Below are photos that were sent to us from a bike/bike crash on the sidepath adjacent to Coast Highway in Dana Point. At this time we have no idea how the riders involved are doing. We envisioned the possibility of a high speed bike/bike crash during our presentation to the city Traffic Subcommittee two years ago, the video clip from our presentation is at this link:
http://www.cyclistview.com/danapoint/slide15.htm
It was June 21, 2008. I was draggin’ myself back to San Clemente on a solo century, just pulled into the “protected” path southbound when two nice ladies rode by about 1/2 mph faster than I. Being a liberated male and not too proud to suck wheel I fell in behind them.
A minute later I saw a jogger northbound with his back to approaching traffic, and behind him a peleton of about 12 riders– and we all appeared converging on the same piece of 10-foot hardened multi-use facility. “Oh, this is going to be interesting,” I said aloud and pulled on my brakes.
Whistling and shouts from the lead riders in the northbound group meant nothing to the brain dead jogger, and as the first riders slowed to pass him single file, a couple riders in the back swung onto our side to pass.
We three had moved right against the steel guard rail but the two ladies in front of me had not slowed– and were hit head-on by the northbound riders. Was it bone I heard snapping or carbon frames? Luckily, it was the latter.
The northbound guy was still on the ground being treated by paramedics when I left; he had a couple nasty lacerations, probably from a chainring, and I’m guessing, head trauma, too. The women at the front of our group nearly bit through her tongue. I got a call from the the lady who was riding between us to say she was recovering, the northbound guy was recovering, and had agreed to pay for her friend’s bicycle.
I never ride in that lane– honest– I was only there ’cause I was draggin ‘ bad. And I would encourage my fellow “fast cyclists” (as the city of Dana Point refers to us) to leave this facility to recreational riders, stroller gangs, and of course, brain dead joggers who run with their backs to traffic.