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:

• Re-introduce the sanctioned races that were a feature of the 1^st 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).
• 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 1^st 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 2^nd 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

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