The foolish pedalers among us

[MickinMD ★]

Bicyclist falls to death trying to beat Miami drawbridge

A bicyclist who ignored warning signs and tried to beat a Miami drawbridge slid to his death down the rising concrete slab, police said.

Fred Medina, 58, was on his morning bike ride from Aventura to Key Biscayne when he tried to make it past the drawbridge over the Miami River around 6 a.m. Wednesday, according to Miami police spokeswoman Kenia Fallat. “He tried to overtake the opening,” Fallat told the Miami Herald.

"He slid down the bridge and fell in between the section of the bridge that moves and the fixed part of the roadway,” said Medina's friend, Stephen Tannenbaum, who spoke with WSVN. Medina had been biking with another friend, who crossed the bridge ahead of him, he said.

[Kzoo]

Fast and furious.

[Razors Edge ★]

It's why I work on explosive power at least once a week.  Gotta get the wattage up well over 1000 to risk that sort of thing, but also remember to choose the correct gear combination!  Nothing worse than trying to power up for a bridge jump and being caught out not being able to get on top of the gear!!!

[ChrisL]

Yowza!  And had he not fallen back to his death wouldn’t he have had to clear the gap a la Evil Knievel?  
 

So not worth it...

[Kzoo]

2 hours ago, Razors Edge said:

It's why I work on explosive power at least once a week.  Gotta get the wattage up well over 1000 to risk that sort of thing, but also remember to choose the correct gear combination!  Nothing worse than trying to power up for a bridge jump and being caught out not being able to get on top of the gear!!!

E-bike...

 

[goldendesign]

2 hours ago, Razors Edge said:

It's why I work on explosive power at least once a week. 

I actually do train a bit for that here but it's because most of my rides are in semi wilderness and predawn, have you ever had a 7ft alligator sitting halfway on the MUT as you round a corner a 4am. I have and lemme tell you, explosive power also empties the bladder a bit.

[BuffJim]

3 hours ago, Razors Edge said:

It's why I work on explosive power at least once a week.  Gotta get the wattage up well over 1000 to risk that sort of thing, but also remember to choose the correct gear combination!  Nothing worse than trying to power up for a bridge jump and being caught out not being able to get on top of the gear!!!

It’s a mistake you only make once. 

[Road Runner]

I've had enough mishaps on the bike that I've learned that safety outweighs everything else.  By at least ten miles.  Speed, distance, being slowed down or inconvenienced, getting upset by motorists, etc. are of no importance at all compared to coming home safe and uninjured.  

[Razors Edge ★]

8 minutes ago, Road Runner said:

Speed, distance, being slowed down or inconvenienced, getting upset by motorists, etc. are of no importance at all compared to coming home safe and uninjured.  

+1.  You can go fast, far, or through challenging environments, but you HAVE TO be willing to pull the plug on something, step it down a few notches, and get home safe when stuff gets/seems hinky.  That's true in cycling, hiking, skiing, climbing, driving, swimming, kayaking, whatever.  There will come a time when "completing a climb" is infinitely dopier than "calling it a day and trying again tomorrow".

[Razors Edge ★]

30 minutes ago, BuffJim said:

It’s a mistake you only make once. 

His mistake was not working out on his 5sec power.  Had he had that properly built up, that jump would have been easy peasy!

[12string]

5 hours ago, ChrisL said:

Yowza!  And had he not fallen back to his death wouldn’t he have had to clear the gap a la Evil Knievel?  
 

So not worth it...

Seriously.  At what point should it occur to someone that the ground under them is rising, meaning the opening ahead of them - way ahead of them  - is widening, so even if you COULD climb the increasing incline, it would do you no good anyway.  ISTM someone who could reach that understanding in 2 or three pedal strokes would be sensible enough to have bought sticky enough tires from bridge climbing.

Or - the thought process was, if I can clear the gap just as the bridge starts to rise, I get a downhill with having to go hill first, and it will make my Strava look awesome

[Zealot]

6 hours ago, Road Runner said:

I've had enough mishaps on the bike that I've learned that safety outweighs everything else.  By at least ten miles.  Speed, distance, being slowed down or inconvenienced, getting upset by motorists, etc. are of no importance at all compared to coming home safe and uninjured.  

Still can’t buy this.  At least not for myself.  I don’t look for injury, but living is about risk. 

[Prophet Zacharia]

12 hours ago, 12string said:

At what point should it occur to someone that the ground under them is rising...

Meaning they probably rode past a closing gate meant to block road traffic, which closed BEFORE the bridge began to open. I’d compare this attempt to trying to outsprint a freight train at a crossing. 

[Ralphie ★]

19 hours ago, ChrisL said:

Yowza!  And had he not fallen back to his death wouldn’t he have had to clear the gap a la Evil Knievel?  
 

So not worth it...

At 58?  Not advisable. Ok, not at any age, but definitely not at 58!

[Ralphie ★]

9 hours ago, Zealot said:

Still can’t buy this.  At least not for myself.  I don’t look for injury, but living is about risk. 

I disagree but I do love the poster.   Actually we all just have our own risk tolerance. And sometimes it can be tricky to discern what and where and how much the risks really are. 

[Zealot]

5 hours ago, Philander Seabury said:

I disagree but I do love the poster.  

This is the version I have hanging here in my office:

 

Risk mitigation is different for everyone. And I certainly have my limits.  But I think what I can’t buy is the ‘safety at all costs’ mentality.  

Life is about living, not avoiding death.  Death is absolutely 100% certain for all of us. But I wonder how many people truly live; how many are so preoccupied with the fear of death that they never attempt accomplishing something that leaves them breathless and exhilarated. 

Trust me, I wrestle with issues too.  And when I was a kid, I was terrified of everything. Was always afraid something or someone was going to kill me.  I’ve spent the better part of my adult life attempting to confront and overcome those fears. I don’t try to ‘tempt fate’, but I admit sometimes the line between facing fear and doing something foolish has been blurred. 

We all have our own perspectives. 

 

[Razors Edge ★]

1 minute ago, Zealot said:

Risk mitigation is different for everyone. And I certainly have my limits.  But I think what I can’t buy is the ‘safety at all costs’ mentality.  

I didn't read RR as a "safety at ALL costs", but rather more in line with applying some common sense to the risk/reward balance.  That certainly shifts over time - especially recognizing a broken leg as a kid, versus a broken leg as adult laborer, versus a broken leg as an old person have SIGNIFICANTLY different consequences.  So, the reward for trying the double black diamond run after dark as a beginning skier is "risky" to all, but hopefully life's accumulated wisdom and adult responsibilities put some extra level of thinking into the mix.

[Zealot]

10 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

I didn't read RR as a "safety at ALL costs", but rather more in line with applying some common sense to the risk/reward balance.  That certainly shifts over time - especially recognizing a broken leg as a kid, versus a broken leg as adult laborer, versus a broken leg as an old person have SIGNIFICANTLY different consequences.  So, the reward for trying the double black diamond run after dark as a beginning skier is "risky" to all, but hopefully life's accumulated wisdom and adult responsibilities put some extra level of thinking into the mix.

Not sure how to interpret this differently - “I've learned that safety outweighs everything else”. 

Do I agree that life stages involve different consequences for similar actions? Sure.  But I still try not to let fear be the driver. 

None of my commentary is meant to be derogatory toward RR. He and I have had this conversation before, which is why I responded.  After time has passed and I’ve ruminated further, I still feel as I do, which is what I was attempting to relay. 

[Razors Edge ★]

1 hour ago, Zealot said:

Not sure how to interpret this differently - “I've learned that safety outweighs everything else”. 

Do I agree that life stages involve different consequences for similar actions? Sure.  But I still try not to let fear be the driver. 

None of my commentary is meant to be derogatory toward RR. He and I have had this conversation before, which is why I responded.  After time has passed and I’ve ruminated further, I still feel as I do, which is what I was attempting to relay. 

I guess I don't have the backstory on RR and how that has changed his cycling.  My point would be that feeling safe is certainly not an "on" or "off" thing for me, so feeling "safe" or letting "safety outweigh" other things translates to weighing the risks and rewards, seeing where that lands versus the level of safety I feel and am comfortable with, and proceeding along the path I choose. 

Cycling has lots of simple examples.  A 15% descent with twists and turns, no guard rail, and a T-intersection with a stop at the bottom can be ridden many ways.  Balls out, pushing through the turns, using both lanes, head down max aero, switching to supertuck, and melting the brakes at the last possible second is wicked fun. Often wicked risky too especially with no knowledge of conditions or course. But that means "safety" can be constantly varying on all sorts of real time and perceived conditions, and on a day when we choose to ride moderately quick down the hill vs full gas like a week before, the level of safety may actually be the same, and "fear" is not the limiter but more rational and experiential in nature.

But yes - 100% agree folks should not let irrational fear rule ones life.  I worked with a guy like that for years, and it broke my heart hearing his "I couldn't do that..." stories

[dinneR ★]

2 hours ago, Razors Edge said:

I didn't read RR as a "safety at ALL costs", but rather more in line with applying some common sense to the risk/reward balance.  That certainly shifts over time - especially recognizing a broken leg as a kid, versus a broken leg as adult laborer, versus a broken leg as an old person have SIGNIFICANTLY different consequences.  So, the reward for trying the double black diamond run after dark as a beginning skier is "risky" to all, but hopefully life's accumulated wisdom and adult responsibilities put some extra level of thinking into the mix.

Skiing the double black diamond at night just has to be done. It is the best path to the groomer and beers at the bottom.

Everyone has their limit right? When Alex Honnold was here, he skied JH. He said they took him to Corbet's Couloir. He looked down into it and said no thanks.

 

 

[Road Runner]

23 hours ago, Road Runner said:

I've had enough mishaps on the bike that I've learned that safety outweighs everything else.  By at least ten miles.  Speed, distance, being slowed down or inconvenienced, getting upset by motorists, etc. are of no importance at all compared to coming home safe and uninjured.  

This post represents my own personal experience.  I've spent too much time in the hospital and in rehab centers to feel otherwise.  But it's a free world and I believe each of us is free to live their lives as they see fit.  To each his own.  I just thought that my perspective, which is based on my own experiences and injuries (some of which I have never fully recovered from) might be of some enlightenment to a few others on this site.  It was not meant to be a sermon.  Believe me, I have no business telling anyone else how to live their lives.  

[jsharr ★]

On 3/18/2021 at 1:36 PM, BuffJim said:

It’s a mistake you only make once. 

In this life anyway

[shootingstar]

1 hour ago, Razors Edge said:

But yes - 100% agree folks should not let irrational fear rule ones life.  I worked with a guy like that for years, and it broke my heart hearing his "I couldn't do that..." stories

I guess it depends what his fear was.

Mick's news story was terrible and really stupid of the cyclist to ignore warning signals. 

I see RoadRunner's perspective where he learned from his risk-taking. I would hope each of us learn also.  It's not fear, but over time, it's wanting to live without pain returning again. There is something to be said to live completely able-bodied and not wheelchair bound until death.

right, folks?  I worked in a rehabilitation hospital for spinal cord injured adults for several years where people became paralyzed...for life and wheelchair bound for life..some in prime of their live. Meaning late 20's onward.

So here I am still cycling for last 30 yrs. and healthy. Count your blessings...not because l lived in fear.  After all, I take the "risk" of cycling often, nearly daily during non-ice/snow seasons. But it is true, my home city cycling is 80% on paths all over the place.  And still, I got knocked down....on a pathway by another cyclist.

[Ralphie ★]

6 hours ago, Zealot said:

This is the version I have hanging here in my office:

I like Jerry’s old avatar. “Not only will this kill you, it will hurt the whole time you are dying.”  

 

[Zealot]

5 hours ago, Road Runner said:

This post represents my own personal experience.  I've spent too much time in the hospital and in rehab centers to feel otherwise.  But it's a free world and I believe each of us is free to live their lives as they see fit.  To each his own.  I just thought that my perspective, which is based on my own experiences and injuries (some of which I have never fully recovered from) might be of some enlightenment to a few others on this site.  It was not meant to be a sermon.  Believe me, I have no business telling anyone else how to live their lives.  

I didn’t take it as a sermon, RR.  And as I mentioned, my response wasn’t  intended to berate you or your opinion. Just expressing that I really hadn’t changed my own view over x amount of elapsed time and some of my own injuries and physical limitations.  

But trust me, I’m slowing down!!  😉