2022 Cycling Fatalities

[foo on patrol]

Everyone hates me though. I ride bikes on the road, own a 4X4 (well I did till some maggot stole it in Feb) love motor bikes and drive trucks.

Foo

That is ticking alot of boxes
You probably are in a bit of trouble there

Foo

[foo on patrol]

I don't need to google anything about Truck n Dogs but one point that everyone misses is, the fact that they are needed in town/city areas for development of new building structures. :

No, they are not needed. Trucks without dog trailers can do the job just as well.
Oh, but that might cost a bit more.
And that’s just the start of the ALARP process.

I am also fully aware of the fact that these drivers (not all) are bloody clowns

Yup. I’ve (so far) never had those sorts of problems with a concrete delivery. Despite time management being critical. Maybe it’s because of it, so that every trip is planned properly??

but that's also in part to do with what these Project managers are willing to pay for the use of them. How anybody can operate at a reasonable level of cost for what these large companies pay for the hire or rate per load is beyond me.

Couldn’t agree more. The only way to solve this is is through regulation (e.g. making it part of the development approval conditions) and then policing - with teeth. Like losing the $1m bond or shutting the site for a week.

Right now these incidents are treated as a traffic issue, when they’re a workplace (job design) problem.

No, that involves more trucks, which mean costs to the developers and that, includes the Councils.

Well I have and there has been plenty of them.

Couldn't agree more.

Foo

[trailgumby]

And please don’t try and tell me that restricting their use would push up the cost of housing developments, I am sure that the earth cartage part of the cost for most urban housing developments is only a very small proportion of the total cost of the end result by the time it gets listed on the real estate market

'
Actually, excavation is a hugely expensive part of property development and best avoided as far as humanly possible. If you hit rock unexpectedly it can sink your project.

<Puts economist hat on> Nevertheless, if switching out these deadly contraptions to something CLOCS compatible does result in costs going up, it is prima facie evidence that the operators and industry have been making savings by forcing unwanted risks of harm on the rest of the community.

This is the very definition of an externality, much like the increased cost of community healthcare and end of life palliative care imposed on the community by tobacco and vaping companies.

"It will force us to put our rates up" is just business owners begging for a bit of corporate welfare. If it sends them under, they didn't have a viable business model to begin with., because it depended on externalising costs they should be bearing.

[elantra]

And please don’t try and tell me that restricting their use would push up the cost of housing developments, I am sure that the earth cartage part of the cost for most urban housing developments is only a very small proportion of the total cost of the end result by the time it gets listed on the real estate market

'
Actually, excavation is a hugely expensive part of property development and best avoided as far as humanly possible. If you hit rock unexpectedly it can sink your project.

<Puts economist hat on> Nevertheless, if switching out these deadly contraptions to something CLOCS compatible does result in costs going up, it is prima facie evidence that the operators and industry have been making savings by forcing unwanted risks of harm on the rest of the community.

This is the very definition of an externality, much like the increased cost of community healthcare and end of life palliative care imposed on the community by tobacco and vaping companies.

"It will force us to put our rates up" is just business owners begging for a bit of corporate welfare. If it sends them under, they didn't have a viable business model to begin with., because it depended on externalising costs they should be bearing.

Yes I concede that my paragraph is a slight oversimplification of the costs of urban development excavation. I did so mainly for the sake of brevity and because I know from past experience that calls for proper investigation of almost any issue to do with heavy vehicles quickly gets knocked on the head by the “will cost more money” chatter.

I know it is a complex issue, and I also know that there is a unique set of hazards from the use of this particular type of vehicle (rigid body truck + large trailer attached by long drawbar) in urban areas.

These vehicles became popular in Australia about 30 yrs ago and there is a very unfortunate long list of good people (mainly commuter cyclists) who have lost their lives in an appalling way, due wholly or in part to not appreciating the presence of the trailer part of these vehicles.
And that it is an externality in the construction industry which needs to be addressed.

Like I said, when you go overseas you do not generally see this type of truck+trailer combo in urban areas.
In overseas cities you see 8x4 rigid body tippers or tri-axle semi-tippers to do this type of work.
These types of vehicle do not have a following trailer which can “catch” a cyclist when the cyclist is being passed by the vehicle in a congested road environment.

[AdelaidePeter]

Sadly, a 65 year old man has died a week after crashing after hitting a road sign, on Flagstaff Hill Road, in the Adelaide suburbs. This is a fairly major road, with quite a slope; and was having roadworks (but I don't know if the crash was in the roadworks section). RIP

https://www.police.sa.gov.au/sa-police- ... staff-hill

[jasonc]

Sadly, a 65 year old man has died a week after crashing after hitting a road sign, on Flagstaff Hill Road, in the Adelaide suburbs. This is a fairly major road, with quite a slope; and was having roadworks (but I don't know if the crash was in the roadworks section). RIP

https://www.police.sa.gov.au/sa-police- ... staff-hill

Just read that it's suggested the cyclist hit a roadworks sign.....
I'll leave my opinions out of this thread

[antigee]

earlier this week not much press coverage...added for the record (RIP)

"Senior Constable Adam West said emergency services were called to reports of a collision between a truck and cyclist on Whitehall Street about 5.10pm on Wednesday, July 13.

“The cyclist was treated by ambulance crews but he died at the scene,” he said.

“The exact circumstances surrounding the collision are yet to be determined and investigations remain ongoing.”

https://maribyrnonghobsonsbay.starweekl ... collision/

for those not in Melbourne this is a major cyclist commuter route from the Williamstown area...poor quality shared trail and on road lanes...container and other heavy trucks plus construction trucks for the Westgate Tunnel not the first cyclist death in this area

[Herpfan]

earlier this week not much press coverage...added for the record (RIP)

"Senior Constable Adam West said emergency services were called to reports of a collision between a truck and cyclist on Whitehall Street about 5.10pm on Wednesday, July 13.

“The cyclist was treated by ambulance crews but he died at the scene,” he said.

“The exact circumstances surrounding the collision are yet to be determined and investigations remain ongoing.”

https://maribyrnonghobsonsbay.starweekl ... collision/

Long time lurker here.

The victim and his wife were both friends of mine. Needless to say she and their 3 daughters are completely shattered.

I'm not aware of anything further beyond the small snippet of information that was available in the news report.

[jasonc]

earlier this week not much press coverage...added for the record (RIP)

"Senior Constable Adam West said emergency services were called to reports of a collision between a truck and cyclist on Whitehall Street about 5.10pm on Wednesday, July 13.

“The cyclist was treated by ambulance crews but he died at the scene,” he said.

“The exact circumstances surrounding the collision are yet to be determined and investigations remain ongoing.”

https://maribyrnonghobsonsbay.starweekl ... collision/

Long time lurker here.

The victim and his wife were both friends of mine. Needless to say she and their 3 daughters are completely shattered.

I'm not aware of anything further beyond the small snippet of information that was available in the news report.

it sucks. all you can do is be there and help where you can

[Thoglette]

Link to
Perth fatality 18 September

Oversize 4WD ute rear-ends a Toyota Camry waiting to turn right, the angle of impact and its momentum tipping it up on two wheels and into the path of an oncoming rider

[jasonc]

Link to
Perth fatality 18 September

Oversize 4WD ute rear-ends a Toyota Camry waiting to turn right, the angle of impact and its momentum tipping it up on two wheels and into the path of an oncoming rider

That's horrible

[Thoglette]

Police search for driver of a vehicle which fatally hit 86-year-old man on e-bike (Ashleigh Davis ABC 9 Oct 2022)

A strange incident: an 86 y/old on an exit ramp on the Freeway (where anything that can't do 80kph is banned) at 4:30 am.

[Mububban]

Police search for driver of a vehicle which fatally hit 86-year-old man on e-bike (Ashleigh Davis ABC 9 Oct 2022)

A strange incident: an 86 y/old on an exit ramp on the Freeway (where anything that can't do 80kph is banned) at 4:30 am.

Bit of a confusing one really. Poor old fella.

[Mububban]

Driver was found and has been charged:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-11/ ... /101521210

Officers from the Major Crash Investigation Section arrested the 45-year-old man from Banksia Grove yesterday and seized the damaged 4WD from his residence.

Police allege he provided false information to the owner of the vehicle to explain the damage sustained in the crash, information which was subsequently included in an insurance claim.

The driver was refused bail and is due to appear before the Joondalup Magistrates Court today.

[g-boaf]

Driver was found and has been charged:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-11/ ... /101521210

Officers from the Major Crash Investigation Section arrested the 45-year-old man from Banksia Grove yesterday and seized the damaged 4WD from his residence.

Police allege he provided false information to the owner of the vehicle to explain the damage sustained in the crash, information which was subsequently included in an insurance claim.

The driver was refused bail and is due to appear before the Joondalup Magistrates Court today.

That should result in life in prison. It might make others reflect on this too.

[warthog1]

Will it result in a prison term at all?
I would be unsurprised if it did not.
The suspicion is that he didn't stop as he was substance affected.
We will never know.

[antigee]

Driver was found and has been charged:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-11/ ... /101521210

Officers from the Major Crash Investigation Section arrested the 45-year-old man from Banksia Grove yesterday and seized the damaged 4WD from his residence.

Police allege he provided false information to the owner of the vehicle to explain the damage sustained in the crash, information which was subsequently included in an insurance claim.

The driver was refused bail and is due to appear before the Joondalup Magistrates Court today.

ABC updated the article to say that the driver was granted bail...

"Police did not oppose bail for Mr Mastrolembo in court, and his lawyer asked for an adjournment for four weeks for legal advice.

Mr Mastrolembo is scheduled to appear in court again on November 7."

[antigee]

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-10/ ... /101518596

"....A 75-year-old Gisborne man died after he was allegedly hit while riding his bike on Black Forest Drive on Sunday.

A 19-year-old woman has been charged with dangerous driving causing death."....


RIP been feeling angry about this all week as the current open for feedback RegionalRoadsVic proposals for improving this road specifically rule out removing (the surplus, former freeway) traffic lanes to provide dedicated cycle lanes. None of the usual too expensive/not enough space arguments....

from the proposed plan:

"We are working with the community to consider
delivering $6 million of important safety improvements
along Black Forest Drive between Woodend and
Macedon, with a view to making a safer journey for
drivers, cyclists and pedestrians......

....... changing the lane configuration to two lanes to
improve safety for all road users – one lane in each
direction, a 3-metre-wide painted centre median and
on-road cycle lanes in each direction........

from the current public engagement:

".....Feedback is open until 4:00pm on 1 November 2022.

There are some aspects of the design that are not negotiable, such as:

The current lane configuration will not be changed from two lanes to one lane in each direction (a reduction of lanes will be required for safety reasons between Island Farm Road and Brick Kiln Lane and for a short distance at intersections to provide for turning lanes and other improvements).

We’ve developed the draft road designs without dedicated cycling lanes as a clear majority of the community were not in favour of changing the lane configuration to accommodate dedicated cycling lanes during the engagement process."


......."We received a large amount of qualitative feedback through the engagement period with a variety of views, however there was a strong sentiment that the community were not in favour of reducing the number of existing lanes to accommodate dedicated cycling lanes.

More than 80 per cent of email feedback received by Regional Roads Victoria about lane configuration highlighted concern about reducing the number of lanes. The majority view was also apparent during the in-person sessions.

An integral part of any project is ensuring that the communities impacted have an opportunity to have their say and influence the development and delivery of any improvements.

Regional Roads Victoria has listened to the community....."

https://engage.vic.gov.au/black-forest- ... provements

[Mububban]

Link to
Perth fatality 18 September

Oversize 4WD ute rear-ends a Toyota Camry waiting to turn right, the angle of impact and its momentum tipping it up on two wheels and into the path of an oncoming rider

Short slow memorial ride on this Sunday in memory of the Perth rider killed last month:

Hutchy’s Memorial Ride
In memory of our dear friend and WGR member, a ride is scheduled in his honour.
Date: 16 October 2022
Depart: 6:30am from Woodvale Shops (cnr Whitfords Ave/ Trappers Dr)
Destination: iamFIT Cafe, Edgewater
Distance: 20km
Ave Speed: 23-25km/h
Everyone is invited from the cycling community. Ride is on public roads and road rules apply.
A special thank you goes to Marky and his wife from iamFIT Cafe who are kindly providing Morning Tea post ride.

[ColinOldnCranky]

I don't need to google anything about Truck n Dogs but one point that everyone misses is, the fact that they are needed in town/city areas for development of new building structures. :

No, they are not needed. Trucks without dog trailers can do the job just as well.
Oh, but that might cost a bit more.
And that’s just the start of the ALARP process.

/quote]

Most times I see dog trailers on the back of trucks it is because they have digger or a bobcat or crane or other essential support equipment. Indeed, I find it hard to recall the last time that I saw a such a dog trailer was doing anything else.

In those cases the alternative would be to have a flat bed truck following behind with an extra driver. The cost and the extra road traffic to do so is way more than small bickies and adds to the general congestion on streets and street parking. Not concerns that I would easily dismiss.

[ColinOldnCranky]

Also, this case reminds me a bit of that of Richard Pollett in Brisbane some years ago, where it was "found" that the cyclist just lost his balance and fell under the back wheels of a cement truck.. Apparently the zero cm close pass had nothing to do with it and the truck driver was found innocent.

The (il)logic of the decision in that case will stay with me forever. Even by Qld court standards it was so far left field. Following the defences put up, and in the absence of eyes in the back of the head, any rider was expected to exit every time that they came across a left hand exit.

,,,the defence said Stevens was not driving erratically or speeding and was "boxed in" by other cars as he approached Pollett.

I would have thought that if boxed in and someone is in front of me, I would be expected to use the brakes. According to this case law. brakes are just an ornament.

This case still boils my blood a decade later.

[Thoglette]

Most times I see dog trailers on the back of trucks it is because they have digger or a bobcat or crane or other essential support equipment.

Agree this is the other common usage, which is almost never in the press for all the wrong reasons.

I can think of a number of reasons: generally suburban (not inner city) being one. But the contracting mechanism seems to be root cause of the dangerous behaviour, as discussed over in the The problem of trucks... thread

[familyguy]

A mountain biker died at Manly Dam on Friday. Only report I saw said he was found crashed and in cardiac arrest, given CPR and revived, but died later on. Not known if crashed then had heart attack, or vice versa.

[Bunged Knee]

No mentioned of 23/10/22 cyclist fatality in here.

https://mypolice.qld.gov.au/farnorth/20 ... h-mowbray/

A 55-year-old man has died following a bicycle crash at Mowbray overnight.

Preliminary investigations indicate that just before 3.30am, the man was riding his bicycle northbound along Mowbray River Road away from Port Douglas, when he lost control and crashed at the road-edge of the southbound lane, causing a head injury.

No mentions of vehicles involved, possibly self crashed...

[trailgumby]

A mountain biker died at Manly Dam on Friday. Only report I saw said he was found crashed and in cardiac arrest, given CPR and revived, but died later on. Not known if crashed then had heart attack, or vice versa.

It seems the working assumption from the wording is that he crashed first. Left behind a wife and 3 kids, all of whom ride. Garigal Gorillas, with whom I held my MTBA race licence, held a fundraising ride for his family on Wednesday evening. Over 120 riders fronted up.