Every year I see this in the news, just caught the latest incarnation:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/cyclist-rescued-after-falling-into-rideau-canal-sinking-with-bike-1.3079113
If you are familiar with the area the riding path is right beside the canal with only a small concrete block "wall" (about half a foot high.) Each year you get stories about people falling in, typically bike riders rocking clipless. This is the first time I have seen it in the national news headlines and on TV (normally my Ottawa friends tell me about it or its on local news.) There is actually a lot going on here to talk about so I wanted to put it out to the community see what you guys/gals think.
It's also funny that the news says "... feet were lodged into the bicycle shoe pedal clips" which we ALL know means they were not able to unclip fast enough.
Some points that immediately come to mind to me are:
The safety of clipless. I know about the performance aspect, I LOVE the performance aspect. But truth of the matter is 95% of all my riding is for pleasure and I really don't need the performance factor. This is why I don't have any clipless bikes anymore. I'm out in the real world amid obstacles, cars, pedestrians and pets and I need to be able to use my feet.
Personal accountability/public safety.
Who's at fault here? Should the powers to be erect a giant fence or something like that to prevent this? Or perhaps the individual should excessive more care. Do we obstruct the view of the canal or do we put more responsibility on people to ride/run with due attention and care to whats going on around them?
What else comes to mind when you all read this?
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/cyclist-rescued-after-falling-into-rideau-canal-sinking-with-bike-1.3079113
If you are familiar with the area the riding path is right beside the canal with only a small concrete block "wall" (about half a foot high.) Each year you get stories about people falling in, typically bike riders rocking clipless. This is the first time I have seen it in the national news headlines and on TV (normally my Ottawa friends tell me about it or its on local news.) There is actually a lot going on here to talk about so I wanted to put it out to the community see what you guys/gals think.
It's also funny that the news says "... feet were lodged into the bicycle shoe pedal clips" which we ALL know means they were not able to unclip fast enough.
Some points that immediately come to mind to me are:
The safety of clipless. I know about the performance aspect, I LOVE the performance aspect. But truth of the matter is 95% of all my riding is for pleasure and I really don't need the performance factor. This is why I don't have any clipless bikes anymore. I'm out in the real world amid obstacles, cars, pedestrians and pets and I need to be able to use my feet.
Personal accountability/public safety.
Who's at fault here? Should the powers to be erect a giant fence or something like that to prevent this? Or perhaps the individual should excessive more care. Do we obstruct the view of the canal or do we put more responsibility on people to ride/run with due attention and care to whats going on around them?
What else comes to mind when you all read this?