RAAM Tragedy

B. Lafferty · Jun 18, 2003

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From theis morning's VeloNews:

RAAM rider killed in New Mexico This report filed June 18, 2003 A member of the Vail-Go Fast team
contesting the Race Across America was = killed late Tuesday night outside of Pie Town, New
Mexico.=20

The rider, whose name has not yet been released, was struck and killed = by an 18-wheel tractor
trailer.=20

We expect a report from VeloNews reporter Steve Medcroft later this = morning as further details
become available.=20

IIRC, this is the first major accident at RAAM since the Canadian = (name?) was hit by a truck in
1985 and the first death during RAAM. RIP = and lets hope this doesn't have a major negative impact
on this race.

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<DIV><FONT color=3D#0000ff size=3D2>From theis morning's = VeloNews:</FONT></DIV>
<DV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DVI><FONT size=3D2><STRONG>RAAM rider killed in New = Mexico<BR></STRONG>This=20 report filed
June 18, 2003<BR>A member of the Vail-Go Fast team = contesting the=20 Race Across America
was killed late Tuesday night outside of Pie Town, = New=20 Mexico. </FONT></DIV>
<DVII><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DVIII><FONT size=3D2>The rider, whose name has not yet been released, was = struck=20 and killed by
an 18-wheel tractor trailer. </FONT></DIV>
<DIX><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DX><FONT size=3D2>We expect a report from VeloNews reporter Steve = Medcroft later=20 this
morning as further details become available. </FONT></DIV>
<DXI><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DXII><FONT color=3D#0000ff size=3D2>IIRC, this is the first major = accident at RAAM=20 since the
Canadian (name?) was hit by a truck in 1985 and the first = death during=20 RAAM. RIP
and lets hope this doesn't have a major negative impact = on this=20 race.</FONT></DIV>
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David Ryan · Jun 18, 2003

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/?id=2003/jun03/jun18news3

RAAM Competitor killed

The Race Across America (RAAM) suffered a terrible blow early Wednesday morning as racer Brett Malin
was struck and killed by a truck along US route 60 in New Mexico. The accident, which happened at
around 2:30am EST, marks the first fatality in the race's 21 year history. Malin, a member of
four-person Team Vail-Go Fast, reportedly was struck by the truck as it attempted to swerve to avoid
the collision, which was deemed an accident.

Brett Malin, a road cyclist from Vail, Colorado, was 30 years old.

Psycholist · Jun 18, 2003

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Here's the latest on the tragedy. I confess I jumped to the conclusion = that it must have been the
evil truck driver. I guess not. Tragic all = the same. My heart goes out to the victim, the family
AND to the = driver.

Bob C.

"A member of the Vail-Go Fast team contesting the Race Across America = was killed late Tuesday
night, outside of Pie Town, New Mexico.=20

Thirty-year-old Brett Malin, of Vail, Colorado, had just finished riding = a 30-mile stretch when he
was struck and killed by an 18-wheel tractor = trailer. Malin was part of a four-man team riding in
shifts across the = 2970-mile RAAM route.=20

VeloNews correspondent Steve Medcroft, who has been riding in the team's = support vehicle said the
team had divided duties between two shifts of = two riders, who would then trade-off 30-mile rides.
Malin finished his = 30-mile stretch at 11:45 p.m. on Tuesday and was relieved by teammate = Zach
Bigham.=20

As is the practice in RAAM, the team's pace car had continued on, = following Bigham. Malin was then
to have been picked up by the team's = follow vehicle. Malin apparently opted to turn around on the
road to = ride back to the follow vehicle instead of waiting.=20

According to Medcroft, Malin made the maneuver on a blind turn on the = empty highway and did not
hear or see the tractor-trailer approaching. = The driver of the truck swerved in an unsuccessful
attempt to avoid = striking the rider.=20

Emergency personnel arrived within 15 minutes, but Malin was declared = dead on the scene. "

"B. Lafferty" <[email protected]> wrote in message =
news:[email protected]... From theis morning's VeloNews:

RAAM rider killed in New Mexico This report filed June 18, 2003 A member of the Vail-Go Fast team
contesting the Race Across America = was killed late Tuesday night outside of Pie Town, New
Mexico.=20

The rider, whose name has not yet been released, was struck and killed = by an 18-wheel tractor
trailer.=20

We expect a report from VeloNews reporter Steve Medcroft later this = morning as further details
become available.=20

IIRC, this is the first major accident at RAAM since the Canadian = (name?) was hit by a truck in
1985 and the first death during RAAM. RIP = and lets hope this doesn't have a major negative
impact on this race.

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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Here's the latest on the tragedy. = I confess I=20 jumped
to the conclusion that it must have been the evil truck = driver. I=20 guess not.
Tragic all the same. My heart goes out to the = victim, the=20 family AND to the
driver.</FONT></DIV>
<DV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DVI><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Bob C.</FONT></DIV>
<DVII><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DVIII><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>
<P><FONT face=3D"Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size=3D-1>"A = member of the=20 Vail-Go
Fast team contesting the Race Across America was killed late = Tuesday=20 night, outside of
Pie Town, New Mexico.</FONT> </P>
<Q><FONT face=3D"Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" = size=3D-1>Thirty-year-old=20 Brett
Malin, of Vail, Colorado, had just finished riding a 30-mile = stretch when=20 he was struck
and killed by an 18-wheel tractor trailer. Malin was part = of a=20 four-man team riding in
shifts across the 2970-mile RAAM route.</FONT> = </P>
<R><FONT face=3D"Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" = size=3D-1><I>VeloNews</I>=20
correspondent Steve Medcroft, who has been riding in the team's support = vehicle=20 said the
team had divided duties between two shifts of two riders, who = would=20 then trade-off
30-mile rides. Malin finished his 30-mile stretch at =
11:45 p.m.=20 on Tuesday and was relieved by teammate Zach Bigham.</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT face=3D"Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size=3D-1>As is = the practice=20 in
RAAM, the team's pace car had continued on, following Bigham. Malin = was then=20 to have
been picked up by the team's follow vehicle. Malin apparently = opted to=20 turn around on
the road to ride back to the follow vehicle instead of=20 waiting.</FONT> </P>
<Q><FONT face=3D"Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" = size=3D-1>According to=20 Medcroft,
Malin made the maneuver on a blind turn on the empty highway = and did=20 not hear or see the
tractor-trailer approaching. The driver of the truck = swerved=20 in an unsuccessful attempt
to avoid striking the rider.</FONT> </P>
<R><FONT face=3D"Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" = size=3D-1>Emergency=20 personnel
arrived within 15 minutes, but Malin was declared dead on the=20 scene.</FONT> <FONT
face=3DVerdana>"</FONT></P></FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=3Dltr=20
style=3D"PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000
2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV>"B. Lafferty" <<A=20
=
href=3D"mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]= .com</A>>=20 wrote in
message <A=20
=
href=3D"news:[email protected]">new=
s:[email protected]</A>...</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#0000ff size=3D2>From theis morning's = VeloNews:</FONT></DIV>
<DV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DVI><FONT size=3D2><STRONG>RAAM rider killed in New = Mexico<BR></STRONG>This=20 report filed
June 18, 2003<BR>A member of the Vail-Go Fast team = contesting the=20 Race Across America
was killed late Tuesday night outside of Pie Town, = New=20 Mexico. </FONT></DIV>
<DVII><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DVIII><FONT size=3D2>The rider, whose name has not yet been released, = was struck=20 and killed
by an 18-wheel tractor trailer. </FONT></DIV>
<DIX><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DX><FONT size=3D2>We expect a report from VeloNews reporter Steve = Medcroft=20 later this
morning as further details become available. </FONT></DIV>
<DXI><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DXII><FONT color=3D#0000ff size=3D2>IIRC, this is the first major = accident at RAAM=20 since
the Canadian (name?) was hit by a truck in 1985 and the first = death=20 during RAAM.
RIP and lets hope this doesn't have a major = negative impact=20 on this race.</FONT></DIV>
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David Ryan · Jun 18, 2003

> Malin was then to have been picked up by the team's follow vehicle. Malin apparently opted to turn
> around on the road to ride back to the follow vehicle instead of waiting.
>
> According to Medcroft, Malin made the maneuver on a blind turn on the empty highway and did not
> hear or see the tractor-trailer approaching. The driver of the truck swerved in an unsuccessful
> attempt to avoid striking the rider.

Even I have a problem blaming the driver. But I always default to blaming vehicles in general. But
the proximate cause appears to have been a tired or inexperienced rider.

As a frequent night rider alone, I was cognizant whenever the lights of approaching vehicles in
either direction hit the tops of trees or glowed in the night haze above and I avoided making any
moves possibly into its path, even edging further to the side of the road. An alert or experienced
night rider should have noticed that much even without hearing or seeing the vehicle directly.

mapsno2 · Jun 18, 2003

Originally posted by Psycholist:
----------------------------------------

> According to Medcroft, Malin made the maneuver on a blind
> turn on the empty highway and did not hear or see the
> tractor-trailer approaching. The driver of the truck swerved in
> an unsuccessful attempt to avoid striking the rider.

Do you ever wonder where they come up with stuff like this? How on earth could they know what the rider saw or heard?

The rider may well have been tired and may well have been at fault. However, I'm always skeptical when I read stuff like this. I've never had a tractor-trailer sneak up on me without me hearing it a mile away and, given that the rider knows damned well he dies if he turns into traffic, I have a hard time believing he didn't look before turning (if indeed that's what he was doing at all). On the other hand, he was probably tired. But the point remains that this article is at best pure speculation.

CLB

Kurgan Gringion · Jun 18, 2003

"David Ryan" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> > Malin was then to have been picked up by the team's follow vehicle. Malin apparently opted to
> > turn around on the road to ride back to the follow vehicle instead of waiting.
> >
> > According to Medcroft, Malin made the maneuver on a blind turn on the empty highway and did not
> > hear or see the tractor-trailer approaching. The driver of the truck swerved in an unsuccessful
> > attempt to avoid striking the rider.
>
> Even I have a problem blaming the driver. But I always default to blaming vehicles in general. But
> the proximate cause appears to have been a tired or inexperienced rider.
>
> As a frequent night rider alone, I was cognizant whenever the lights of approaching vehicles in
> either direction hit the tops of trees or glowed in the night haze above and I avoided making any
> moves possibly into its path, even edging further to the side of the road. An alert or experienced
> night rider should have noticed that much even without hearing or seeing the vehicle directly.

Such are the risks of riding with a sleep deficit.

Anthony G Gough · Jun 18, 2003

Read the article..... His father witnessed the accident. So while we may not know what he saw, we do
know what he did.

"mapsno2" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Originally posted by Psycholist:
> ----------------------------------------
>
> > According to Medcroft, Malin made the maneuver on a blind turn on the empty highway and did not
> > hear or see the tractor-trailer approaching. The driver of the truck swerved in an unsuccessful
> > attempt to avoid striking the rider.
>
> Do you ever wonder where they come up with stuff like this? How on earth could they know what the
> rider saw or heard?
>
> The rider may well have been tired and may well have been at fault. However, I'm always skeptical
> when I read stuff like this. I've never had a tractor-trailer sneak up on me without me hearing it
> a mile away and, given that the rider knows damned well he dies if he turns into traffic, I have a
> hard time believing he didn't look before turning (if indeed that's what he was doing at all). On
> the other hand, he was probably tired. But the point remains that this article is at best pure
> speculation.
>
> CLB
>
>
>
> --
> >--------------------------<
> Posted via cyclingforums.com http://www.cyclingforums.com

RAAM Tragedy

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RAAM Tragedy

B. Lafferty Guest

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Irish Cycling Tragedy

Another tragedy of a cyclist vs. vehicle. Please take a moment to read, react and make a difference.

Bay Area cycling tragedy

The real tragedy of this tour..

SBS - London tragedy or Le Tour?