completed this ride 3x, myself, and am one of its organizers. I was not riding this year. But the first 2 responders to the deceased rider are friends of mine. Had I been riding I almost certainly would have been with them. I had been feeling envious of those riding, but my long-distance training has been mediocre while DH recovers from foot surgery late last year. Today I am not the least bit envious...and very thankful that I didn't witness the horrific scene. That my friends could continue the entire ride (the hit-and-run happened a mere 2 miles from the start) astounds me.

    Tonight I was to lead a women's ride from our bike shop. The weather was iffy and no one showed. And I was relieved. I am so tense...even just riding in a car. This next Sat. is our big JDRF ride in LaCrosse, WI and I'm almost dreading it. A ride in my home state, which should have me eagerly looking forward to the experience. Right now I wish I hadn't screwed up my wrist mountain biking years ago. I totally get why some people abandon road riding altogether. I think I'll be spending a lot more time on gravel backroads. Though I know that is no insurance against trouble. This accident happened on a rural road in the community where we formerly lived (for nearly 13 years). It's a nearly idyllic area to ride. In all the years DH and I traveled those roads by bike we really never had any significant issues from motor vehicles. Drivers up that way are by and large farmers and not the least bit unwilling to share roads with other slower users. We deal with a LOT more animosity and vehicle density where we currently live.
    Last edited by zoom-zoom; 08-09-2015 at 05:57 PM.
    Kirsten
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    zoomylicious


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  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Pacific Northwest
    Posts
    3,436
    zoom-zoom, I am sorry. That's devastating.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Uncanny Valley
    Posts
    14,498
    I'm so sorry, zoom-zoom. Hugs and healing thoughts to you, the families and the witnesses.
    Speed comes from what you put behind you. - Judi Ketteler

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Concord, MA
    Posts
    13,394
    I understand how you feel. I started a century 2 years ago, where 2 women got killed. We were just far enough back, that we didn't see it happen, but we knew something bad had happened. We had to re-route ourselves and at the 40 mile mark, I let my attention wander a bit and hit DH, which ended our ride. We learned about what had happened in the support van, that took us and our damaged bikes back. I saw those women in front of me, picking up our packets. It is quite likely that we would have been victims or very near the crash, if DH had not stopped to pee at mile 15.
    I was really shaken up and had some acute stress disorder symptoms for a couple of days. I have not done a big organized ride since. It didn't stop me from riding my normal routes with my friends, alone, or leading groups (small), but the incident totally made me lose my desire for large events.
    2015 Trek Silque SSL
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    2017 Specialized Ariel Sport

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    pacific NW
    Posts
    1,038
    That's so awful! Dealing with very similar feelings myself these days...

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  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Concord, MA
    Posts
    13,394
    I knew that I certainly did not want to stop riding, and I also knew the symptoms were normal. Plus, this was all over the news, locally and nationally, so it was like talking about it/seeing it discussed helped me process. I took some short, fun, easy rides for about a week, and then I was back to normal.
    2015 Trek Silque SSL
    Specialized Oura

    2011 Guru Praemio
    Specialized Oura
    2017 Specialized Ariel Sport

 

 

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