Eina

[TheV]

Wow, that's really a freak accident, very sorry for the lad, can only imagine how peeved the parents must be.

 

Trying to figure out in my mind how it happened, forgetting the part being pushed by another rider just for a second... It looks like the left brake lever into the right leg, so he must have gone over the bars, and fallen on top of the handlebars.... also really bad luck in the way he landed?

 

I have an 11yo son riding, and just wondering if bike size, bike setup, brake lever setup, etc could have helped ??? Or was it all just really a mixture of freakish bad luck about the way he "landed"? (Taking the push from the other order out of it for a sec)

Edited August 21, 2014 by TheV

[Joeboy69]

Sjoe, that looks very sore.

 

I have a few questions, Please don't get me wrong.

 

On the other thread it seems like the kid was riding the 50 km distance as the incident happened at about the 25 km mark.

 

1. What was the kid doing on the 50 km race. He looks about 10 years old. Isn't there a age restriction based on distance?

2. Why was he riding alone and where was his chaperon or adult supervision?

3. Why was he mixing it up with the big boys?

 

From My experience... Yes there are some guys who ride inconsiderate but as you go back in the field it calms down and people are more aware of other riders and do give way.

 

I'm not sure where it happened but if it was at the 25km mark he is very lucky. It was a 2 lap event for the 50km so then he fell very close to the finish line with all the medics.

[TALUS]

It happened halfway into the first lap (and only lap for the short distance). They started about 45min before us (long distance). It was on a slightly tricky downhill that was marked as "DANGEROUS". It is very slippery with loose gravel and when you lock up you slide with no control. I fell there last year- spectacular OTB. This year there were guys touching shoulders just ahead of me. Merely impossible to get control when you start sliding. I was halfway down A thus it was the front runners in A or another short distance rider that they refer to . These injuries heal very well - hope to see him back soon. On a side note - blocking the track with bystanders and bikes on a nearly blind downhill can lead to major problems too. I guess the group was inexperienced in the racing scene and many things may have been a surprise.

[Hennie VR]

You will always have this problems on a lap race.

 

It's like having a XCO Wold Cup race and deciding to run the under 12 age category on the same router on the same time. Do you really expect that the Nino Schurter and Julien Absalon racing for a win to slow down and wait for a nice wide jeep track before they pass a young rider.

 

The mother's response is a typical response of someone not understanding the sport at the highest level. If they passed the mother and young rider on a jeep track going 20km/h faster than the slow rider then they will still be told they are inconsiderate and mal. If they are in a single track and they shout TRACK at slower traffic up front then they are inconsiderate and rude etc. There is a reason it's called a race and not a ride.

 

The solution is simple though. Keep the shorter distances on a separate route or only start the shorter distance when the first 10-20 riders have started their second lap.

 

I really feel sorry for the young man and I do hope that this incident won't cause him to not ride/race again.

Speedy recovery

 

PS. I do not condone the incident but I do understand why the top guys ride the way they do.

Edited August 22, 2014 by Hennie VR

[Guest dirkieuys]

Goeie d@nner dit moet seer wees.

[Karooryder]

The mother's response is a typical response of someone not understanding the sport at the highest level. If they passed the mother and young rider on a jeep track going 20km/h faster than the slow rider then they will still be told they are inconsiderate and mal. If they are in a single track and they shout TRACK at slower traffic up front then they are inconsiderate and rude etc. There is a reason it's called a race and not a ride.

 

PS. I do not condone the incident but I do understand why the top guys ride the way they do.

 

I strongly disagree. You get competitive riding, and you get assholes…And they did not just pass the kid and his mother at high speed (which, I’m sure the kid would have admired rather than call “mal”) - a “high-level” rider bumped this kid off his bike almost killing him.

 

I think it is exactly this attitude that is breeding the generation of reckless and arrogant cyclists that we see more and more at races. We don’t need those kinds of people in the sport.

[Jester6]

You will always have this problems on a lap race.

 

It's like having a XCO Wold Cup race and deciding to run the under 12 age category on the same router on the same time. Do you really expect that the Nino Schurter and Julien Absalon racing for a win to slow down and wait for a nice wide jeep track before they pass a young rider.

 

The mother's response is a typical response of someone not understanding the sport at the highest level. If they passed the mother and young rider on a jeep track going 20km/h faster than the slow rider then they will still be told they are inconsiderate and mal. If they are in a single track and they shout TRACK at slower traffic up front then they are inconsiderate and rude etc. There is a reason it's called a race and not a ride.

 

The solution is simple though. Keep the shorter distances on a separate route or only start the shorter distance when the first 10-20 riders have started their second lap.

 

I really feel sorry for the young man and I do hope that this incident won't cause him to not ride/race again.

Speedy recovery

 

PS. I do not condone the incident but I do understand why the top guys ride the way they do.

 

bull****.

A fraction of a difference in where the lever skewered his leg and the kid could've bled out. If the "high level" rider intentionally pushed the kid out the way or over then the term culpable homicide comes to mind had that happened. Thankfully it didn't.

There is no way someone should get away with something like that and attempting to defend such actions IF intentional is pathetic.

Besides if it was an accident any half decent human being would've stopped to help the kid or at least check on them.

Mini rant over.

[Karooryder]

bull****.

A fraction of a difference in where the lever skewered his leg and the kid could've bled out. If the "high level" rider intentionally pushed the kid out the way or over then the term culpable homicide comes to mind had that happened. Thankfully it didn't.

There is no way someone should get away with something like that and attempting to defend such actions IF intentional is pathetic.

Besides if it was an accident any half decent human being would've stopped to help the kid or at least check on them.

Mini rant over.

 

Like x 100000

[Shebeen]

blixem.

 

i actually just posted the other day my similar whoopsie on the 'doctor' thread. had a brake lever go in my inner thigh, wasn't going that fast, but hit a root and wheel dug in so handlebar twisted at exactly the right(or wrong) angle to pierce the skin. was during an adventure race, so was map reading in single track as we were supposed to exit halfway onto a new trail.

 

did some searching at the time, it's called an 'apple core' injury. dunno if you really can blame the manufacturers for this, don't think it's really preventable and is just bad luck (i don't).

[Mojoman]

blixem.

 

i actually just posted the other day my similar whoopsie on the 'doctor' thread. had a brake lever go in my inner thigh, wasn't going that fast, but hit a root and wheel dug in so handlebar twisted at exactly the right(or wrong) angle to pierce the skin. was during an adventure race, so was map reading in single track as we were supposed to exit halfway onto a new trail.

 

did some searching at the time, it's called an 'apple core' injury. dunno if you really can blame the manufacturers for this, don't think it's really preventable and is just bad luck (i don't).

I think that's why some brake lever manufacturers for motorbikes have a 'ball' end on the brake lever?

[JanJan]

blixem.

 

i actually just posted the other day my similar whoopsie on the 'doctor' thread. had a brake lever go in my inner thigh, wasn't going that fast, but hit a root and wheel dug in so handlebar twisted at exactly the right(or wrong) angle to pierce the skin. was during an adventure race, so was map reading in single track as we were supposed to exit halfway onto a new trail.

 

did some searching at the time, it's called an 'apple core' injury. dunno if you really can blame the manufacturers for this, don't think it's really preventable and is just bad luck (i don't).

 

Something that I saw pro riders do to prevent components breaking if they fall, is to loosen the bolts that attach the components to the handlebar or fork. The idea is that the rotation will dampen some forces, to which the rider can just re-adjust and continue.

 

I wonder if that will also reduce the risk of a brake lever penetrating your skin.

[Hennie VR]

bull****.

A fraction of a difference in where the lever skewered his leg and the kid could've bled out. If the "high level" rider intentionally pushed the kid out the way or over then the term culpable homicide comes to mind had that happened. Thankfully it didn't.

There is no way someone should get away with something like that and attempting to defend such actions IF intentional is pathetic.

Besides if it was an accident any half decent human being would've stopped to help the kid or at least check on them.

Mini rant over.

 

No need to get aggressive. Like I said I don't condone/defend this type of riding.

 

But please read the mother's report again. She does not say that someone pushed the boy. She simply says they rode him of the track. Now in my opinion this could have happened when they passed him and he could have caught a fright and fell off/over or there might have been some sort of contact/bump but none of this is confirmed in my opinion.

 

I do agree that if this was a malicious attempt to push the rider off course then there should be disciplinary action against the rider even if it includes a ban of some sort.

 

Again I just wonder if this whole event could have been avoided if the course was designed differently to perhaps keep the two distances separate. We always hear of fast riders being @$$hole$ in the view of the slower riders when in fact they might only be racing for a good time.

[Wedge]

Sjo, pics like these kinda takes the mojo away

 

Seems like brake levers are almost as lethal as Crankbrothers Ankle Eaters

[Hennie VR]

I think that's why some brake lever manufacturers for motorbikes have a 'ball' end on the brake lever?

 

To add to this I also wonder if a brake lever that is more parallel to the handle bar will perhaps help. I wonder if this is possible with those adjustable brake levers.

[Karooryder]

Again I just wonder if this whole event could have been avoided if the course was designed differently to perhaps keep the two distances separate. We always hear of fast riders being @$$hole$ in the view of the slower riders when in fact they might only be racing for a good time.

 

You are right…stories about these riders being called assholes do keep surfacing...Similarly, we keep hearing stories where slower riders are victimised and in some cases, abused by time-chasers. In fact…these incidents have now become part of every single race. And that’s the problem. Chasing a good time is one thing but a good time at the expense of the safety of another rider is totally unacceptable…then you become an asshole.

Edited August 22, 2014 by Karooryder

[Jester6]

No need to get aggressive. Like I said I don't condone/defend this type of riding.

 

But please read the mother's report again. She does not say that someone pushed the boy. She simply says they rode him of the track. Now in my opinion this could have happened when they passed him and he could have caught a fright and fell off/over or there might have been some sort of contact/bump but none of this is confirmed in my opinion.

 

I do agree that if this was a malicious attempt to push the rider off course then there should be disciplinary action against the rider even if it includes a ban of some sort.

 

Again I just wonder if this whole event could have been avoided if the course was designed differently to perhaps keep the two distances separate. We always hear of fast riders being @$$hole$ in the view of the slower riders when in fact they might only be racing for a good time.

 

Apologies for the slight aggression there, this kind of thing just hit's a nerve with me and quite a few people I'm sure.

I have read through her report and it isn’t exactly brimming with details, how exactly he fell is up for debate definitely, and it’s doubtful the kid could even tell anyone for sure if he was pushed intentionally or not. She does mention that there was no warning and that the rider just kept on going though...

I hope it wasn’t malicious, but irrespective, the person that decided to put his race time above someone else’s health and wellbeing is a douche. Yes the track could be redesigned to avoid this kind of thing, and it’s a good plan, or start times staggered etc. There could also be a bit more info on what to do when someone is passing you, etiquette for the race etc. none of that changes the fact that someone, intentionally or not, caused some serious damage to this kid. And the right thing to do would have been to stop and help. Not run off chasing a finishing that was most likely nowhere near podium.