Monday, 14 February 2011 Weapons Of Mass Destruction. On a rode cycling event, I write this letter inspired by recent events and with the intention of creating nothing more than awareness. I am fortunate to belong to a club ( Cycle Labs) Johannesburg where on club rides you are taught by senior riders etiquette, danger indicators, riding techniques, and so on. You can attend beginner clinics and get all the info required to start cycling get fit and then ride whatever event pleases you. Cycle Labs members are mailed a letter giving them most of the tips. Asking them to be obedient to the rules of the road and so on. Now then these weapons of mass destruction a simple water bottle. I was always amazed at how many discarded water bottles i saw during a road event and many times wondered if some riders had so many bottles that they were not bothered to collect them. Until recently i happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time in three separate events and it is these incidents that have compelled me to share the story,s January 2011 The Fast one. As the road was predominantly flat the bunches seemed to be bigger and stuck together longer. As you are a cyclist and know that riding in a big bunch at a fair speed of say 30 to 33km requires utmost concentration. You would think? Then some thirsty competitor reaches for the water bottle at this moment a signal comes from the front that the group is overtaking a slower group. In this instance a rider in front sits up and slows for a fraction of a second. The rider with the water bottle immediately discards it to get both hands on the handlebars and breaks. If you have ever seen sardine in the water disperse in every direction including up and out the water when a shark appears from the bottom then this is exactly what a bunch of cyclists look like when that water bottle hits the ground in front of them and roles in any direction and so like a rugby ball totally unpredictable. Fortunate are they that are in front of this weapon as the back markers have work cut out for them. Shouting and swerving are now the order of the day. Sometimes with disastrous consequence. And now if i did not see it i would not have believed it some Mr. Clever unclips his foot from the pedal and in his wisdom boots the bottle (was it to try clear the road) and sends even more riders scattering. Emperors Cycle Classic 2011 Again the amount of bottles on the road are amazing i see a rider hit a bottle and go sprawling, fortunately it is far enough in front of me to allow me to take evasive Action. Dis – Chem Ride for Sight 2011 Feb 13th Sunday. Disaster !!! Again the ride starts off fast going toward Alberton just before you go under a small bridge to go left to Alrode. We are a big bunch i hear shouting i see swerving i cant understand what is going on, confusion is the order of the day, and then like a slap in the face it is in front of me. Talk about it all happened so fast. I see this bottle at my front wheel!! No place to go, to the left is a ditch sand road, next to me are cyclists, i have no option. I HIT the bottle as close to 90 degrees as possible i feel a sudden THUMP as my back wheel is stopping and entire wave of cyclists behind me. The sound i hear next is incredible, strange, frightening, almost silent disaster. Skidding flesh, metal, carbon, and muffled moans on tar surface. I look ahead of me BY THE GRACE OF GOD i am still on my bike??? The group scattered shattered and shocked have moved on a little, I glance over my shoulder and am horrified to see the road full of cyclists bikes in the air people all of the place. I don’t know what to do? And by the time i come to my senses i see traffic officials heading to them and i am way down the road. I notice that I am the last person in the group and nobody but nobody behind me. I rode in the Group HL. It was some time before cyclists from behind passed us. I just did not have it in me after that to attack the ride with any enthusiasm. Going passed Alrode i witnessed another lady on the side of the road face bleeding profusely. She was the only person down and thankfully being attended to by medics. I can only imagine why she fell. In conclusion. I hope and prey that all injured are not to serious and for a speedy recovery. I apologies for not stopping!! Even now i am uncertain of what to do in a case like this. Help me by informing Novice and newcomers to NOT drink out of the watter bottle in a bunch. Make sure you will not impede anybody when you do take a drink. Organisers as you inform riders to put on safety helmets inform them of the danger of dropping water bottles. I trust this will bring some sort of awareness and help in combating this type of incident in the future and who knows prevent injury. With the mass event of the Cape Argus coming up HOW MANY first time riders will be at this event and i bet they have not even thought about the consequences of dropping a bottle or having to ride over one. Safe Cycling Ronnie Crouse Mmtechnologies.co.za
