Bicycles Network Australia - Australian Cycling Forums

by **bychosis** » Fri Aug 03, 2012 7:46 am

http://www.theherald.com.au/news/local/news/general/cyclist-dies-in-fall-from-tarro-overpass/2642979.aspx

Terrible news. If it is where I am thinking, 80 or 90k zone, around a fast sweeping corner and up onto the bridge (crest) facing into the afternoon sun and with the shoulder narrowing.

by **BNA** » Fri Aug 03, 2012 8:18 am

by **find_bruce** » Fri Aug 03, 2012 8:18 am

Just awful news - cleaned up from behind & launched off the bridge. My condolences to his friends & family

by **waramatt** » Fri Aug 03, 2012 6:46 pm

I was a regular commuter on the New England Hwy near where this fatality happened. That was until yesterday. Now I'm gonna use the excellent bus service and save my cycling for safer, calmer, quieter roads......

This pinch point has been a very well known hazard for a very long time. The road shoulder disappears on a bend at an old, narrow rail overpass. It's a 90 zone and in busy afternoon westbound traffic also adds the hazard of the setting sun. I wouldn't cycle here at 5am on a Sunday morning.

But obviously my heart goes out to everyone affected by this tragedy.

by **zero** » Fri Aug 03, 2012 7:59 pm

KonaCommuter wrote:
Anyone else finding the description of how the accident occurred a bit on the nose?

Conveniently the cyclist was unconscious and his injuries will mean that his recall of the incident will forever be under question leaving only the motorists version. Helmet cams running at all times you're on your bike people

If a car is 4m offline to strike an oncoming cyclist it will usually proceed to strike further vehicles or scenery before coming to rest. If the accident is a cross (ie the driver turned into an intersection or driveway), then the police will figure that out pretty quick.

by **gretaboy** » Thu Aug 09, 2012 10:57 am

waramatt wrote:I was a regular commuter on the New England Hwy near where this fatality happened. That was until yesterday. Now I'm gonna use the excellent bus service and save my cycling for safer, calmer, quieter roads......

This pinch point has been a very well known hazard for a very long time. The road shoulder disappears on a bend at an old, narrow rail overpass. It's a 90 zone and in busy afternoon westbound traffic also adds the hazard of the setting sun. I wouldn't cycle here at 5am on a Sunday morning.

But obviously my heart goes out to everyone affected by this tragedy.

I do this bridge every day I commute. Ever since I started commuting to and from work, I have always called it a "death" point of my ride. I actually rode over the same point about 30 minutes or so before this accident. As a result, I now hop off the bike and walk across the bridge, even then there isnt a lot of room to do this, but the 30 secs or so that it may take to walk across is worth it if it means I get to arrive home.

I am sorry for the family involved and am hoping it isnt someone I have come across on my commutes...I am yet to see again someone who fits this age bracket that does this commute, hopefully it wasnt him.

by **waramatt** » Fri Aug 10, 2012 11:11 pm

Gretaboy,

I'm feeling a bit down tonight. :cry:

After reading this morning's Herald article, I realised that I "knew" this bloke.

http://www.theherald.com.au/news/local/ ... 47238.aspx

He used to regularly ride out to Raymond Terrace most weekday afternoons. I hadn't seen much of him in the past few weeks,so maybe he'd changed his ride and decided to go up Maitland way rather than up to the Terrace. I didn't know his name until today, but we often rode the Raymo to Sandgate leg together, and would stop for a chat at the Sandgate lights. His trademark moustache made him unmistakable. He was friendly, always gave a wave and had recently upgraded to a new bike.

There's an empty spot inside me now that I know I won't come across him any more. :cry:

His death is the reason I stopped commuting. My wife begged me to after hearing about this accident, so I gave in to give her peace of mind.

Glad to hear you're now taking preventative action. IMHO that one spot is far and away the most dangerous cycling black spot in the Hunter. Stay safe out there. :wink:

by **Oxford** » Sat Aug 11, 2012 7:19 am

so sad and I bet preventable. waramatt, I hear you re the wife, peace of mind is a wonderful thing, happy wife, happy life.

by **waramatt** » Sat Aug 11, 2012 8:58 am

Oxford wrote:so sad and I bet preventable. waramatt, I hear you re the wife, peace of mind is a wonderful thing, happy wife, happy life.

Cheers Oxford

Thanks for the support. We all love cycling, but there is more to life. I'm just being more judicious about when and where I ride.

by **cp123** » Tue Aug 14, 2012 9:32 am

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-new ... 245ig.html

I'm sure more details will come out of this soon, but it's almost better to "fall off your bike" due to an related condition (eg heart attack) than tangle with a car.

Condolences to this gentleman and his family and friends. :cry:

by **twizzle** » Tue Aug 14, 2012 12:55 pm

cp123 wrote:http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/cyclist-dies-on-gungahlin-drive-20120814-245ig.html

I'm sure more details will come out of this soon, but it's almost better to "fall off your bike" due to an related condition (eg heart attack) than tangle with a car.

Condolences to this gentleman and his family and friends.

Former Goulburn - Sydney winner Robbie Williams dies aged 27.

by **find_bruce** » Thu Aug 23, 2012 2:11 pm

Sad news from Queensland Cyclist's body found on highway near Graton

Brisbane Times wrote:The body of a male cyclist has been found on the side of a highway in southeast Queensland.

The man's body was discovered on the Warrego Highway, near Gatton, about 10am.

Police believe the man, thought to be aged in his 20s, was cycling along the highway sometime between 6pm and 8pm yesterday.

"It's unclear at this stage whether he has been hit by a vehicle," a police spokesman said.

"He did have injuries."

Police are awaiting the results of a post mortem examination.

Police are appealing for anyone who may have been travelling in the area last night and saw the man, or has information relating to the incident to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or crimestoppers.com.au

by **hannos** » Tue Aug 28, 2012 2:23 pm

Finally a half decent judgement for killing a cyclist...

http://www.smh.com.au/wa-news/man-jaile ... 24xv8.html

by **The 2nd Womble** » Mon Sep 03, 2012 12:14 pm

This morning. Nothing is more preventable than this. RIP.

http://www.vicpolicenews.com.au/more-ne ... -goon.html

by **InTheWoods** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 2:04 pm

This one is in France, but not your standard type car vs bike, that's for sure.

Edit: And now they've found another survivor, a 4yo girl hiding under her dead mothers legs. That is really sad. I hope she is young enough to forget about it. I wonder if the cyclist just picked an unfortunate time to ride by

http://www.news.com.au/world/four-dead- ... 6466143516

by **WestcoastPete** » Sat Sep 15, 2012 12:22 am

I'm not in Darwin at the moment, but heard about this from a friend. Shocking. I ride that road all the time.

We preach to ride predictably at Bicycle NT. It's so important.

http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2012/0 ... news.html#

So sad.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

by **itsaghostcar** » Fri Sep 21, 2012 4:36 pm

Not the way to begin the weekend :cry:

Child killed in cycling tragedy
A boy has been killed after he was hit by a four-wheel-drive in central Albury this afternoon.
The child, believed to have been 12, was riding a bike along a Wilson Street footpath when he was hit by a Nissan Patrol exiting the car park opposite Sodens Hotel about 1.45pm, police say.
He suffered fatal injuries and died at the scene.
The man driving the Patrol, a 58-year-old man from Bothwell in Tasmania, has been taken to Albury Base hospital for mandatory testing.
Advertisement
A crime scene has been established and is being examined by specialist forensics officers.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/child-killed- ... z275FX7XyC

by **hosko** » Sat Sep 22, 2012 6:30 pm

After getting back this afternoon from the CareFlight ride from Gold Coast to Toowoomba, I read the following....

http://www.news.com.au/national/car-hit ... 6479414964

Too close to home this one.

by **oxonabike** » Fri Nov 09, 2012 5:12 pm

Cyclist killed in Cairns this afternoon. Not too many details as yet, but the story at the link should get updated

http://www.cairns.com.au/article/2012/1 ... -news.html

by **coyote** » Sat Nov 10, 2012 7:31 pm

Story in todays paper.

"The 50 year old white Rock man was cycling on a mountain bike along Newell St at Bungalow about 3pm when he was struck by the garbage truck near the intersection with Mulgave rd." He died at the scene. :cry:

by **Cheesewheel** » Wed Nov 21, 2012 2:35 pm

hannos wrote:http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/hitandrun-cla ... 1pj5w.html

A cyclist has died after a hit-and-run accident in northern NSW.

A surf lifesaver stopped to help the man, aged in his 30s, who had been hit by a vehicle in Mullumbimby about 10am and suffered serious head injuries today.

The cyclist was taken to Mullumbimby Hospital where he died.
Advertisement: Story continues below

Police are trying to find the driver of the vehicle and a report was being prepared for the coroner.

The death takes the NSW road toll to 19 since December 23.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/hitandrun-cla ... z1iMUFIwkk

Just an update :

http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/201 ... -news.html

A NSW man who deliberately killed a cyclist by running him over in a van has been found not guilty of murder on the grounds of mental illness.

James Andrew Mitchell, 54, believed John Foss was part of a conspiracy to kill him when he ran him over as he rode his motorised bicycle near Mullumbimby in northern NSW on January 3 this year, the NSW Supreme Court heard today.

Handing down the special verdict, Justice Elizabeth Fullerton said she was satisfied Mitchell was suffering from a schizophrenic disorder when he deliberately knocked Mr Foss down.

The court heard Mitchell's behaviour had changed in the months prior to the incident and he started expressing a number of "extensive, delusional beliefs", including that he was the reincarnation of Napoleon's horse, had supernatural powers and was psychic.

:roll:

by **wellington_street** » Wed Nov 21, 2012 4:39 pm

As ridiculous as the outcome of this case is, this was an intention to kill someone who was known to the offender, not a random or road rage attack on a cyclist.

I can't stand this sort of ruling, being a firm believer in personal responsibility for one's actions. If the bloke truly is loopy he should still be locked up for a life as he cannot be trusted to think or behave rationally.

by **cp123** » Fri Nov 30, 2012 10:04 am

Cyclist down, last night, corner of Yamba Drive and Launceston Street Canberra

by **STOCK GUY** » Sun Dec 02, 2012 1:26 pm

Oxford wrote:
CommuRider wrote:
Oxford wrote:Interesting that they have removed the death from the road toll because it is a murder charge.

Wondered about that too. Do they have enough evidence to show this was premeditated?

according to the article, there was animosity between the men. just hypothesising, I think the driver saw an opportunity to "scare" this person and it went all pear shaped when he actually hit him. despite how I feel about the situation, I believe a charge of manslaughter will be the result, not murder.

then going back to my first comment, would that then be included or excluded in the road toll?

Whether he intended to do him in or not, the guy's dead. He did not stop to help. It's murder for me.