In Memory of Jerome Allen, 59 (Staten Island, NY) cycling enthusiast

[NYC.Boricua]

Jerome Allen, 59 year old Staten Island, NY resident cycling enthusiast dies in tragic bicycle accident Saturday May 2, 2005.

http://www.sibike.org/

[Sandy]

It is always so tagic to hear about such occurrences. I got the feeling by looking at his picture that he was a gentle, kind, and caring man. Perhaps a picture cannot possibly communicate such, but that is what it did to me.

Sadly, the picture shows him with his helmet, but one of the short articles said that he was not wearing one during the accident and he was riding alone.

Before they identified him, the article said that he was 40. Cycling can help make you look young and healthy.

Best to his family and friends. A sad loss to the community.

Sandy

[William]

I'm very sorry to read of this tragic accident. My condolences to his family.

William

[NYC.Boricua]

Jerome was known to be an extremely safe and experienced rider, neighbors were reported to have said that they never saw him leave without a helmet and family members could not find his helmet at his home. Jerome was also an NYCC rider and a beloved member and dear friend.

Daniel

http://www.nycc.org/mb/Thread.aspx?B=1&T=4047&Tp=!&C=(25)

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . the police didn’t find it doesn’t mean he wasn’t wearing it.

My condolences. Sounds like he was a great guy. Read the newspaper articles. As someone who works at a newspaper, I can tell you that if people come out of the woodwork like this to tell the reporter what a great guy he was, that means a lot.

BBDave

[pjm]

That picture looks like Saratoga State Park. He must have done the MHCC century ride. Very sad.

[PaulE]

The picture looks like the park in Jackson, NJ where the SIBA's Pumpkin Patch Pedal century starts and ends.

It is indeed very, very sad news.

[saab2000]

Wearing a helmet or not is still a personal choice. Not wearing a helmet does not cause accidents and whether he was wearing one or not does not lessen the tragedy.

[Sandy]

Of course wearing a helmet is a personal choice and not wearing one does not cause accidents. Obviously it was a great tragedy.

The significant point is that wearing a helmet might give a better outcome to an accident and make the accident much less tragic. It's what happens during and after the accident, not prior to it.

My initial comment was not to initiate a debate about helmet useage. That debate normally goes the way of a Shimano versus Campy one.

Sandy

[Ahneida Ride]

My sincere condolences to his family. This is a tragic loss. I would have
loved to have met Jerome.

The Mohark Hudson Cycling Club also suffered the loss of one of it's
own over the weekend. Apparently from a front tire Blow-out.

[bags27]

Reading the initial report, it seems implausible that he turned into the SUV as described. The only witnesses to this accident between Mr. Allen and a 23 year-old driver are the driver's relatives, who refused to comment at that time. I've done plenty of stupid and dangerous things on a bike, but I can't imagine any experienced cyclist turning into a large vehicle that's been riding along side, neck-and-neck. I'm not saying that the driver failed to see Mr. Allen turning ahead of him, but something just doesn't seem right. And yet, Mr. Allen is dead, for whatever reason, and that's, of course, the tragedy.

Not that there aren't plenty of other dangerous situations out there, but I never cycle anymore without a helmet mirror, which I check so often that even when I'm walking I tend to look up to my left, as if I still had the mirror attached to my head. It's dorky, sure, but it really, really, really works.

[Tom Byrnes]

That's a very sad story. Like bags27, I also have some questions how about the accident supposedly occurred. Reading the comments about him and the way the accident "occurred" don't add up quickly for me.

At any rate, a very sad story. I hope the investigation continues long enough to determine what happened.

Tom

[Louis]

From the article:


============================
Jerome Allen was riding in the right lane of Hylan Boulevard, headed toward the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, when a 2003 Lexus SUV, driven by Anthony Tasso, 23, of Tottenville, collided with his bike around 7:30 p.m., police said.

Mr. Allen was thrown in the air and landed on his head. According to police he
was not wearing a helmet.

The motorist was not cited for any violations.
===============================

I wonder what % of accidents like this involve young, male, testosterone laden drivers?

Louis