very sore and very lucky

Last night I headed out with Matt and the guys on the Saturday twilight ride.
We had a great run out of the city and down Anzac Hwy. Morphetville was a
bit of a challange with the traffic but we made it to Glenelg without incident.
I had no idea that the bikeway was even there so it was an interesting ride as
far as West beach. That's were it went wrong...crossing a roadway at about 25kph
the rider infront of me suddenly swerved and I slammed into a unseen bollard.
To cut a long story short after laying on the path for a while, an ambulance ride
to the RAH, countless tests and xrays and 2 1/2hrs in a neck brace I finally went
home with a full collection of cuts, bruises and strained tendons but nothing broken.
Counting my lucky stars.
Mind you, I still havn't seen my bike yet. :-(

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Permalink Reply by Don (Who's lost?) Nairn on May 13, 2012 at 15:11

While I have not ridden this path at night

It seems everybody involved was caught out by this Bollard.

Does this suggest that the path may be poorly lit and possibly the riders may have been going faster than was appropriate for the conditions?

I hope Randal makes a swift and full recovery.

It could have been worse you could have hit a toddler.

Permalink Reply by heather on May 13, 2012 at 15:39

Don, many shared paths have lighting that does not meet Australian Standards. Including close to home that I have for years reported to Prospect Council. The one I am thinking of is dark by 5.30pm in winter and is a risk for commuters being mugged, but also slide into a stone wall when the path is carpeted with unseen slippery wet leaves from street trees. I have also repeatedly reported to Prospect Council the bollard on this path that does not have reflective strips.

The main thing is for bollards to be painted white and have reflective strips that will show up with bicycle lights. How are cyclists to know that bollards are sub-standard and to cycle at 5 km/h?

One would hope that a toddler is not out at night without an adult. People are lighter coloured than a grey bollard and usually easier to see.

Permalink Reply by Specialised Roubaix on May 13, 2012 at 16:10

I am appalled that simple infrastructure changes eg reflective tape is not being applied to these hazards.  Purpose built cycle lanes may cost a lot & is a consideration in funding cycle safety but a roll of tape (?$20) would have saved the health budget $2000 (my estimate).  If the injuries were more serious I hate to think the cost.

I always have sympathy for people hurt, understanding if its their fault and anger when a roll of tape could have prevented this.

Permalink Reply by heather on May 13, 2012 at 16:27

Jules, re save the health budget. I learnt in Oct-2011 that one can break a shoulder at low speed. Six months later I am still receiving physio. About 2 months after my crash, in the same local council area with poorly maintained roads, a cyclist who hit a pothole suffered head injuries. The council then started filling in the potholes.

Permalink Reply by Patrick O'Kane on May 13, 2012 at 16:37

It is wrong that any infrastructure on a shared path, bike lane or road isn't clearly visible at night,and the council has to be held to account for that.

But what of our responsibilities as cyclists, surely we should have adequate lights to see any object that may be on the roadway in front of, and to the side of us. Surely we should ride in a manner that allows us clear vision ahead of us, as Don said, what if it was a toddler, or an animal, fallen branch, deliberately placed booby trap etc. Not everything we come across will be covered in reflective tape.

Permalink Reply by Richard on May 13, 2012 at 18:31

Reflective tape should be compulsory on toddlers, particularly around the mouth and another strip around the wrists :)

 

Happy Mothers day all you mothers out there, and all you dad's doing the mother bit (single parent families or families where dad carries the carer duty)

Permalink Reply by Specialised Roubaix on May 13, 2012 at 19:57

+1

Permalink Reply by stephen on May 13, 2012 at 20:22

Those bollards are really designed by do-gooders to make us safer - but i believe your experience is not unique the bollards probably injure more people than they help - i say get rid of them all - and if they want something put down some warning groves, reflectors , a white line or a sign.

But really the trick is not to tailgate your peers and actually look where you are going next time - seems to me anyone who hits a stationary object is just poor judgement.
Ride and learn !.

Permalink Reply by john mills on May 13, 2012 at 20:40

This reminds me of my feelings, and probably actions, about the pedestrian crossings on the main street of Kaniva, just over the border, on the main highway to Melbourne. I have driven that road for 40 years and it wasn't until just six months ago that I realized that there were at least two pedestrian crossings going through the waist/chest high flower gardens on either side. To mark these crossings the council has the usual steel 'hoops' on either side of the pathway, just next to the road. But they have painted these hoops the same colour as the shrubs - dark green. Perfect match to the leaves. Very hard to notice in daylight. Impossible at night.

I am thinking that next time I head over to Geelong, to visit the daughter and grandkids, I should take some reflective silver tape and spend ten minutes putting a few turns around the eight horizontal bars. Apparently their council hasn't got the time to do it. Might help to save a kid's life one day by letting the car and semi drivers know that there are crossings through those flower beds, and to watch out for kids running out in front of Mum or Dad. The flower beds go right up to the gutter, and the very busy Western Highway is very narrow there - one lane each way.

Could we cyclists do a bit of self help like this in Adelaide. AC riders could buy a roll of reflective tape, like that wide silver tape, and make the time to wrap a few turns around a few of these bollards. If quite a few of us 'adopt a bollard', or two, on one of our favourite tracks, or near where we live, at least that would be a start to solving the problem. Maybe that could help save some accidents until the councils find the time to do it properly with the proper paint.

I love to do night rides along the beach from Semaphore down to Brighton. I know there is one bollard, in the shape of a propeller blade, not too far north of Glenelg that I nearly hit on my first ride, and since then I always slow down there so I see it in time to miss it. Maybe that's the same one we are talking about?

Permalink Reply by heather on May 13, 2012 at 21:11

John, why not contact the council now? You would feel awful if a pedestrian hit before you get back there. The council also needs to cut the foliage back so pedestrians visible sooner. From your description, sounds like the council should do even more.
Web http://www.westwimmera.vic.gov.au/; phone (03) 5392 7700 Kaniva; email council@westwimmera.vic.gov.au; write PO Box 201, Edenhope VIC 3318

Permalink Reply by Tim on May 14, 2012 at 15:29

Well at least they put the steel hoops parallel to the path, rather than at neck height across the path like was done below (erected at night, without warning, and painted dark green). Couldn't have designed a better mantrap. The barrier was removed a few hours after it was installed, but not before killing someone - there was no red and white tape on it when the deceased cyclist hit it and fractured their neck.

In regards to doing self help, certainly putting up reflective tape as you see fit seems like a good idea.

This link shows some path repair which was done by Brisbane cyclists after one too many crashes on a poorly maintained bike path there:-

http://www.brisbanecyclist.com/xn/detail/4154450:Comment:33354

Permalink Reply by heather on May 14, 2012 at 15:50

Tim, that is awful. How could authorities / workers be so stupid? Another instance of not considering cyclists and their safety. When and where did this occur? Brisbane?


Yes, I saw the post of Brisbane Cyclist DIY safety. Excellent idea.

Would you please add the photos and info to the AC group Look For Cyclists under topic How NOT to design for cyclists at http://www.adelaidecyclists.com/group/lookforcyclists/forum/topics/... Perhaps this will remind other planners not to repeat this.

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