This one is off the chart. The story is datelined May 8th, so it is a few weeks old now already. But I hadn’t posted anything on the site about it. ‘Bout time I did.
About 50 cyclists – including Australian racer Kate Nichols, who was injured in a 2005 German road racing crash in which a teammate was killed – have been involved in a hit-and-run crash in Sydney this morning.
The resulting smash forced a semitrailer to lock up, jackknife and screech to a halt behind the cyclists while cars had to swerve to avoid them.
Also involved in the crash, at 6.35am on Southern Cross Drive, south of the corner of Dacey Avenue in Mascot, were former Olympians Ben Kersten, Kate’s father Kevin Nichols, Graeme Brown, Michelle Ferris and Matthew White.
Witnesses to the crash have told smh.com.au the group of up to 60 professional cyclists were riding south on Southern Cross Drive, just south of Dacey Avenue, Mascot about 6.30am when a driver, agitated with being held up, accelerated in front of the pack and then slammed on his brakes, giving the riders no time to stop.
“Everyone’s slammed into each other … there were broken bikes – wheels busted and wheels snapped – and people lying on the road.”
…”This whole incident really exemplified the escalating road rage towards cyclists happening on Sydney’s roads.
“Road rage seems to occur with or without provocation, and regardless of whether cyclists are riding in a law abiding way, or slowing down traffic.
And if that wasn’t bad enough in and of itself, and I’m quoting here, some of the passing “motorists jeered.”
“A perfect example of the enmity were the jeers and taunts of several drivers – more than three separate drivers that I noticed – making their way past the aftermath of the accident, despite the fact that a police car and two ambulances were on the scene treating seriously injured people.
…It is understood they know who the driver of the car is, and are attempting to contact him now.
It is expected he will be charged, including with failing to stop at the scene of an accident and negligent or dangerous driving.
Class act, right there. Class act.
Read the rest here: smh.com.au
Update: More at these two links.
news.theage.com.au
livenews.com.au
…as much as i hate this fucking story, the ‘sydney morning herald’ link had more complete coverage than what i read when it happened…
…the little prick is either lying through his teeth or he’s not smart enough to be driving a vehicle…
…got a mechanical while you’re driving next to a huge double line of cyclists ???…put it in neutral & slowly coast to a stop in the lane you are in & the vehicles in the lane will also slow down whether they’re pissed about it or not…even a half-wit wouldn’t swerve into cyclists & slam on his brakes unless it was intentional…
…jail time, jail time, jail time…
…maybe worst of all, kate nichols was w/ the aussie road team in germany in ’05 when a driver plowed into the group on a training ride, killing amy gillet & injuring most of the ladies on the ride…in this case, because of the trauma from ’05, she was on only her first ride back w/ this fairly elite group & she was one of the women at the front who actually hit the car…need i say more ???…
What the fuck is the matter with people?
I’m with BGW. jail time jail time. Felonious stupidity, it’s the law.
I’ve done some group rides in sidney, they are off the hook, they get on the freeway to get out of downtown area. but, the drivers there suck.
What the fuck makes one persons time or destination more important than another’s?
Cycle packin the heat. Make your own justice. Is that the answer? The society doesn’t