What's Going On ? Three Down In A Week !

[G-Zero]

I know Durham doesn't compare with the capital for cycle numbers, but we had two serious injury cycle involved collisions in the city centre last week and I've just heard the Air Ambulance has landed on the outskirts to airlift a third cyclist.
Elderly gentleman involved and I'm hoping he is ok.

I was out in the garden putting my new tyres on my commuter ready for the winter, when the helicopter flew over the house and got the phone call after hearing it land, causing me briefly to consider taking the bikes off the road for the winter.... But that thought has passed !

 

[mjr]

Is there any details on what happened in the three?

 

[glenn forger]

http://www.durhamtimes.co.uk/news/14036684.Cyclist_dies_after_being_hit_by_a_bus__police_confirm/

 

[G-Zero]

Is there any details on what happened in the three?

As per Glenn's link above, today's incident involved a bus and sadly has been confirmed as a fatality.

Sunday night's incident in the city centre also involved a bus, resulting in the cyclist being taken to one of our major trauma centres, rather than the city hospital.

Last Tuesday's incident involved a car and again the cyclist was taken by air to the major trauma centre with serious head injuries.

I can't provide links to the individual articles due to iPad tech issues, but all three can be found on the Northern Echo and Chronicle sites.

 

[numbnuts]

There has been three accidents involving cyclists in Southampton last week, but up to now there has been no follow up, so I assume they are making some progress in their recovery, well I hope so.

 

[srw]

Random noise. It's a feature of randomness that it produces clusters of events - which we then read as signifying something, because that's the way our brains work.

 

[growingvegetables]

Random noise. It's a feature of randomness that it produces clusters of events - ...

Not so sure. I'm pretty sure there's a correlation with the change in the clocks - both in autumn and in spring - and complacent drivers just not expecting "surprises" in the changed light conditions for their commute..

 

[srw]

Not so sure. I'm pretty sure there's a correlation with the change in the clocks - both in autumn and in spring - and complacent drivers just not expecting "surprises" in the changed light conditions for their commute..

If that were the case the cluster would have occurred three weeks ago, when the clocks actually changed, rather than last week. And the motor vehicles involved would have been commuters cars, not buses....

 

[growingvegetables]

If that were the case the cluster would have occurred three weeks ago, when the clocks actually changed, rather than last week. And the motor vehicles involved would have been commuters cars, not buses....

Hmmm - it's the 2-3 weeks after the change that are nastiest, in my experience.

 

[steveindenmark]

If G Zero was in the garden working on his bike, I think it negates the light conditions on that one.

 

[annedonnelly]

Is there any change in cyclists/pedestrians behaviour in Durham when the new intake of students arrive in September/October? I've seen some bizarre behaviour in Newcastle in the first couple of weeks after they arrive.

 

[Pale Rider]

Is there any change in cyclists/pedestrians behaviour in Durham when the new intake of students arrive in September/October? I've seen some bizarre behaviour in Newcastle in the first couple of weeks after they arrive.

Freshers' Week is certainly a big influx of people who don't know Durham very well.

Not many Durham students use bicycles these days, but a lot walk around the central area.

The serious injury crash on Sunday coincided with the Lumierie Festival, so the crossroads was extremely busy with pedestrians.

 

[G-Zero]

If G Zero was in the garden working on his bike, I think it negates the light conditions on that one.

Exactly right Steve, the collision occurred around 11.15 hrs and I heard the helicopter land around 11.40 hrs. I got a call from the road closure shortly before putting my first post on here. It was dry and full daylight, although a bit grey at the time.

 

[G-Zero]

Is there any change in cyclists/pedestrians behaviour in Durham when the new intake of students arrive in September/October? I've seen some bizarre behaviour in Newcastle in the first couple of weeks after they arrive.

I don't know the answer to your question Anne, but certainly the fatality did not involve a student.... Not sure about the two serious injuries.