Cyclist hit by trailer in bundaberg

[InTheWoods]

A CYCLIST is in a critical condition after colliding with a trailer being towed by a car in Bundaberg on Saturday morning.

Early information indicates the 61-year-old man was riding his bicycle along Barolin St about 8.40am when he tried to turn right into McCarthy St.

Police said the man’s bicycle collided with a trailer being towed by a car that was heading in the same direction.

The cyclist was taken to Bundaberg Hospital where he remains in a critical condition.

Investigations are continuing.

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Best wishes to the rider.

[find_bruce]

It could just be the description, but I am struggling to understand how the accident occurred - ie when the police say "the same direction" is this before or after the right turn.

Either way it is not good & I am hoping the cyclist recovers well

[Smithstreet]

News reports say the cyclist died overnight as a result of his injuries.

Thoughts are with the family.

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[foo on patrol]

Foo

[ColinOldnCranky]

A quick look on google street view doesn't indicate anything exceptional - just an arterial road with long line of sight and a wide clear t-junction.

Family, friends, driver, witnesses, there will be any number of victims. At 61 he should be able to look forward to retirement and owning his own time. Another damned tragedy.

I have no idea what the coroner will determine. But I am fairly certain on one thing. That it was the result of something in a mere instant. Be careful riding out there guys. And the same when driving.

[bigfriendlyvegan]

It could just be the description, but I am struggling to understand how the accident occurred - ie when the police say "the same direction" is this before or after the right turn.

Either way it is not good & I am hoping the cyclist recovers well

Easy. The cyclist is riding along the LHS of the road. He knows he has to turn right coming up, but there's a car passing his right. He waits until he can see the back of the car and then he moves across to turn right. He didn't see the trailer and gets cleaned up by it.

It happens to cars all of the time when they're changing lanes.

[ColinOldnCranky]

It could just be the description, but I am struggling to understand how the accident occurred - ie when the police say "the same direction" is this before or after the right turn.

Either way it is not good & I am hoping the cyclist recovers well

Easy. The cyclist is riding along the LHS of the road. He knows he has to turn right coming up, but there's a car passing his right. He waits until he can see the back of the car and then he moves across to turn right. He didn't see the trailer and gets cleaned up by it.

It happens to cars all of the time when they're changing lanes.

The description is of leaving a straight and continuing arterial road to head off into a terminating local road on the right.

Sorts of things that could concievable happen would include

• the cyclist exiting the arterial road turning from the middle of the road and gettign clipped by a trailing car and trailer on the left
• Cyclist, again in the middle and a trailing car and trailer choosing to pass at that point - perhaps to pass a vehicle obscuring cyclist and slwoing down for cyclist
• cyclist toppling left as he holds up in cleats and falling into path of pqassing car/trailer
• Cyclist turning from the left of the road (it has a shoulder) and picking a bad moment, possibly even moving into what he thought was space behind the vehicle when, in fact, there was a trailer (Big fridnly vegan scenario)
• Road rage/buzzing etc
• cyclist having a fit of some sort
• Driver having a fit of some sort
• Bike equipment failure
• Car equipment failure
• item on the road affecting someones direction
• Any number o alternate scenarios

While I have posted a lot of "could have's" I want to make it clear that my intention is NOT to speculate. Rather to demonstrate how easy it is to rattle any number scenarios and so demonstrate the folly of surmising on such scant info as we so far have.

So, let's be a little cautious at this early stage before we start explaining events, drawing parallels with other events or apportioning blame. Give the system a chance to do it's work.

BTW BF Vegan, I'm not trying to be critical of you - I suspect that your motives may even be the same. You have described a scenario that may give those who to readily jump to "it's the mongrel motorist at fault" conclusion some pause to think.

Find Bruce, it's reported that the cyclist was turning right off of Barolin Street into McCarthy Street, Bundaberg. Check out Street View.

[bigfriendlyvegan]

BTW BF Vegan, I'm not trying to be critical of you - I suspect that your motives may even be the same. You have described a scenario that may give those who to readily jump to "it's the mongrel motorist at fault" conclusion some pause to think.

Just so.