Tragic news

[sharpy]

Returning from today's club run, I came across a terrible accident on one of the hills leading out of the Peak District and into Sheffield (Baslow Hill). All day long motor cyclists had been hammering it along the roads in Derbyshire and I am used to their high speed antics on this particular hill as it is close to home and my normal route into and out of the Peak District.

As I started the climb, an ambulance came past with sirens blazing and, 10 minutes later, as I approached the top of the climb it was obvious that something major had occured. Working my way to the front of the queue of cars in the hope that I would be able to slide past the obstruction I came across a most appalling sight.

One poor unfortunate lying in the road, fully covered with a blanket, and police/papramedic activity in an adjacent field.

From talking to an eye witness it would appear that a motor cyclist had overtaken a number of cars, at speed, but had lost control at the top of the hill, swerved across the road and had hit and killed a cyclist coming the other way. The motor cyclist was also killed.

The eyewitness went onto to say that the motor cyclist, in his estimation had been travelleing at over 80 mhp (50 mph speed limit) when he had overtaken his car: in fact his passenger had prophetically commented that the "motor cylist was going to kill himself if he continud to ride at that speed". 10 seconds later he did, and took an innocent soul with him!

Can't get over the idea of a fellow cyclist, out for a pleasant afternoon ride, having his life snuffed out in an instance.

When I eventually got back home I couldn't speak for several minutes and just hugged my wife with tears streaming down my face. Sixty minutes later and my hands are still shaking as I type this message.

No more to say.
Paul

[Thomas125]

Feel sorry for the cyclist and his poor family.

Really unfair when selfish people out for a thrill put other peoples lives at risk. Unfortunately a lot of motorcyclists seem to be speed junkies.

Very sad.

[james01]

I'm an ex-motorcyclist and I'm apalled at the behaviour of this sizeable minority who terrorise ordinary road users for their selfish "kicks". Many of the most beautiful roads in the UK are plagued by their behaviour.
As you say, tragic news, and what a waste .

[diapason0]

What an awful thing to happen and for you to have to witness Thoughts and prayers with all concerned and their loved ones.
N

[peter99]

Regularly get 'buzzed' by bikers. A near to home route into and back from the vale of york takes Leeds cyclists through Aberford and Sherburn in Elmet, near to the famous bikers cafe. Many of them go flat out round bends in this area on their way to and from the cafe. Too many times they have come towards me, apexed a bend I'm on and the wheels are twitching on the white lines / cats eyes. One mistake and they would be straight into me as they slid across the road.

At least in the car you have some protection. On the cycle, well, you've just witnessed the reality.

It really spoils this area for riding sometimes and there isn't a way to stop it.

[karlt]

I know that road. It's a beautiful piece of tarmac for a road bike run. Sucks.

[FatBat]

Regularly get 'buzzed' by bikers. A near to home route into and back from the vale of york takes Leeds cyclists through Aberford and Sherburn in Elmet, near to the famous bikers cafe. Many of them go flat out round bends in this area on their way to and from the cafe. Too many times they have come towards me, apexed a bend I'm on and the wheels are twitching on the white lines / cats eyes. One mistake and they would be straight into me as they slid across the road.

At least in the car you have some protection. On the cycle, well, you've just witnessed the reality.

It really spoils this area for riding sometimes and there isn't a way to stop it.

I used to live near that infamous bikers' cafe and have witnessed such antics. We were in the car one Sunday and got overtaken at very high speed by five motorbikers. Minutes later, one of them was dead. This turned out to be a bit of a test case, as the Police charged the other four with Causing Death by Dangerous Driving. They were found Not Guilty of that, but were convicted of Dangerous Driving (http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/4073350.Speeding_bikers_avoid_jail_term/).

[Joe.B]

I'm an ex-motorcyclist and I'm apalled at the behaviour of this sizeable minority who terrorise ordinary road users for their selfish "kicks". Many of the most beautiful roads in the UK are plagued by their behaviour.
As you say, tragic news, and what a waste .

Me too. The type of motorcyclists we are discussing only seem to appear on sunny weekends, giving regular, all year round bikes a bad name. I've always encouraged fellow motorcyclists to be considerate to cyclists, suggesting that vulnerable road users should lookout for each other. The sunny weekend, pocket-rocket bunch seem to be getting worse IMO.

[Michael R]

Another motorbike near home this morning (Cockerham). I loath motor bikes round here and reckon they need controlling

[dougie]

What an awful thing to happen and for you to have to witness Thoughts and prayers with all concerned and their loved ones.
N

Same from me too.

[Edwards]

What an awful thing to happen and for you to have to witness Thoughts and prayers with all concerned and their loved ones.
N

I could not agree more. Condolences to all involved.

[bigfoot]

The "Cat and Fiddle" climb from Macclesfield to the Cat and Fiddle pub was blighted by motorcycles (and cars) speeding. It now has average speed cameras which have made a staggering difference.

[Ivor Tingting]

Really really tragic for the cyclist and his family. RIP.

The motorcylist was a moron. On any given bright sunny sunday there are too many of these menaces riding at insane speeds putting other road users, people and property nearby at extreme risk. I have been buzzed too many times by high performance motorcycle idiots who seem to think they are on a race track. I agree they need to be much more closely controlled.

[fatboy]

Tragic news. Hartside (which is part of the C2C and the Pennine Cycleway) is IMHO an accident waiting to happen. In the summer I was decending into Alston when I was overtaken by a motorbike and my friend following commented that he only passed me with a couple of inches to spare; not sure of the exact dimensions but it was scarily close.

Riding a motorbike need not be dangerous but a sizeable minority seem to make it so.

[eileithyia]

Tragic news and so sorry to hear of your experience, not a nice thing to come across.

Earlier this year we used the Ribblehead road to Hawes it too was blighted with speeding motorcyclists and again we also came across one who had come off on a bend, his bike was totalled but thankfully neither he or any innocents, were. The ride was certainly spoilt by these nutters, last time I had used this road was dull, dry mid week day in October, it was much nicer to cycle on.

I have had one cycling friend lose his life due to a motorcyclist over cooking it on a bend (at the time of the funeral the biker was still in intensive care and probably had no idea of the consequences), also i know of clubs such as Cleveleys who have had incidents over Quernmore involving lunatic bikers and it is one reason i do not like to race on the Cockerham course, becuase of the bends and bikers.