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Cyclists go too fast on Bristol-Bath railway path, says cyclist injured by speeding cyclist

Woman hit head-on by "reckless" cyclist on blind corner...

A female cyclist who suffered cuts and bruises when she was hit by another cyclist on the Bristol to Bath railway path has said that riders should slow down to avoid potentially life-threatening injuries.

Kim Tanner, 28, was involved in a collision with a female cyclist on the Clay Bottom bend of the path. 

She told the Bristol Evening Post: "I was involved in a head-on collision with another cyclist who was wearing full racing gear and standing up on her pedals.

"She was hurtling towards me on the wrong side of a blind bend despite there being signs clearly warning cyclists to slow down and keep left. I had no time to avoid her.

"Despite my protests that she was travelling too fast and on the wrong side of the path, the woman simply said, 'these things happen'.

"I began to shake, and burst into tears. I had to phone my husband to come and pick me up as I was too shaken up to cycle home."

Mrs Tanner said that she still finds it hard to get on her bike.

She said: "The trauma of the incident is still causing me to shake and feel physically sick at times.

"I consider myself a pretty strong person. But when I got back on my bike to cycle to work on Monday, I was jumpy and anxious when anything came into my vision.

"As I approached the bend where the incident occurred, I began to feel nauseous, and slowed down to an almost complete stop.

"I feel my confidence may take some time to return and I hope that the woman who caused the collision will have learnt something from it. I hope she will refrain from such reckless cycling in future – especially if she could see the photo of my injuries."

The 13 mile off-road path has 'slow' signs at points along its length. It is open to walkers and cyclists, and becomes very busy during commuter rush hours and on sunny weekends. It was built more than 30 years ago by Sustrans on the site of the former Midland Railway.

Most of the path is owned by Bristol City Council, South Gloucestershire Council or Bath and North East Somerset Council.

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46 comments

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AndrewRH | 11 years ago
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Unlike a motor vehicle crash, everyone survived with what seem minor injuries. The people involved clearly talked afterwards, and I would think more was said - perhaps even sorry - than what quoted.

Lets get more paths and better road infrastructure created so more options open to the growing number of people who ride.

Ensuring there is a thorough cycle training regime at schools will help generations grow up knowing more about safe cycling. Parents can help too by setting a good example.

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pj | 11 years ago
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the path has been full of mamilnodders stomping on the pedals on their hugely expensive sportive weapons for a few years now.

it's like the thunderdome in mad max, but with a crazed weekend warrior on a lapierre, busting out some high-end dhb armour, on a collision course with a hapless family on tagalongs, rather than a bemulleted tina turner.

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badback replied to pj | 11 years ago
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pj wrote:

the path has been full of mamilnodders stomping on the pedals on their hugely expensive sportive weapons for a few years now.

it's like the thunderdome in mad max, but with a crazed weekend warrior on a lapierre, busting out some high-end dhb armour, on a collision course with a hapless family on tagalongs, rather than a bemulleted tina turner.

Sounds like some of the cycle paths in Derbyshire.

We have the added bonus of 1/2 mile former railway tunnels with dog owners who have their black labradors off the lead.

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Tony Farrelly replied to pj | 11 years ago
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pj wrote:

the path has been full of mamilnodders stomping on the pedals on their hugely expensive sportive weapons for a few years now.

it's like the thunderdome in mad max, but with a crazed weekend warrior on a lapierre, busting out some high-end dhb armour, on a collision course with a hapless family on tagalongs, rather than a bemulleted tina turner.

On a separate note I really hate the term 'mamilnodder'. What is exactly wrong with middle aged men in Lycra riding expensive (or indeed any) bikes? Is cycling only a pastime that's to be reserved for specially 'pure' cycling types who were born to it or something and ride their bikes in an approved keepers-of-the-true-flame style?

Sorry to go off on one, but terms like 'nodder' and 'fred' piss me off… but you might have guessed that already  3

On a separate, separate note you're right about it being like Mad Max down there… the most stressful ride I ever did was on the bike path one May bank holiday more than 10 years ago now when my then five year old daughter and a hundred or more other kids took part in the Blue Peter Ride for Life. They weren't so much the problem, nor were the families and dog walkers out on the route, but then add in all sorts of other people on bikes with lane disclipline and handling skills on about a par with the kids and top it off with blokes on race bikes and in various club colours, and who weren't Johnny-come-lately cyclists, barrelling through the throng at breakneck speeds heading home from training rides I'd guess and accidents were bound to happen. And they duly did. I've never been so glad to finish a bike ride. Oh, and that was a good decade before Strava existed.

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badback | 11 years ago
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Sounds like someone was going too quick for their own good.

The moral of the tale - if you want to ride fast, man up and use the road.

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G-bitch | 11 years ago
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Idiots on all modes of transport I'm afraid - Bristol to Bath path can be ridden quickly and safely on quieter sections with no intersections, but unfortunately many people carry that over in to the busiest bits in Bristol.... or the busiest times when the whole lot should be avoided by anyone wanting a quick journey!

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festival | 11 years ago
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Its simple, the offending cyclist was not in control of her situation and not in a position to read what was coming towards her, she was a danger to herself and others.
Being able to ride faster than others is not an excuse for doing so in an area of mixed users.
Regardless of what some cyclists think, this route is for a mixture of different uses, that also goes for the dog walkers who allow the dogs to wander when they can see a cyclist approach or pedestrians who walk 3 a breast oblivious to anyone else etc etc.
But to get back to the point, its not the place for training, if you enjoy the buzz of riding fast don't be a dick, enter a race and if your in a hurry it shouldn't be at the expense of others.
I ride along the canal path in Woking regularly and often encounter this type of rider, If I was spoken to like that after an incident by another cyclist, they would find their bike in the canal because "these thing happen".

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robert.brady | 11 years ago
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The "racing" cyclist was clearly in the wrong but talk about being melodramatic!

"I consider myself a pretty strong person."

She obviously isn't.

Rob

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Paul M replied to robert.brady | 11 years ago
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robert.brady wrote:

The "racing" cyclist was clearly in the wrong but talk about being melodramatic!

"I consider myself a pretty strong person."

She obviously isn't.

Rob

Strength or weakness are clearly relative concepts, however I can entirely relate to a "strong" person being upset by being knocked over by cyclist at excessive speed and not in proper control of her bike, as is evidently the case here.

We criticise motorists - and rightly so - for exceeding speed limits or for driving without consideration for other road users. We like to see them prosecuted for this, even if sadly that happens all too infrequently.

The Bristol-Bath path is a shared-use facility, for cyclists, walkers, dog-walkers, horse riders, the disabled etc, indeed anyone not using a motor-propelled vehicle. It is not a race track and should NEVER be used as such.

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nbrus | 11 years ago
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Simple solution ... paint lane markings on blind corners.

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mfarrington | 11 years ago
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Isn't it called consideration for others?

And if it is signed then I'd guess it is for a reason - why do some people always think they know better?

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the_mikey | 11 years ago
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If you will build such infrastructure, people will use it, the problem (if you want call it a problem) with the cycle path is that it's popular, and different groups of people have different expectations placed upon it. It cannot be everything to everyone, it's a fast, direct, traffic free commuter route into Bristol or Bath, it's where people go for their daily exercise regime, it's where people spend the day, it's a nature reserve, children walk to school on it, children play on it, people walk their pets on it, people go there and have picnics on it, how can you encourage all of these uses and not have conflict?

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andybwhite | 11 years ago
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Rule #5 !

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Jaltham replied to andybwhite | 11 years ago
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andybwhite wrote:

Rule #5 !

I agree! As we don't have the other side of the story we can't point the finger at anyone! Accidents happen guys!

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Stumps replied to Jaltham | 11 years ago
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Jaltham wrote:
andybwhite wrote:

Rule #5 !

I agree! As we don't have the other side of the story we can't point the finger at anyone! Accidents happen guys!

I wonder if people would say that if it was a car on the wrong side ?

But your right we dont have the full story.

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a.jumper | 11 years ago
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Was this a hit and run? Sounds like furious driving, doesn't it?

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