Jhb JUMA ends cycling for me ...my rant

[Pikey]

That's the worst news I could ever hear,not to be able to ride again. 20 years ago I had an accident (no fault of mine incident bystander) and lost my left eye. I was gutted at first but 3 months later I was playing football again and later went on to race motorbikes. And since then NEVER ever back away or give up on anything. You have to have to believe you will ride again.

 

I had my worst fall I've had for over a year at the juma,mostly my mine own fault but not entirely as had some guy completely slowed down in front of as we came to a drop off.I started in E and finished in top 25% of my group. I was gob smacked at the amount of nervous wkd riders ahead of me obviously riding in a faster groups than they should of been,How? The race was completely oversubscribed.

 

Strength to you my friend, I sincerely hope you get the pleasure we all take so for granted.

[Butterbean]

I'm sorry you're hurt and I'm sorry you're feeling the way you are about this whole thing, but you need a bit of a wake up man.

 

If you were in a car, and someone slammed on brakes in front of you, you, as a law abiding and safe following distance keeping driver, would never have to worry, right?

 

So why, as a much more skilled rider than those around you (as you seem to imply), would not, with your wiser judgement and keener eyes, notice the danger and slow the hell down??

 

Why would you see all the noobs around and think it's still okay to go so fast that someone stopping in front of you makes you take the lesser of two horrible choices?

 

You need to man up and take responsibility that you were a bietjie windgat, and now you think the organisers are the ones at fault? They offered you a course to ride. They didn't guarantee your safety, nor was their event advertised as completely and totally safe. When has there ever been an event that would guarantee that??

 

Sorry, but you're paying the price for bad decision making on your part. Sometimes the price is higher than other times.

 

To be honest, your post sounds much like my teenage sister posting on Facebook that she's going to delete her account. It's a cry for attention, and if you stop biking, no one cares. You're the only one missing out. The organisers will get entries next year. Someone will be eager to take yours.

 

So man up, get well, and make better choices next time. Ride safer. And realise the difference between a chance to race and a chance to relax and enjoy the course for what it offered you.

[Butterbean]

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[Butterbean]

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[GrantRH]

I am sorry BFK, you don't know what you are talking about. It is not a strong legal case.

 

I do hope the OP heals quickly and makes it back on a bike.

 

Cycling is dangerous, both MTB and road. If you choose this sport, it comes with risk. We all know that.

 

Let us not become that woman who sued MacDonalds when she burnt her lips on a hot cup of coffee.

[Heel Drop]

I've been in Hospital since last week Sunday ...

Its been a pain filled morphine and other drug whirlwind ..

I've been reading all the rants re JUMA..

I had been in training to do a good 94.7... Sadly I won't.. Ever race again..

 

I take full responsibility for my choices I ride at least one race every 30 days with my wife. We chose MTB for the safety and ability to do different tracks ..rides etc.. She loves cycling almost as much as I did...

My biggest problem with JUMA..is not that it was technical or different but ... It was a good mountain bikers challenge... And herein lies the problem

Why on this green earth would any event allow a person who just purchased a bike to ride the same route seasoned cyclists struggle with but enjoy as it challenges their skills..

Its exactly this simple little detail that caused bottle necks and the chaos

Here in this Hospital 19 serious casualties 3 like me broke hips 2 broken elbows ..the list is scary.. Patients were sent to other hospitals Sunday as casualties here was put under presssue from a bike ride???????

My ride ended as I passed a lady who decided to stop dead while doing the storm water drain section ... She was obviously nervous and I had 2 choices hit her or Vere into the green stream

My choice ended cycling for good for me... I hit a hidden hole went skywards

Downwards and crack...end of left hip... I was unable to move as the ball had snapped off and lodged between the hip socket and now seperated femur..

I cooked there for 4 hours under the sun while other cyclists were guided past me, to avoid them hitting the same hole ..by my wife and a marshal...before getting to hospital, the medical team were brilliant but overloaded, far too few for the carnage they were managing...

OK ..

I can't ride again as one to many fall is just that....

I believe MTB race organizing has become a money spinner with little care for safety... There should have been 3 courses at least and qualification would be required and seeding to get starting blocks .. Our seeding was questionabike this would be a single track of flowwing pathways at best no technical stuff....

One for people who think mountain biking means owning a sort of off road bike

Two for mountain bikers who have done at least 5 25km races the course would offer single track etc.. Basically the 25km of Sundays without the heavier technical stuff.....

Third the proper one ..as it was...

 

In my humble opinion too many people were on a course at once causing the congestion as fear stopped those less technical riders passing an obstacle

Forcing people of track into bad lines and danger and stopping the flow ..

It was a numbers game in my opinion ..more people meant more entries .

No time was spent pondering how Joe Soap on his Hypermarket MTB would be able to ride... The proof is in the number of accidents we saw from this one fun event

I end my last ever cycling rant as a ex cyclist lying in hospital pissd that I'm not out in the tracks now …...

 

sorry to hear and again so many people got injured - its not on some one should do something about this 

[King_Crispy]

I am sorry BFK, you don't know what you are talking about. It is not a strong legal case.

 

I do hope the OP heals quickly and makes it back on a bike.

 

Cycling is dangerous, both MTB and road. If you choose this sport, it comes with risk. We all know that.

 

Let us not become that woman who sued MacDonalds when she burnt her lips on a hot cup of coffee.

But she did win the case....

And made a lot of money.....

[TALUS]

You are wrong on both counts. I stayed away because this was definitely a likely scenario. You went and thus accepted the risk. I know that I will be falling in the upcoming W2W. I won't be blaming the course.

 

The worst possible outcome for your fracture dislocation of the hip (the correct term) is a total hip replacement because of AVN of the femoral head. Many people cycle with replaced hips.

 

You are living most of the Hubber's worst nightmare but things will improve. Sadly we are always at risk on our bikes.

[Butterbean]

sorry to hear and again so many people got injured - its not on some one should do something about this

Sorry by I don't agree.

 

How many times on this forum have we heard people bitching and moaning that races and events are nt technical enough? Or dot offer enough challenge? Now, they give you one, and people ride like crap, either due to lack of skills or over excitement, and people want the organisers heads?? That's not on!!!

 

Change your riding style to match the situation!! Not the other way around!!

[GrantRH]

But she did win the case....

And made a lot of money.....

That is my point... in the US you get money for being an idiot.

 

What do you think will happen to our beloved sport if that were to happen here?! I can tell you now, no more MTB races!!!

[NixM]

If everyone who falls in a mountainbike race sues the organiser I am pretty sure we will have no more races to do.

[Stretch]

If everyone who falls in a mountainbike race sues the organiser I am pretty sure we will have no more races to do.

There was someone a few years back in kzn who got lawyers involved as a result of a wipe out at a race. Both the organisers and the administration unit had potential gaps in their terms and indemnity that almost resulted in a civil case being won. Technically it is possible with some effort but it's a real prick thing to do

[Stretch]

Double post

[VicanZA]

If I am not mistaken you had to agree to terms when you entered.I think it was pretty well organized for a first year, name 1 event that has ever been perfect in its first year.As for greedy organizers, they capped it at 500 total, without any previous races it was hard to know what the track capacity was, they could have easily allowed more entrants but they didn't.They have always been referring to it as an adventure not a race. The route had countless hours of work done making it safe and rideable but there will always be something that will catch people out.Even if they had said it was a hard technical route (which they pretty much did) I can bet all they noobs would still have entered because the average level of "MTB" races is riding on dirt roads.I broke my arm on a "unsafe" jump in France, I didn't go sue the bike park or complain to them, no-one put a gun to my head and said I have to ride it.It is a choice YOU make to go faster, try a new line or take it easy.There is no need to try blame they organizers for not holding your hand along the route.MTB0007, I am sorry to hear about your injury, I really do feel your pain. I have had 3 broken arms in the last 2 years.I hope you do get back on a MTB even just for chilled rides. Heal up soon.

U must mean 5000? Heard on the radio on Friday....

[GrantRH]

There was someone a few years back in kzn who got lawyers involved as a result of a wipe out at a race. Both the organisers and the administration unit had potential gaps in their terms and indemnity that almost resulted in a civil case being won. Technically it is possible with some effort but it's a real prick thing to do

They must have had a bad lawyer... there is a presumed acceptance of risk in sports. Like boxing, you are going to get hit. On a MTB, you are going to fall.

[Stretch]

They must have had a bad lawyer... there is a presumed acceptance of risk in sports. Like boxing, you are going to get hit. On a MTB, you are going to fall.

The lawyers got involved afterwards And closed up the gaps