Cyclist falls 50 ft. from a bridge and survives

[fiamme red]

http://www.wavy.com/dpp/news/local_news/va_beach/local_wavy_cyclist_rescue_20090913 (with video)

Firefighters said a cyclist fell over the bridge, plummeting nearly fifty feet to the wetlands below, after another cyclist hit him from behind. A WAVY News 10 viewer and retired firefighter gave us video of rescue crews at work. In the video, you can see Jason Probst heading over the edge.

[fiamme red]

He was hit from behind by another cyclist in his group.

http://hamptonroads.com/2009/09/cyclist-survives-fall-pungo-ferry-bridge

Elliott Craddock, an experienced bike racer, crossed the bridge often on training rides, his father said.

This time, though, he was riding in a group, and not long after the group crested the bridge, another rider hit Craddock from behind, said Virginia Beach Fire Department Battalion Chief Hedley Austin.

Craddock turned to the right, struck the bridge's concrete barrier and pitched over it.

"One of them just kind of touched the other, and that was it," Austin said. "It happened quickly."

[nahtnoj]

So glad he wasn't seriously injured.

Nothing but a Jersey barrier separating the roadway from the edge - is the bridge under construction or something?

[torquer]

http://hamptonroads.com/2009/09/cyclist-survives-fall-pungo-ferry-bridge

Another opportunity for critical thinking under the comments:

Submitted by jpjones on Mon, 09/14/2009 at 3:13 pm.
How about we slap a hefty tax on bikes and biking equipment (we could exempt children's bikes and safety helmets) and dedicate the proceeds to bike path construction and maintenance? Spandex shorts and pointy sunglasses would be taxed, too.

Submitted by rickh81501 on Mon, 09/14/2009 at 4:17 am.
We tie up 25 firefighters and rescue people for hours, block the main road for hours too all so "Lance Jr" and company can play in their spandex. And they wonder why motorists don't respect them? They need to make the person responsible for this foot the bill. Had they been driving a safe distance apart it wouldn't have happened. If a vehicle had done this to another car someone would have been held libel for their mistake. Want to play on the roads? Then they need to adhere to the same set of rules we play by.

I hope nobody ever holds me libel!

[Blue Jays]

The follow-up commentary on these kinds of news reports are priceless!

[Lifelover]

A couple of my best friends were on the ride. Damnedest thing they ever been a part of.

However, Elliot was not complete without blame. He was riding a TT bike in a fast group ride. The reason he was on his TT bike is because he has a broken left wrist and can't support and weight on it.

He should have never been there.

This is the second major crash on the fast Sunday ride out of Fat Frogs on the last month. The last crash took down almost 20 riders and 5 went to the hospital in an ambulance. Injuries included a broken leg and back. It was caused by a WD-40 can.

Jersey barriers are fairly standard side protection on bridges in this area. I suspect they are pretty standard everywhere.


SAAB knows and has ridden with him.

[MattTuck]

Obviously, I'm glad that he is doing alright.

And clearly, if he was on a TT bike, that was a poor decision.


Maybe I'm a misanthrope or a hermit, but I really fail to see the point of riding in a group. Perhaps I see why folks that race would ride in a group, as it builds necessary skills/experience. For me, 3 people is the max group size in which I feel comfortable. Above that, and people start acting like sheep... not paying enough attention to the situation around them, and paying too much attention to the other riders.

If you really want to "hang out with your buddies", have them over for a cookout... don't try to "catch up" when you're rolling along at 22 mph on the side of a road.

[paulrad9]

If a vehicle had done this to another car someone would have been held libel (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libel) for their mistake. Want to play on the roads? Then they need to adhere to the same set of rules we play by.

URL added for libel

Do you think he meant liable? But whatever, I've never been able to enjoy any financial indemnification when a car accident held up traffic but maybe the rules are different where he lives

[Lifelover]

Obviously, I'm glad that he is doing alright.

And clearly, if he was on a TT bike, that was a poor decision.


Maybe I'm a misanthrope or a hermit, but I really fail to see the point of riding in a group. Perhaps I see why folks that race would ride in a group, as it builds necessary skills/experience. For me, 3 people is the max group size in which I feel comfortable. Above that, and people start acting like sheep... not paying enough attention to the situation around them, and paying too much attention to the other riders.

If you really want to "hang out with your buddies", have them over for a cookout... don't try to "catch up" when you're rolling along at 22 mph on the side of a road.

I suspect that "group" rides tend to be quite different in areas like Tidewater that are truly flatlands.

With no climbs to separate you, our groups tend to be overly tight, overly crowded and thus, dangerous. The benefit of sitting on allows riders to ride at speed that they have no business riding at.

However, there is a certain draw to hanging on for dear life to the tire in front of you knowing that if you drop off your speed will plummet 5+ MPH. For years I used some of these rides as my "fast" ride and was most likely one of the idiots at the A$$ end that had no business being there.

I much prefer riding in smaller groups (4-8). I do ride with the big FF group almost every Saturday. Over the years I have really gotten frustrated with some of the antics you see when you are sitting on. Now and ride down a pace and lead the ride. Just as much work and much safer.

[rugbysecondrow]

First, I have to say...what a lucky bastard.

Second, a TT bike on a ride like that, not cool.

Third, there is a Weds night ride I like to do that starts out with 2-3 groups, but gets elongated after a mile or so into smaller pods. The hills tend to do that, so I can go along with that. Otherwise, what I like about riding is the sense of freedom and space, I don't get that on tight ride...I know, I am a picky bastard. I'm a big feller, I need a little elbow room



I suspect that "group" rides tend to be quite different in areas like Tidewater that are truly flatlands.

With no climbs to separate you, our groups tend to be overly tight, overly crowded and thus, dangerous. The benefit of sitting on allows riders to ride at speed that they have no business riding at.

However, there is a certain draw to hanging on for dear life to the tire in front of you knowing that if you drop off your speed will plummet 5+ MPH. For years I used some of these rides as my "fast" ride and was most likely one of the idiots at the A$$ end that had no business being there.

I much prefer riding in smaller groups (4-8). I do ride with the big FF group almost every Saturday. Over the years I have really gotten frustrated with some of the antics you see when you are sitting on. Now and ride down a pace and lead the ride. Just as much work and much safer.

[nahtnoj]

I suspect that "group" rides tend to be quite different in areas like Tidewater that are truly flatlands.

With no climbs to separate you, our groups tend to be overly tight, overly crowded and thus, dangerous.

Ironic then that the accident happened on one of the "climbs" in the area.

[fiamme red]

http://bikevoice.blogspot.com/2009/09/base-jumping.html

Elliot is an experienced Cat 2 racer, a reiteration that the occurrence of cycling crashes over the past two years is due, in my opinion, to simply more riders participating and therefore more chances of incident rather than the makings of a curse. I hope Elliot's broken shoulder heals soon, and I join many others in being very glad it was not worse...

Elliot told me that his group of about 7 had just started the descent when one rider got a case of speed wobble. Elliot's front wheel hooked into the guy's rear, and they danced a bit to keep the rubber side down. But Elliot ran out of room and was boxed in on the right, and the 30 mph speed sent him into the barrier. He has concrete marks on his calves from trying to catch himself as he and, yes his bike also, launched over the side. He blacked out when he hit, but his mind buzzed into action immediately despite his blurry vision. He did a mental self check before pulling himself onto the concrete slab holding up one of the bridge pillars. He landed in a bed of Spartina Alterniflora and 3 inches of water.

[zap]

Lucky bloke.

Now, nothing wrong with riding a tt bike in a group.

What is wrong is riding in the "aero" position in the pack. We have national champs and folks that compete at worlds duathlons show up with tt kit and are happy to have them. I suck (speed wise) but do ride my tt kit on group rides every once in a while.

It's not what you ride but how you ride.

[BumbleBeeDave]

However, there is a certain draw to hanging on for dear life to the tire in front of you knowing that if you drop off your speed will plummet 5+ MPH. . . .

Not for me! I decided a long time ago that if I'm in a group and feeling like that, then I'm likely not the only one. In that case people end up riding with their egos, not their brains, and it gets dangerous. Not worth it . . .

BBD

[ridethecliche]

Someone seems to have been channeling Wim Van Est.

http://home-1.tiscali.nl/~edwinsel/pics/renners/est_van,ravijn%20%28volkskrant,1%20mei%202003%29.j pg

[lemonlaug]

Now, nothing wrong with riding a tt bike in a group.

What is wrong is riding in the "aero" position in the pack.

Same reason you're supposed to keep your hands on the bars in the group. You can't reach the brakes when you're on the aero bars.

Not to say that some people don't do it, but I personally don't care for it. In a small group with a rider I trust, maybe I don't mind, but as a general rule, it's a no-brainer. It's fine if you ride the TT bike, just stay off the aero bars.