Friendly fire on the bike path (Minuteman Bike Path)

[MattTuck]

I know we have some folks on here that ride this route, so hopefully we are all OK. Tragic.

Usually we think of the bike path as a safer place, but nothing is 100%

Be careful out there.

https://www.boston.com/news/local-ne...eway-lexington

A bicyclist died Sunday after he collided with another cyclist on the Minuteman Bikeway in Lexington, according to police.

Lexington police Lt. Michael Tuomi said the initial investigation indicates that the two male cyclists were traveling in opposite directions Sunday afternoon when they struck each other head on. Police responded to the scene, about a mile from the Arlington town line, around 2:09 p.m.

Both men were taken to Lahey Hospital with “extensive injuries,” where one of them passed away from his wounds, according to police.

The other man remained hospitalized Monday morning, Tuomi said.

“He is going to be OK,” he said.

Police have not released the names of the two cyclists.

[AngryScientist]

wow that's terrible.

[benb]

Yikes I rode that path yesterday with my son & his friend. (They are 6) . Later in the day though and it was deserted.

Had the discussion with my wife who is fairly ignorant of bike things that the bike path was not necessarily safer than the quiet streets. Constant battle to stop her from trying to ride sidewalks and stuff.

It was 100% obvious yesterday was the day all the casual cyclists brought their bikes out. I saw about 100x other cyclists on Sunday compared to Saturday. I went for a ride around 3:45PM around Bedford -> Concord -> Carlisle then came back and picked up my son & his friend and took them on the path. Seems like exactly the day for something bad to happen on the path, lots of rusty riders out and there is ALWAYS someone trying to set a PR on the path.

It is partly why I am not happy the Reformatory Branch trail from Bedford to Concord is slated to be paved. Right now it's a quiet dirt trail with light traffic, it's going to be full of insanity like the main part of the Minuteman once it gets paved, plus we lose another nice dirt trail. I'm sure they'll remove the few places you get to turn your bike on it.

[jamesdak]

I refuse to ride my local bike path. Way too many hazards. I prefer riding on the road with no real shoulder and 50 mph traffic over the path.

Shame to read about this though.

[Johnnysmooth]

Originally Posted by jamesdak

I refuse to ride my local bike path. Way too many hazards. I prefer riding on the road with no real shoulder and 50 mph traffic over the path.

Shame to read about this though.

I'm with you - bike paths are more hazardous then the street

[cderalow]

Originally Posted by Johnnysmooth

I'm with you - bike paths are more hazardous then the street

I'd wager that both are equally hazardous dependent upon the time of day.

for me, roads are certainly hazardous during typically commuting hours, but the bike paths I'd take during the same time frame are mostly devoid of users beyond other bike commuters (capital crescent trail, C&O towpath).

now, outside of commuting hours, the opposite might be said. the paths are certainly more heavily used during the middle of the day and thus prove more of a hazard than the roads which have a lightened use.

so for me, commuters hours (early am, early PM) or late evening on the paths. all other times on the road.

[Mark McM]

Originally Posted by Johnnysmooth

I'm with you - bike paths are more hazardous then the street

I think they differ in number and severity of incidents. The chances of an incident may be greater on a bike path than on the street, but the incidents with the greatest degree of injury are probably more common on the road. One of the reasons that this latest fatal accident is getting a lot discussion is because it is so rare.

[benb]

Originally Posted by Mark McM

I think they differ in number and severity of incidents. The chances of an incident may be greater on a bike path than on the street, but the incidents with the greatest degree of injury are probably more common on the road. One of the reasons that this latest fatal accident is getting a lot discussion is because it is so rare.

These stats are available in various public government/NTSB/whatever databases.

I have tried working with them before but it's a bunch of work and as usual real data is complicated and the real picture is complicated.

But it certainly doesn't support the mindset that bike paths are totally safe.

Mostly we end up with some reporter's back of the napkin take on the data.

There are always all these confounding data points that represent behaviors we can take that change risk dramatically.

I remember researching it more when I was motorcycling.. the stats look bad, but when you took the following steps:
- Wear a Helmet
- Have a License
- Take the MSF classes
- Don't be Drunk

All of a sudden the picture changed dramatically.

Most of those are relevant for us, but it's too bad there is no class that teaches people how to actually ride a bike really well. A lot of the bad motorcyclist memes/behaviors are repeated with bicyclists. "Had to lay it down", etc..

[Blue Jays]

Jeez. Horrible and tragic news.
My thoughts are with those cyclists.

[benb]

To be fair the Minuteman path is a great path, you just need to avoid the peak hours on the weekend.

It is a great way to commute into Somerville & Cambridge, the commuter crowd is much safer.

But on the weekend in the middle of the day when the weather is nice it is all Mom's pushing strollers, people with dog's off the leash, kids wobbling all over the place, rollerbladers who need > 50% of the width of the trail, and fat guys on road bikes trying to get the Strava KOMs. And they're all wearing their earbuds rocking out. Saw a guy swinging his hockey stick around while skating recently even, I almost yelled "stop high sticking" at him cause he had the stick up high enough to closeline someone, but he had buds in.

[makoti]

Originally Posted by benb

But on the weekend in the middle of the day when the weather is nice it is all Mom's pushing strollers, people with dog's off the leash, kids wobbling all over the place, rollerbladers who need > 50% of the width of the trail, and fat guys on road bikes trying to get the Strava KOMs. And they're all wearing their earbuds rocking out.

This describes every MUT. I'll use them, but never on weekends or nice spring evenings.

[seanile]

rode by the aftermath of that yesterday. had been trying to find out what came of it..sad.

[Bruce K]

A 71 year old cyclist was killed in a collision with another cyclist on the Minuteman Bikeway in Lexington, MA yesterday.

Unfortunately, I can’t access the article in The Boston Globe on line.

This really sucks and points out just how dangerous these bike paths can be.

BK

[Bruce K]

Update -

Head-on collision

BK

[Gummee]

We had something similar on the W & OD trail system a bit ago.

People get on MUTs and turn off their brains because 'it's safe...'

Shame for all involved

M