I have mixed feelings about the Great Perth Bike Ride, I still think it’s a good event and something Perth needs to continue with but they need to do at least 2 things to minimize the risk:
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Re-introduce the sanctioned races that were a feature of the 1st event. i.e. Open and support races for riders with Australian Cycling Federation licenses (and appropriate skills). Hopefully this removes the temptation for people to push beyond their ability as they try and stay with the fast groups (as described by Pete and an issue with last years ride as well).
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The course layout and marshalling, in my opinion, was good given the constraints except for the double cones and the 60km speed signs on the freeway. I don’t see how you could lay this out and not recognize the risks.
Anyway: Nothing broken but my helmet (however the bike is in for a full strip down and inspection due to some deep gouges on the forks and an off true front wheel). I’m still stiff, have trouble changing gears in the car (left shoulder) the usual gravel rash and a collection of strange burses on my left hip and torso. I did come down hard on the back of my head and was a bit out of it for a few minutes (thank god for helmets).
I had a safety management plan for this ride (or so I thought) after last years experience. Start at the back of the 1st group but hang in to stay ahead of the second starting group while we go through the “obstacles” (traffic calming devices graciously installed by our local councils) before Mossman Hill thus avoiding the chaos within the main packs. It worked, no one in this no-mans land was taking silly risks. Some of the Plan B boys and girls were back here as well (as was Ryan for a brief time).
I joined in with a front group of Riders from the 2nd starting group and we made our way safely through the remaining “calming devices” and on to the Sterling highway. This group was being sensible and calling out hazards etc. However, I also got caught behind Plan B (who I think were also waiting for some back markers) but Stan Blanks (a sometimes SPR rider) let me in, drronny probably dropped in just behind me. Stan and I decided to stick together and help draft each other back on if we started dropping off. After Mossman Hill we made out way through Point Walter (the scene of a number of crashes last year) and onto Applecross, again with a degree of common sense being shown by most riders. On to the freeway the group put on a bit of pace and a good rhythm developed. I was feeling strong and having no trouble holding the surges. As we neared the Manning on-ramp merge near the end of the freeway the full width emergency lane had disappeared to nothing and with the occasional intruding double cones we began to compress as we rounded the left hand bend
I was following one rider behind Stan on the right hand side. We started to accelerate past the left hand group as we rounded the bend. A 60km speed sign suddenly appeared just in front of the rider in from of me (Stan did not see it but was over to the left just enough to miss it but no one in front called it). It was effectively in the middle of the lane well inside of the line of demarcation cones and of the double cones. He attempted to move left (a car was coming up on the right, the one that stopped and helped) but had no chance, and hit it at full speed. I yelled “sign” (it was me drronny) then went over the top of both him & the sign, things get a bit gray after that although I remember hitting my head hard but the helmet absorbing it, then a couple of additional impacts which I think were the other riders going over me.
The driver of the wagon had stopped and helped as we sort out the injured and the wreckage (I don’t get his name but many thanks). I was able to ride away after ~ 10 min back to the start as was another rider but as drronny said 2 went to hospital and he needed a drive to the start with the damaged bikes. Yes they did replace the double cones twice while I was there after being hit again and again (but at least they did not put the speed sign back up).
I will be sending parts of this an e-mail to the organizers and main roads as the freeway section introduced additional risks not usually encountered (and the man replacing the cones said it was a mains road requirement). So did my Safety Management Plan work? Not fully, I was happy with how the ‘normal’ risks were minimized. (Road conditions and behavior) but I missed identifying the un-expected. Would I do it again, not sure, depends on how they respond. And drronny bring the water bottle along on the next spr Saturday ride (if your going)
bigjohn
I
scary stuff. Sounds like it needs to be changed to be safe enough to be a race, or somehow forbid people from racing.
davidp.
John it’s great to hear your helmet did the required job and that your not too badly injured. I think you would be hard pressed to find any cyclist that would think the 60km sign and double cone fiasco was a good idea, especially where the road was narrowing due to the overpass. I think the event is a great idea and raises the profile of cycling within our state but this option is from one which didn’t incur gravel rash nor bike carnage during the ride. I wish Dr Ronny and yourself a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing you out there soon.
good to hear no serious injuries, cycling can be a cruel sport sometimes.
hope you get some feedback/acknowledgment from your email to the organizers.
Dear John,
Please email me your email address. I and three of the other guys who crashed have been in contact and are all writing letters to the GPBR organisers. I have spoken to the organiser at length and have his address. One of the others sustained a spiral fracture of his humerus and Gerry had several stitches put into his forehead. This was obviosuly a VERY dangerously placed sign and I do think our group was riding very well up till and including the time of the accident. Unfortunately, they don’t seem to get it so the more people who write the better. It was only good luck none of us were more injured and only bad luck our group hit the sign. It could have happened to anyone the way it was set up.
Cheers
Ronny
PS – I will probably not ride this weekend as I believe I should get a new frame given the extent of the damage to my front wheel, rear stays and handlebar, plus, my shoulder is still a little sore to ride safely in a bunch. I was directly behind Gerry who cracked his headtube in half during the crash.
Ronny
You can ride my Trek 1400, she goes ‘well good’..
I even have upgrade the rims to Mavic Elites.. Noice noice..
🙂
I also have a spare bike that will fit you Ronny, although it will be a POS compared to what you are used to (and compared to Ryans Trek 1400). Agree entirely with the freeway detour signs and cones. They come up so fast, and if you are on someone’s wheel there is very little time to react. I saw the ambos dealing with a guy on the freeway also. Looked really nasty. Very very poor OH&S. In other news… I was the 12th women across the line on the 54km. I was well chuffed, although I recognise that probably doesnt hold alot of weight with the rest of you who did the 106. Next year!
Dear Bec,
I would love to ride your POS. I will make you a good deal such as sponsoring you in the next race you are in.
Cheers
Ronny
No worries. It’s the one I am using at spin. So long as you dont poke too much fun at it, it’s yours for as long as you need. I will bring it for you on Saturday. Will need to do a quick seat swap.
Why the seat swap??
Worried about what is on yours or what Ronny may leave on yours??
mwuah ha ha
Steady on Mr Buswell
eeuw.
double eeuw…
Bec, I will bring a seat to the ride with John’s water bottle. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help or if it would be easier if I pick it up beforehand.
What did I do??
Hi Bec,
I probably shouldn’t admit this as I will leave myself open to lots of wise cracks from the boys, but I was accidentally entered as a female so if fact you have done even better and got 11th. I was a bit disappointed myself though as I only got 2nd female ! ha ha
Johny
Anything to get to the top..
Ryan, if you want to be the first female next year, come and see myself or Jerard.
Very low rates, work guaranteed!
Jonny, maybe next year you could enter as an over 40’s woman. Should improve your chances.
I’m still not sure how I missed the sign, pure luck that I was on the left of the wheel in front and not the right. I recall a safety officer at work describing a near miss experience as one where your heart skips a beat, that certainly happened and everything seemed a blur for a short while after wards. By the time I regained composure I was turning the corner into South Perth and decided to make my way to the front of the group to give the bunch a verbal serve for not calling the sign. The red mist cleared when I realised that it seemed virtually no-one had seen it and everyone seemed pretty angry about the cone/sign placement, the pace had slowed to around 35km/hr as news of the crash filtered up through the pack (I don’t think the lead few had much of an idea what had happened). The traffic guy’s comments are baffling. I bet he didn’t think it sensible to put the sign/double cones on the car side of the cones!
Hi Shootin,
would you be happy to write something down for us guys who fell that the sign was not visible enough and was dangerous?
Cheers,
my email is ronnylow@gmail.com
Hi Dr Ronny
Would be very happy to!
Well then Jonny m’dear, I might just put out a gender check on the rest of the finishers that came in before me…. I’ll make the top 10 yet!
Good idea. My Mrs (Lennie)came 15th out of the women so she was really pleased. She would be happy to move up some more too. Could be a problem though if you find out that some of the men were actually women – some very dodgy coloured lyrca out their !