Author Topic: Rachel Atherton crash. (Read 7730 times)

woollypigs · « **on:** 22 January, 2009, 07:47:06 am »

Rachel Atherton was out on her bike and had a head on crash with a truck (a big 4x4)

BBC NEWS | England | Cyclist's lucky US escape

Quote

Her escape was even more remarkable since she were wearing headphone listen to music and wasn't wearing a helmet

delthebike · « **Reply #1 on:** 22 January, 2009, 08:04:00 am »

Quote from: woollypigs on 22 January, 2009, 07:47:06 am

Quote
Her escape was even more remarkable since she were wearing headphone listen to music and wasn't wearing a helmet

Even more remarkable was that she was on the wrong side of the road!
According to this peice, Clicky.

Wascally Weasel · « **Reply #2 on:** 22 January, 2009, 08:11:14 am »

I'm neutralish on the helmet debate (I own some but rarely use them). I respect her p.o.v. but from the injuries as described I can't see what particular benefit a helmet would have given her.

TimO · « **Reply #3 on:** 22 January, 2009, 08:12:53 am »

Rather annoyingly that story says;

Quote

But the importance of wearing a helmet has been drilled into her head, and Atherton hopes other cyclists can learn from her mistake.

Actually, the story seems to suggest that concentrating on what you are doing when operating a vehicle on the road is important; "...she drifted into oncoming traffic..."

If we heard a car driver saying that sort of thing after an accident, people would be screaming blue murder. Addmitedly, she was using a bicycle not a car, so the impact on other road users is likely to be much less (and has a very much less chance of causing a fatality), but it does seem from the published story that she did this to herself, at least partially through not concentrating.

Ho hum, at least she's walked away from it, and no one appears to have been seriously injured.

woollypigs · « **Reply #4 on:** 22 January, 2009, 08:20:39 am »

Yes I agree with Wascally Weasel regarding the helmets issue. Though it is the way that the beep reports it that annoys me.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #5 on:** 22 January, 2009, 08:20:47 am »

Agreed. Her comment about "listening to AC/DC, head down" implied that she neither saw nor heard the vehicle. That's why I think headphones while cycling is a bad idea - but her crash had nothing to do with helmets.

Sergeant Pluck · « **Reply #6 on:** 22 January, 2009, 08:33:13 am »

I dare say there must have been a bit of pressure from her sponsors to provoke so much helmet comment that completely ignores the facts of the case.

Steve GT · « **Reply #7 on:** 22 January, 2009, 08:46:24 am »

Quote from: wowbagger on 22 January, 2009, 08:20:47 am

Agreed. Her comment about "listening to AC/DC, head down" implied that she neither saw nor heard the vehicle. That's why I think headphones while cycling is a bad idea - but her crash had nothing to do with helmets.

I agree 100%.

saturn · « **Reply #8 on:** 22 January, 2009, 09:00:07 am »

There's a video interview which was annoying me a little as I watched it due to the total lack of contrition and treating it all like a big laugh. I felt sorry only for the truck driver and the lovely bike she trashed. Then at the very end she says "I'll never ride a road bike again .... ever" as if it was the fault of the bike or the road. Silly cow!

clarion · « **Reply #9 on:** 22 January, 2009, 09:04:15 am »

Two things:

Helmets have nothing to do with this.

She was an idiot for being on the wrong side of the road

I didn't hear or see massive media coverage for British World Champion (how many of them are there?) injured, as opposed to 'Overpaid Bladder-herder Bends His Car: Outbreak Of Mass Schadenfreude'

Yeah - I know that's three, but nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition.

Regulator · « **Reply #10 on:** 22 January, 2009, 09:46:04 am »

She also didn't help herself by listening to music through earphones.

I watched the Beeb interview with her. It was painful to listen to - every second phrase seemed to be "y'know"...

Jaded · « **Reply #11 on:** 22 January, 2009, 09:46:59 am »

So she is going to stay off -road. Where the risk of injury is greater.

LEE · « **Reply #12 on:** 22 January, 2009, 09:49:56 am »

Stupid but lucky.

Unless more is made of the fact she was on the wrong side of the road, not looking where she was going or capable of listening to her surroundings (warnings shouted perhaps?) then it's just more 'eveidence' that cycling on a road is dangerous.

So stupid and so lucky she is even able to contemplate a career in cycling after that

So nearly a Darwin Award nominee

mrcharly-YHT · « **Reply #13 on:** 22 January, 2009, 10:05:29 am »

The end of that mercury piece makes it clear that she swerved the wrong way.

Maybe we shouldn't be so harsh, would our reflexes take us the right way when cycling on the 'other' side of the road?

Bloody stupid to be wearing headphones tho'.

David Martin · « **Reply #14 on:** 22 January, 2009, 11:25:30 am »

Quote from: mrcharly on 22 January, 2009, 10:05:29 am

The end of that mercury piece makes it clear that she swerved the wrong way.

Maybe we shouldn't be so harsh, would our reflexes take us the right way when cycling on the 'other' side of the road?

Bloody stupid to be wearing headphones tho'.

It is a case of not looking where she was going, then reacting instinctively and going left when she was in foreign. Silly lass, but I am glad she doesn't have serious (ie non-mendable) injuries.

..d

pcolbeck · « **Reply #15 on:** 22 January, 2009, 11:30:32 am »

Quote from: mrcharly on 22 January, 2009, 10:05:29 am

The end of that mercury piece makes it clear that she swerved the wrong way.

Maybe we shouldn't be so harsh, would our reflexes take us the right way when cycling on the 'other' side of the road?

Bloody stupid to be wearing headphones tho'.

Why ? Did tyhey blind her so she couldn't see that she was riding on the wrong side of the road ?

mrcharly-YHT · « **Reply #16 on:** 22 January, 2009, 03:27:18 pm »

She didn't start out on the wrong side.

She had her head down, didn't hear the lorry.

Looked up, saw it, swerved the wrong way.

If she hadn't had headphones on, she would *probably* have heard the lorry earlier, giving her more time to react.

saturn · « **Reply #17 on:** 22 January, 2009, 03:51:02 pm »

Rounded a curve, drifted to the other side, looked up and saw the truck, she swerved, he swerved, she swerved, he swerved, crunch. So basically, it sounds like she wasn't in control of the bike and she wasn't watching or listening.

mattc · « **Reply #18 on:** 22 January, 2009, 05:57:08 pm »

Quote

From now on I will never take the chance again, even if it means driving back and getting a different helmet

oh for f***s sake ...

gonzo · « **Reply #19 on:** 22 January, 2009, 06:01:22 pm »

I do feel sort of sorry for her having done exactly the same thing in France. I was slowly wanging down a (nearly) deserted hairpin descent though. Fortunately, the car swerved around me.

Jaded · « **Reply #20 on:** 22 January, 2009, 10:42:40 pm »

They'd probably never seen a cyclist wanging before.

Especially on a hairpin!

Adrian · « **Reply #21 on:** 22 January, 2009, 10:59:39 pm »

Quote from: Steve GT on 22 January, 2009, 08:46:24 am

Quote from: wowbagger on 22 January, 2009, 08:20:47 am
Agreed. Her comment about "listening to AC/DC, head down" implied that she neither saw nor heard the vehicle. That's why I think headphones while cycling is a bad idea - but her crash had nothing to do with helmets.
I agree 100%.

I'll go so far as to agree that listening to AC/DC is a bad idea.

gonzo · « **Reply #22 on:** 23 January, 2009, 09:48:25 am »

Quote from: Jaded on 22 January, 2009, 10:42:40 pm

They'd probably never seen a cyclist wanging before.

Especially on a hairpin!

Have you never wanged? It's great fun. You should give it a go some time. But clearly, you should only do it on totally deserted roads to avoid being disturbed like I was!

Regulator · « **Reply #23 on:** 23 January, 2009, 10:01:35 am »

Quote from: gonzo on 23 January, 2009, 09:48:25 am

Quote from: Jaded on 22 January, 2009, 10:42:40 pm
They'd probably never seen a cyclist wanging before.

Especially on a hairpin!

Have you never wanged? It's great fun. You should give it a go some time. But clearly, you should only do it on totally deserted roads to avoid being disturbed like I was!

This needs photos!

gonzo · « **Reply #24 on:** 23 January, 2009, 10:18:45 am »

Quote from: Regulator on 23 January, 2009, 10:01:35 am

This needs photos!

I'm sorry, but when wanging, my hands are far too occupied to be taking pics!

Author Topic: Rachel Atherton crash. (Read 7730 times)

LEE

gonzo

gonzo

gonzo