Comments on: Minnesota cyclists collide in accident, one dead http://austinontwowheels.org/2009/09/02/minnesota-cyclists-collide-in-accident-one-dead/ The Online Magazine of Austin Cycling Culture Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:04:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Michael http://austinontwowheels.org/2009/09/02/minnesota-cyclists-collide-in-accident-one-dead/comment-page-1/#comment-4543 Michael Thu, 03 Sep 2009 19:23:05 +0000 http://austinontwowheels.org/?p=7279#comment-4543 What a terrible tragedy. My thoughts are with their families. What a terrible tragedy. My thoughts are with their families.

]]> By: Tom Wald http://austinontwowheels.org/2009/09/02/minnesota-cyclists-collide-in-accident-one-dead/comment-page-1/#comment-4520 Tom Wald Wed, 02 Sep 2009 20:26:45 +0000 http://austinontwowheels.org/?p=7279#comment-4520 It is a sad story. I can only make guesses about what happened and I don't expect a news story like this to cover every little detail, second-by-second of what happened. I agree that this is somewhat of "a freak accident". However, just from what I read in the story, I get the impression that just a little more could have been done to help prevent the worst. My point is not to vilify the bicyclists involved, but to give possible suggestions for avoidance, even if such avoidance measures could/would not be followed 100% of the time. It is easier to look in hindsight at these incidents, than to have 100% perfect behavior and foresight all of the time. Given these qualifications, here are my suggestions for possible avoidance measures: * The man could have given an audible signal when _exiting_ the tunnel. * The man or the woman could have been traveling more slowly when approaching the exit/entrance of the tunnel. * The woman could have given an audible signal when approaching the tunnel. * Perhaps some collision mitigation training would have helped, i.e. what to do when a head-on collision with a bicyclist or pedestrian is imminent. It is a sad story.

I can only make guesses about what happened and I don’t expect a news story like this to cover every little detail, second-by-second of what happened.

I agree that this is somewhat of “a freak accident”. However, just from what I read in the story, I get the impression that just a little more could have been done to help prevent the worst. My point is not to vilify the bicyclists involved, but to give possible suggestions for avoidance, even if such avoidance measures could/would not be followed 100% of the time. It is easier to look in hindsight at these incidents, than to have 100% perfect behavior and foresight all of the time. Given these qualifications, here are my suggestions for possible avoidance measures:
* The man could have given an audible signal when _exiting_ the tunnel.
* The man or the woman could have been traveling more slowly when approaching the exit/entrance of the tunnel.
* The woman could have given an audible signal when approaching the tunnel.
* Perhaps some collision mitigation training would have helped, i.e. what to do when a head-on collision with a bicyclist or pedestrian is imminent.

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