Thursday, July 15, 2010

Be Careful Out There

If you haven't visited the Fuji Otaku blog you should. The author owns some beautiful bikes, mostly vintage Fujis of course, and he does us the favor of detailing some of the processes he uses to restore them. Not too long ago he bought this awesome Tommasini Diamante (posted June 2nd). I've always had a soft spot for the old steel Tommasini's. They were everywhere when I first started road riding in Austin in the early 90's. They were imported by then Austin based Red Rose Imports.

The next Fuji Otaku post (July 4th) included this awful photo. You can't see him too well but that's the author face down on the right. Unfortunately the author suffered a broken collarbone, broken ribs, and an injured vertebrae. The other rider involved ended up in intensive care. The Tommasini is a total loss. You can read all the details on his blog.

My reason for posting this is to remind everybody not to get too complacent while you're out riding on your local Multi Use Path. Sure, you don't have to worry about cars on the MUP but there are plenty of other dangers lurking out there, kids, dogs, walkers, and native wildlife (skunks, squirrels, and armadillos). Oh, and buy a bell. Make your presence known when approaching walkers and other slow moving trail users.
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4 comments:

  1. OldfoolJuly 15, 2010 at 7:25 PM

    At my speed I am the obstruction but I can't help that. I guess I could stay home. At my speed a collision with a stationary object is only a shock not a disaster. At my speed I see everything. If I wanted to go fast I'd use a motor. I use a bell. A lot.

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  2. DoohickieJuly 15, 2010 at 7:26 PM

    He posted about that on BikeForums. As I recall, the other rider popped out into the oncoming lane to pass some pedestrians without looking before the collision.

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  3. Steve AJuly 15, 2010 at 8:22 PM

    All my North Texas crashes have been within 20 feet of a MUP. Rather than a bell, I sing out (nicely) "passing on your left." It's something I learned in bike school, thanks to Whareagle.

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  4. John Romeo AlphaJuly 15, 2010 at 9:19 PM

    I just read the following last night in my copy of "Arizona Bicycling Street Smarts," and this post really hammers the point home: "A path can get crowded with inline skaters, dog walkers, and careless, inexperienced bicyclists. Most shared use paths are no place for a fast ride or high-speed commuting trip." It reminds me of the dedicated bike lanes I saw on a video from Canada, right next to a fine, empty, sidewalk, yet STILL had pedestrians walking on it! I alternate dinging my incredibell and calling out ON YOUR LEFT just to break up the pattern and so I am a little more aware that passing can be a dangerous moment.

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