Incredibly sad news and Wheelers are very local to me and know some members. Needless to say they are all devastated at the news.
We use that road an awful lot as it is a standard route for many cyclists over Cannock way that puts in the loop after going through Brewood or Coven. Most folk tend to ride along Vicarage Road from Four Ashes and turn right into Straight Mile and onwards toward Cannock.
It is a strange place to have an accident as the sight lines are excellent both ways.
We don't know details of accident so sight lines at junction may not be relevant; rider could have been taken out from behind while turning right or could have been coming the other way. Express & Bizarre (as I call it) report "a cyclist has died after colliding with a van" which means nothing based on what previous offerings have appeared in that publication. The size of van is not given which could be anything from small van to much larger van. In such circumstances the size/speed equation will be important and even a low speed collision with a large van can have a catastrophic outcome.
No doubt we will be riding along that route over the weekend and no doubt we will stop and pause for a moments reflection.
Incredibly sad news.
