Newcastle Crash

[Boostland]

There was a nasty crash involving the training ride that I normally go on.

One rider has died after a semi trailer collided with the group of around 19
riders on the "Swansea Express" training ride and another possibly in a
critical condition.

I have not been able to contact anyone from the ride I know as yet so don't
have more details than than what I have heard on the local radio.

I was not on the ride as I looked out side and it was windy and the roads
were wet and I decided I would go back to warm bed and train later in the
day, I did not want to risk a chill as I am racing in the Cronulla Crits
this weekend and the ride is also very very fast and my legs are still a
little flat after 3 days of racing over the weekend.

On good days I have seen 40 riders on this run with several sections of the
ride at 50+ km/h (on the flats), and a KOM up the hills on the return, this
ride is sometimes harder than the local A grade racing.



At our AGM last Tuesday Olivia Gollan proposed we do something for the Amy
Gillet foundation, the committe of Kooragang cycling club decided that we
will be hosting a charity event for it, the Australia Day Amy Gillett
Foundation Race on the 28th January.

<
http://kooragangcycling.asn.au/site/index.cfm?PageMode=indiv&module=EVENT&page_id=94670&leca=216 >

The club will be donating at least $1000 to the foundation, so anyone in the
area that wants to race for a good cause please come along and support it.

 

[Boostland]

"Boostland" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> There was a nasty crash involving the training ride that I normally go on.
>
> One rider has died after a semi trailer collided with the group of around
> 19 riders on the "Swansea Express" training ride and another possibly in a
> critical condition.
>
> I have not been able to contact anyone from the ride I know as yet so
> don't have more details than than what I have heard on the local radio.
>
> I was not on the ride as I looked out side and it was windy and the roads
> were wet and I decided I would go back to warm bed and train later in the
> day, I did not want to risk a chill as I am racing in the Cronulla Crits
> this weekend and the ride is also very very fast and my legs are still a
> little flat after 3 days of racing over the weekend.
>
> On good days I have seen 40 riders on this run with several sections of
> the ride at 50+ km/h (on the flats), and a KOM up the hills on the return,
> this ride is sometimes harder than the local A grade racing.
>
>
>
> At our AGM last Tuesday Olivia Gollan proposed we do something for the Amy
> Gillet foundation, the committe of Kooragang cycling club decided that we
> will be hosting a charity event for it, the Australia Day Amy Gillett
> Foundation Race on the 28th January.
>
> <
> http://kooragangcycling.asn.au/site/index.cfm?PageMode=indiv&module=EVENT&page_id=94670&leca=216 >
>
> The club will be donating at least $1000 to the foundation, so anyone in
> the area that wants to race for a good cause please come along and support
> it.
>

< http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22903947-1702,00.html >

"ONE person is dead and another is fighting for his life in hospital after a
car hit a group of cyclists near Newcastle.

The group was cycling northbound at Blacksmiths when the car struck the
group at 6.45am (AEDT) today, a NSW Ambulance spokesman said.

A 33-year-old man was in cardiac arrest when emergency crews transported him
to John Hunter Hospital in a critical condition.

Another cyclist, yet to be identified, died at the scene, the spokesman
said.

A third cyclist was treated for minor injuries."



That report is not accurate, I know who has died it was a member of my club
and a friend, his and my friend and his work mate was giving him CPR on the
road side until the paramedics arrived.

I am quite upset at this time, but it would be nothing in comparison to what
the family and the riders that saw it would be feeling.

 

[[email protected]]

On Dec 11, 10:08 am, "Boostland" <[email protected]>
wrote:
> <http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22903947-1702,00.html>
>
> "ONE person is dead and another is fighting for his life in hospital after a
> car hit a group of cyclists near Newcastle.
>
> The group was cycling northbound at Blacksmiths when the car struck the
> group at 6.45am (AEDT) today, a NSW Ambulance spokesman said.
>
> A 33-year-old man was in cardiac arrest when emergency crews transported him
> to John Hunter Hospital in a critical condition.
>
> Another cyclist, yet to be identified, died at the scene, the spokesman
> said.
>
> A third cyclist was treated for minor injuries."
>
> That report is not accurate, I know who has died it was a member of my club
> and a friend, his and my friend and his work mate was giving him CPR on the
> road side until the paramedics arrived.
>
> I am quite upset at this time, but it would be nothing in comparison to what
> the family and the riders that saw it would be feeling.

Commiserations :-(

 

[Jock]

I don't like to say this but Australia is no place for sharing roads with
motor vehicles. How many more people need to be injured and killed on roads
supposedly OK for cycling before the govt gets of it's fat backside and acts
in the interest of cycling safety? I don't post in here much but I read the
threads and there is a steady flow of needless accidents due to people
wanting to get their cycling time out there on the roads with people who are
not focussing on their driving on roads that are quite frankly pathetic in
regard to sharing.
My heart goes out to the family and friends of the person taken and the
injured this morning but I just continue to shake my head and wonder when
Australians are going to get it?
K Rudd and your cronies, - spend some money on a national cycle safety
awareness and fix the roads so they are safe to use for all people.
(idealistic utopian dreaming - sorry!)
Jock

"Boostland" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
| There was a nasty crash involving the training ride that I normally go on.
|
| One rider has died after a semi trailer collided with the group of around
19
| riders on the "Swansea Express" training ride and another possibly in a
| critical condition.
|
| I have not been able to contact anyone from the ride I know as yet so
don't
| have more details than than what I have heard on the local radio.
|
| I was not on the ride as I looked out side and it was windy and the roads
| were wet and I decided I would go back to warm bed and train later in the
| day, I did not want to risk a chill as I am racing in the Cronulla Crits
| this weekend and the ride is also very very fast and my legs are still a
| little flat after 3 days of racing over the weekend.
|
| On good days I have seen 40 riders on this run with several sections of
the
| ride at 50+ km/h (on the flats), and a KOM up the hills on the return,
this
| ride is sometimes harder than the local A grade racing.
|
|
|
| At our AGM last Tuesday Olivia Gollan proposed we do something for the Amy
| Gillet foundation, the committe of Kooragang cycling club decided that we
| will be hosting a charity event for it, the Australia Day Amy Gillett
| Foundation Race on the 28th January.
|
| <
|
http://kooragangcycling.asn.au/site/index.cfm?PageMode=indiv&module=EVENT&page_id=94670&leca=216 >
|
| The club will be donating at least $1000 to the foundation, so anyone in
the
| area that wants to race for a good cause please come along and support it.
|
|

 

[Bean Long]

Boostland wrote:

> That report is not accurate, I know who has died it was a member of my club
> and a friend, his and my friend and his work mate was giving him CPR on the
> road side until the paramedics arrived.
>
> I am quite upset at this time, but it would be nothing in comparison to what
> the family and the riders that saw it would be feeling.

Jeez, sorry Boost. Glad to hear you stayed in bed, but sad to hear the
news. Shocking.

--
Bean

 

[Gags]

"Boostland" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
>
> That report is not accurate, I know who has died it was a member of my
> club and a friend, his and my friend and his work mate was giving him CPR
> on the road side until the paramedics arrived.
>
> I am quite upset at this time, but it would be nothing in comparison to
> what the family and the riders that saw it would be feeling.
>

Another tragedy - commiserations to the family and friends (including
Boostland) of the rider.

Without naming names, are you able to tell me if the rider was associated
with the ADCC - I know quite a few guys up at the RAAF base there and I am
hoping that it wasn't one of them who was involved.

Gags

 

[MikeyOz]

Without naming names, are you able to tell me if the rider was associated
with the ADCC - I know quite a few guys up at the RAAF base there and I am
hoping that it wasn't one of them who was involved.

Gags

There was a fairly big article about it on the at least The Age's site today, apparently a local barrister who was advancing onto State/Nationals. Commiserations to the family/friends of the victim. Hope the injured party pulls through and recovers.

Cars racing on freeways, drivers unable to navigate a vehicle with enough space to pass cyclists, driving under the influence of drugs/alcohol yet apparently it is pack cyclists that require a code of conduct.

 

[Boostland]

"MikeyOz" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> Gags Wrote:
>> Without naming names, are you able to tell me if the rider was
>> associated
>> with the ADCC - I know quite a few guys up at the RAAF base there and I
>> am
>> hoping that it wasn't one of them who was involved.
>>
>> Gags
>
> There was a fairly big article about it on the at least The Age's site
> today, apparently a local barrister who was advancing onto
> State/Nationals. Commiserations to the family/friends of the victim.
> Hope the injured party pulls through and recovers.
>
> Cars racing on freeways, drivers unable to navigate a vehicle with
> enough space to pass cyclists, driving under the influence of
> drugs/alcohol yet apparently it is pack cyclists that require a code of
> conduct.
>
>
> --
> MikeyOz
>

It was not any of the ADCC guys, the rider killed and one of the injured
riders were from my Koorangang cycling club.

<
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,22903909-5001021,00.html
>

"
A NEWCASTLE solicitor was killed when a turf farm truck plowed into a group
of 19 training cyclists.

Dominic Mason, 33, suffered massive internal injuries when the heavy vehicle
clipped him as he rode along the Pacific Highway at Blacksmiths, south of
Newcastle early this morning.

Mr Mason, a solicitor at Harris Wheeler Law Firm and a member of the
Kooragang Cycle Club, had only taken up professional cycling a year ago, and
was considered by fellow club members to be a stickler for safety.

Club president Bob Burley said Mr Mason took road safety very seriously and
was an active club member.

''He was a very skilled rider, he progressed from D-grade to B-grade within
a year,'' Mr Burley said."



He was also very nice guy and was showing real promise as a bike rider, he
would generally be in the leading group up over the hill on the return back
up to the John Hunter hospital.

And yes some of the comments on that site are from blind moron drivers that
have no clue about road rules and safety, it's not as though a group of 19
riders all in bright clothing riding at around 50 km/h are not visible on
that straight bit of road.

The driver of the truck would have had plenty of time to see them as the
speed limit is 80 km/h in that area and the traffic does not pass us at a
much higher speed.

The road there is 2 lanes in each direction with a rather wide shoulder so
the riders don't even have to take a entire lane at that point, they do
however take the lane where there is parked cars a bit further up the road,
as there is simply no room for even a single rider to safely pass a parked
car in the shoulder section.

Dominic will be sadly missed by his family and all members of the Newcastle
cycling community.

 

[PeteSig]

"Jock" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:3%[email protected]...
>I don't like to say this but Australia is no place for sharing roads with
> motor vehicles. How many more people need to be injured and killed on
> roads
> supposedly OK for cycling before the govt gets of it's fat backside and
> acts
> in the interest of cycling safety? I don't post in here much but I read
> the
> threads and there is a steady flow of needless accidents due to people
> wanting to get their cycling time out there on the roads

Really disturbing! And you have a licence to drive, perhaps?

Hint: bicycles are *road* vehicles here in Australia. It's the LAW.

About time people woke up to where the greater problem lies and started to
apply the laws. An overtaking truck, on a straight stretch of two lane
highway? Further coronial/police investigations will follow, but if the
cyclistbunch did nothing irregular that truck driver should have the book
thrown at him, lose his licence and go to gaol. <rant over>

Why blame the victim?

--
Cheers
Peter

~~~ ~ _@
~~ ~ _- \,
~~ (*)/ (*)

 

[Obakesan]

firstly, my most sincere sympathy extends to the family of those killed and
injured.

then ...

In article <[email protected]>, "PeteSig"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>
>"Jock" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:3%[email protected]...
>>I don't like to say this but Australia is no place for sharing roads with
>> motor vehicles. How many more people need to be injured and killed on
>> roads
>> supposedly OK for cycling before the govt gets of it's fat backside and
>> acts
>> in the interest of cycling safety? I don't post in here much but I read
>> the
>> threads and there is a steady flow of needless accidents due to people
>> wanting to get their cycling time out there on the roads
>
>Really disturbing! And you have a licence to drive, perhaps?
>
>Hint: bicycles are *road* vehicles here in Australia. It's the LAW.
>
>About time people woke up to where the greater problem lies and started to
>apply the laws. An overtaking truck, on a straight stretch of two lane
>highway? Further coronial/police investigations will follow, but if the
>cyclistbunch did nothing irregular that truck driver should have the book
>thrown at him, lose his licence and go to gaol. <rant over>
>

as I understand it in Japan (where I lived for a few years) cyclists were
given priority on the roads over other vehicles (although not over
pedestrians). As other mechanised transport occured later (historically
speaking) they are deemed to be posing a threat to life and limb.

So, unless rather exceptional circumstances prevailed in Japan the truck
driver would loose his licence and probably be charged with manslaughter.

When the 'right to drive' myth is extinguised in Australia perhaps we'll see
things move that way.


>Why blame the victim?
>

shifts the focus off the inadequate regulatory framework?


See Ya
(when bandwidth gets better ;-)

Chris Eastwood
Photographer, Programmer
Motorcyclist and dingbat

please remove undies for reply

 

[Zebee Johnstone]

In aus.bicycle on Tue, 11 Dec 2007 20:59:59 +1100
MikeyOz <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> Cars racing on freeways, drivers unable to navigate a vehicle with
> enough space to pass cyclists, driving under the influence of
> drugs/alcohol yet apparently it is pack cyclists that require a code of
> conduct.
>

Thre's already a code of conduct covering the behaviour you mention.
With fines and all.

Zebee

 

[cfsmtb]

I don't like to say this but Australia is no place for sharing roads with motor vehicles.

********. Driving a vehicle, like legally owning firearms, is a privilege not a right. What is a main concern is how we're allowed ourselves to get sucked into a chicken little mentality and all the cringing, shitty attitudes that come with the territory. The vast majority of drivers don't jump into their vehicles with the sole intention of hurting or killing another human being, the real killer is the lack of personal responsibility, awareness and driver distraction. Governments and various agencies can only do so much, it's also up to us in our daily lives to help create a adequate, safe road environment for everyone else.

 

[EuanB]

I don't like to say this but Australia is no place for sharing roads with
motor vehicles.

Funny, I do it every day. Some may say it's only a matter of time before my number's up but the numbers suggest otherwise.

Absolute numbers, a cyclist is four times more likely to die on the roads than a car driver. It's probably less now as there are more cyclists and that data was from 2000 or so.

Cycling reduces my chance of heart disease, and a whole host of other inactivity/obesity related diseases, by 40%. I also add about 15 years of active life, meaning that a non-cycling peer (assuming no diligent working out to compensate for a car bound lifestyle) will need residential care far earlier than me.

Deaths attributed to heart disease outstrip deaths attributed to road deaths by oders of magnitude. I'm willing ot accept the small increase on the roads for those benefits, it just makes sense.

And one last thing, some of us ride for utility. I'm not going out there `to get my cycling in', I'm going out there to get from A to B.

You would do well to spend a bit more time researching your position, you'll find, as I have, that the situation in Australia is nowhere near as dire as some people like to make out. Yes it could be better and I believe that it is getting better.

 

[Elmo]

EuanB wrote:
> Jock Wrote:
>> I don't like to say this but Australia is no place for sharing roads
>> with
>> motor vehicles.Funny, I do it every day. Some may say it's only a matter of time before
> my number's up but the numbers suggest otherwise.
>
> Absolute numbers, a cyclist is four times more likely to die on the
> roads than a car driver. It's probably less now as there are more
> cyclists and that data was from 2000 or so.
>
> Cycling reduces my chance of heart disease, and a whole host of other
> inactivity/obesity related diseases, by 40%. I also add about 15 years
> of active life, meaning that a non-cycling peer (assuming no diligent
> working out to compensate for a car bound lifestyle) will need
> residential care far earlier than me.
>
> Deaths attributed to heart disease outstrip deaths attributed to road
> deaths by oders of magnitude. I'm willing ot accept the small increase
> on the roads for those benefits, it just makes sense.
>
> And one last thing, some of us ride for utility. I'm not going out
> there `to get my cycling in', I'm going out there to get from A to B.
>
> You would do well to spend a bit more time researching your position,
> you'll find, as I have, that the situation in Australia is nowhere near
> as dire as some people like to make out. Yes it could be better and I
> believe that it is getting better.
>
>

Don't sleep, it's bad for you. Nearly 50% of deaths occur during sleep.

Elmo

 

[MikeyOz]

In aus.bicycle on Tue, 11 Dec 2007 20:59:59 +1100
MikeyOz <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> Cars racing on freeways, drivers unable to navigate a vehicle with
> enough space to pass cyclists, driving under the influence of
> drugs/alcohol yet apparently it is pack cyclists that require a code of
> conduct.
>

Thre's already a code of conduct covering the behaviour you mention.
With fines and all.

Zebee

You don't say.

And cyclist's are also included in that, so why do we also need a code of conduct, when apparently drivers don't ??

 

[Theo Bekkers]

Elmo wrote:
> EuanB wrote:

>> You would do well to spend a bit more time researching your position,
>> you'll find, as I have, that the situation in Australia is nowhere
>> near as dire as some people like to make out. Yes it could be better
>> and I believe that it is getting better.

> Don't sleep, it's bad for you. Nearly 50% of deaths occur during
> sleep.

In WA, only one death in a 100 occurs in a car, despite the average person
spending 4% of their time in one. It's obviously the safest place to be.

Theo

 

[Theo Bekkers]

MikeyOz wrote:
> Zebee Johnstone Wrote:
>> MikeyO wrote:

>>> Cars racing on freeways, drivers unable to navigate a vehicle with
>>> enough space to pass cyclists, driving under the influence of
>>> drugs/alcohol yet apparently it is pack cyclists that require a
>>> code of conduct.

>> There's already a code of conduct covering the behaviour you mention.
>> With fines and all.

> You don't say.

She did!

> And cyclist's are also included in that, so why do we also need a code
> of conduct, when apparently drivers don't ??

What's that whooshing sound?

Theo

 

[Theo Bekkers]

cfsmtb wrote:

> The vast
> majority of drivers don't jump into their vehicles with the sole
> intention of hurting or killing another human being, the real killer
> is the lack of personal responsibility, awareness and driver
> distraction. Governments and various agencies can only do so much,
> it's also up to us in our daily lives to help create a adequate, safe
> road environment for everyone else.

Aye, but I had a poor unbringing, my dad left us when I was four, my sister
hates me, I was picked on at school.

It's not my fault!

Theo

 

[Aeek]

On Wed, 12 Dec 2007 18:45:44 +0900, "Theo Bekkers"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>In WA, only one death in a 100 occurs in a car, despite the average person
>spending 4% of their time in one. It's obviously the safest place to be.

and most car deaths involve sober drivers. Stats aren't everything.

 

[Nick Payne]

On Wed, 12 Dec 2007 16:53:28 +1100, EuanB wrote:

> Absolute numbers, a cyclist is four times more likely to die on the
> roads than a car driver. It's probably less now as there are more
> cyclists and that data was from 2000 or so.
>
Which absolute numbers? Death rate per kilometre travelled? Death rate
per hour on the road? What? Here's one way of looking at it:

fatalities
Activity per million hrs
-------- ---------------
Skydiving 128.71
General Aviation 15.58
On-road Motorcycling 8.80
Scuba Diving 1.98
Living (all causes of death) 1.53
Swimming 1.07
Snowmobiling .88
Passenger cars .47
Water skiing .28
Bicycling .26
Flying (scheduled domestic airlines) .15
Hunting .08
Cosmic Radiation from transcontinental flights .035
Home Living (active) .027
Traveling in a School Bus .022
Passenger Car Post-collision fire .017
Home Living, active & passive (sleeping) .014
Residential Fire .003

Doesn't seem to quite agree with your statement. Source: http://
www.magma.ca/~ocbc/comparat.html.