Mother dies from bike crash moments after taking this smiling selfie on her way home

[landsurfer]

"Mother dies from bike crash moments after taking this smiling selfie on her way home"

This is from the Telegraph.
Another sad loss.
But, mixing alcohol, and cycling in the dark while taking a selfie was probably not the best idea.
The upset husband is calling for helmets to be made compulsory.
Maybe a call for not drinking when your cycling in the dark and taking selfies would be a better call.
Sad event and so unnecessary.

[irc]

Why oh why is a helmet law the first response following a tragic accident? If anyone thinks they need a helmet they can wear one now. No law required.

Me? I'll stick to not riding one handed while taking selfies on a bumpy road. Going home from the pub at night? Been drinking?

Her husband was on a ride in March where a rider died after being thrown from his bike after hitting a pothole but that earlier tragedy wasn't enough for their family to all wear helmets. The riders in the Evening Standard pic don't all appear to have lights either.

“We all think ‘it will never happen to me’, but the reality is that an accident can happen to anyone at any time – regardless of how experienced a cyclist you may be.”

I beg to differ. A huge number of accidents are avoidable. Rather than suggesting helmet laws I suggest he campaigns for rider education. Lights at night and due care and attention while riding would be a starting point.

Edit - how long until this thread is in the helmet section?

[Psamathe]

I think this is relevant to men as well as women. It is a tragic but I don't see it is being related to "Women's Interests" - it could just as easily have been a bloke.

Ian

[eileithyia]

I think this is relevant to men as well as women. It is a tragic but I don't see it is being related to "Women's Interests" - it could just as easily have been a bloke.

Ian

I agree. Also agree that this was a preventable accident.... drinking and taking selfies sounds like a recipe for disaster and could just have easily happened to anyone.... how many drinkers taking selfies while on 2 feet have accidents????

[landsurfer]

Does it matter where it was posted, really....
I could have posted it anywhere and some one would have whinged .... it's that sort of forum.

[Psamathe]

Does it matter where it was posted, really....
I could have posted it anywhere and some one would have whinged .... it's that sort of forum. :D

Down to who sees what. So if I posted a question about how many miles Tiagra cassettes last with KMC chains in the health sub-forum ... it would probably be moved because the thread would have nothing to do with health.

I thought this section was about "Women's cycling interests" NOT anything in which a woman happens to be involved. From reports I've read gender played no part in this tragedy.

Ian

[Vorpal]

I moved this thread into 'On the Road'. There is another thread in the ghetto viewtopic.php?f=41&t=109554

About the the family asking for a helmet law. Other discussion can remain on this thread.

[landsurfer]

Great stuff, thank you Vorpal.

[meic]

More details from the Guardian.
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyl ... law-london
I would take issue with just about everything her husband has to say but for now I am biting my tongue.
Note that she did come from NZ where helmets are compulsory but still chose to enjoy the UK freedom to ride without one. Her mother who was on the ride with her has not been named as joining in the call for compulsory helmets.

[MikeF]

It doesn't say she had been drinking in that article only that she may have had a drink. It's a newspaper article so who knows? I'm not sure what a law would do. Very tragic all the same.

[landsurfer]

My colleague at work , Malcolm, read the article as well .... his comment, " Darwin's Theory in action ".

[pwa]

I'm sorry the poor woman died, but her husband saying that she should have been required by law to wear a helmet she was free to choose to wear anyway is bizarre. Looking for something to blame, I suppose. I'd call taking a selfie whilst cycling in the dark a daft thing to do. Apparently she wasn't doing that at the time of the crash, but she was still riding one handed, after a drink or two, presumably with her phone in the other hand. There is the cause of the crash. Gross complacency. I wear a helmet and she chose not to. And now her husband tries to blame the law. Mad.

[Audax67]

Aye well, the bloke's in shock and trolling out the officially-approved phrases, sudden-breavement, bicycle-related, spouses for the use of.
The woman was obviously feeling a bit euphoric and probably invulnerable or at least perfectly safe. Alcohol, or just an evening of fun, will do that.
The council probably thought the road perfectly adequate for the only traffic that matters (not bikes)**.
And it all came together: boom.

Personally, I wouldn't risk my phone like that, even though it is shock-proof.

**And if it comes to the bit the council can always say "she chose to ride there so she accepted the state of the road".

[eileithyia]

Interesting in that it occurred so close to home, I was talking to some cyclists the other day, one of which was wearing a corset for the spine fracture he currently has. Accident happened as he got to work, took his eye off the ball and caught the kerb...... I wonder how many accidents close to the destination as we mentally relax due to the fact the journey is now over.....
Bit like a work colleague who yesterday fell at the end of a walk, 100 yards or so from the car park where she was parked up.....

[Audax67]

Ditto car accidents: peak risk is generally within the first five miles of the commute. As you say, relaxation.

<philosophy>
BTW, it's quite common to find you have driven/ridden for miles and have no memory of it. People are usually aghast at the thought, but in reality your subconscious has been doing the driving while you weren't watching. Since this phenomenon is so common it's plain that the subconscious is a pretty good driver, and all the conscious brain does is go along for the ride. And since there's a delay between the subconscious doing something and the conscious noticing it, the implication is that all your conscious brain ever does is go along for the ride. Leading to the question, where did free will go?
</philosophy>