Serious Crash involving several Giant-Alpecin riders

[MatParker117]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/giant-alpecin-left-in-shock-after-head-on-collision-with-vehicle/

The team were training in Calpe when reports suggest that a car came on the wrong side of the road, driving into the group of riders.

Warren Barguil, John Degenkolb, Chad Haga, Fredrik Ludvigsson, Ramon Sinkeldam and Max Walscheid were all involved in the crash, with a string of injuries inflicted.

“The team will need some time to recover from this. The team is like a close family and I know that with everyone supporting each other the team can come through this. As a team we have an amazing spirit. We are there for each other,” Iwan Spekenbrink told Cyclingnews.

Degenkolb suffered a serious hand injury, confirming later on Facebook that a finger had almost been entirely severed. The team confirmed that Degenkolb had a successful surgery on a cut to his upper leg and is currently receiving treatment for his hand and a fracture to his forearm.

Haga was airlifted to hospital, suffering from neck and facial injuries. The team said he had successful surgery on his neck and chin wounds. Haga also has an orbital fracture that will be treated later.

Barguil suffered fractured scaphoid in his wrist. He may require surgery but that is not yet determined, the team said. Walscheid fractured his hand and tibia, and surgery is likely required. Ludvigsson suffered scratches and bruises all over his body but is otherwise OK. Sinkeldam also escaped with multiple scratches and bruises.

A get well soon to all of the riders and I hope the spanish police find the person responsible and throw the book at them, it's a minor miracle that no one was killed.

 

[TheGreenMonkey]

Sounds like there are some serious injuries but hopefully ones they will all recover from fully.

Too early to criticize the car driver, circumstances might absolve them of blame.

 

[ferryman]

Horrible news but the latest update from the team on the injuries is encouraging. Sounds like a tourist used to driving on the left got confused and hit them head on. I'm sure they are in complete shock as well as to what they have done. Won't stop them getting prosecuted though, and to be harsh, quite rightly so.

 

[ferryman]

Horrible news but the latest update from the team on the injuries is encouraging. Sounds like a tourist used to driving on the left got confused and hit them head on. I'm sure they are in complete shock as well as to what they have done. Won't stop them getting prosecuted though, and to be harsh, quite rightly so.

 

[Lupi33x]

sounds like a psycho in that car

hope JD recovers fast. that sounds nasty

 

[yespatterns]

Sorry to be harsh, but having been hit four times by negligent drivers, my hope of cagers getting a clue are limited. I'm not sure what the solution is, but I really really hope something can improve cycling for recreational, commuting and pro riders. Best wishes for the team.

 

[Kwibus]

It's too early to blame the driver for being an psycho. It could be a big mistake which nevertheless is still the drivers fault, but the driver himself might be in pure shock as well.
Either way it looks like he should dealt with accordingly, but let's not start shouting psycho before we know what happened.

Indeed a miracle nobody got killed, allthough Haga's injuries seem to be serious. Best of luck and recovery for the Giant guys!

 

[Lupi33x]

well he was on the wrong side of the road and it was head on

...allegedly

 

[Jagartrott]

Re:

It's too early to blame the driver for being an psycho. It could be a big mistake which nevertheless is still the drivers fault, but the driver himself might be in pure shock as well.

Of course the driver would be in shock, unless it was deliberate (which is almost impossible).
That doesn't change anything about the gravity of the offense. Car and lorry drivers need to understand that they are operating something that can kill people. All too often, drivers are not fully concentrated, calling, texting, chatting, etc. There's way too much negligence there. If you're behind the wheel, you concentrate.

If I had been as sloppy on my bike as some drivers in their cars, I would've been injured or dead many, many times.

 

[Kwibus]

Re:

well he was on the wrong side of the road and it was head on

...allegedly

yeh... duh..

That doesn't make him a psycho. Specially if it's someone from the UK. It's more likely stupid...

 

[Lupi33x]

Re: Re:

well he was on the wrong side of the road and it was head on

...allegedly

yeh... duh..

That doesn't make him a psycho. Specially if it's someone from the UK. It's more likely stupid...

that made me LOL

I feel bad for JD though. one of my favourite riders. losing an index finger could end his career

 

[mariposa]

Re: Re:

yeh... duh..

That doesn't make him a psycho. Specially if it's someone from the UK. It's more likely stupid...[/quote]

There are just as many psychos in cars in the UK as elsewhere I am afraid. Stirred up by the anti cycling parts of the press into thinking that cyclists have no rights to be on the roads.I have lost count of the times I have been deliberately cut up, aimed at or had abuse hurled at me just for being on my bike. Unfortunately the British drivers who now live in Spain have mainly taken that attitude with them. You just have to read any of the English/ Spanish forums or speak to members of the ex pat community and you will discover their lack of patience with the presence of large numbers of cyclists on the roads and their lack of basic understanding of local laws of the road, particularly those applying to cyclists.

Still having said all that we don't know exactly what happened and why and although the driver is reported to be a british woman we don't know whether she is resident in that area or just a tourist.

I hope all the riders make a full recovery and despite the injuries and shock it sounds as though on balance it could have been so much worse.

 

[Bye Bye Bicycle]

Seems like Haga is the most affected:

• Warren Barguil (FRA): fractured scaphoid; may require surgery but not yet determined.
  
  John Degenkolb (GER): successful surgery on a cut in his upper leg; currently receiving treatment on his hand and a fracture to his forearm.
  
  Chad Haga (USA): was airlifted to a hospital; successful surgery on neck and chin wounds; orbital fracture will be treated later.
  
  Fredrik Ludvigsson (SWE): scratches and bruises all over his body.
  
  Ramon Sinkeldam (NED): scratches and bruises all over his body.
  
  Max Walscheid (GER): fractured hand and tibia; surgery likely required.

 

[Lupi33x]

fractures heal, but losing a finger, especially that finger would make gripping handlebars very difficult.. especially for a power rider

 

[MatParker117]

Jesus:

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

well he was on the wrong side of the road and it was head on

...allegedly

Not a psycho, it was a British woman, she probably was just confused. Still inexcusable.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

fractures heal, but losing a finger, especially that finger would make gripping handlebars very difficult.. especially for a power rider

Fracture in the neck area can cause irreversible damage though.

 

[DFA123]

Re: Re:

well he was on the wrong side of the road and it was head on

...allegedly

Not a psycho, it was a British woman, she probably was just confused. Still inexcusable.

Hopefully she'll be locked up for a while. As you said, its inexcusably dangerous driving - genuinely putting lives at risk.

 

[ray j willings]

I think its time we all drive on the same side of the road. Then we would not have these accidents. I'm a brit and I'm happy to switch to the right.

Thousands of miles driven on the wrong side of the road

Monday, 22 August 2011

• More than 108,000 accidents abroad due to collisions with oncoming vehicles, according to swiftcover.com data
• One in three UK motorists drive on the wrong side of the road at least once while abroad

At least 44,000 miles will be driven on the wrong side of the road by Brits abroad this year alone, potentially causing more than 108,000 accidents with oncoming vehicles – according to a study by car insurance provider swiftcover.com.

With more than 4.4 million UK motorists set to hit foreign roads this summer, the study revealed that more than one in three (39 per cent) – equating to 1.7 million UK drivers will drive on the wrong side of the road at some point on their holiday. On previous holidays, almost 50,000 UK drivers admitted to driving at least one mile on the wrong side of the road during a trip abroad.

The worrying findings were further compounded as swiftcover.com policyholder data revealed that British drivers are twice as likely to collide with an oncoming vehicle whilst abroad, and that these kind of accidents account for 17 per cent of the 1.8 million accidents involving UK motorists reported abroad each year.

Robin Reames, chief claims officer at swiftcover.com said: “Lives are on the line because so many Brits are driving on the wrong side of the road whilst abroad. It’s such a fundamental element of driving on foreign roads but it only takes a split second to lose concentration before you find yourself head on with another vehicle.

“We see a huge uplift in oncoming vehicle accidents when Brits drive off overseas

 

[Kwibus]

Re:

I think its time we all drive on the same side of the road. Then we would not have these accidents. I'm a brit and I'm happy to switch to the right.

Thousands of miles driven on the wrong side of the road

Monday, 22 August 2011

• More than 108,000 accidents abroad due to collisions with oncoming vehicles, according to swiftcover.com data
• One in three UK motorists drive on the wrong side of the road at least once while abroad

At least 44,000 miles will be driven on the wrong side of the road by Brits abroad this year alone, potentially causing more than 108,000 accidents with oncoming vehicles – according to a study by car insurance provider swiftcover.com.

With more than 4.4 million UK motorists set to hit foreign roads this summer, the study revealed that more than one in three (39 per cent) – equating to 1.7 million UK drivers will drive on the wrong side of the road at some point on their holiday. On previous holidays, almost 50,000 UK drivers admitted to driving at least one mile on the wrong side of the road during a trip abroad.

The worrying findings were further compounded as swiftcover.com policyholder data revealed that British drivers are twice as likely to collide with an oncoming vehicle whilst abroad, and that these kind of accidents account for 17 per cent of the 1.8 million accidents involving UK motorists reported abroad each year.

Robin Reames, chief claims officer at swiftcover.com said: “Lives are on the line because so many Brits are driving on the wrong side of the road whilst abroad. It’s such a fundamental element of driving on foreign roads but it only takes a split second to lose concentration before you find yourself head on with another vehicle.

“We see a huge uplift in oncoming vehicle accidents when Brits drive off overseas

We should indeed all ride on the same side. That would be great, but I think it's too late to change that. The amount of infrastructure that has to be adjusted is just huuuuuuuge.

 

[BigMac]

Re: Re:

well he was on the wrong side of the road and it was head on

...allegedly

yeh... duh..

That doesn't make him a psycho. Specially if it's someone from the UK. It's more likely stupid...

Indeed, psycho would be driving on the correct side of the road and crossing over to hit the cyclists on purpose. This sounds more like negligence and lack of elementary knowledge by the driver.

 

[King Boonen]

Really hope they all come through this fine and are back on their bikes as soon as possible.

 

[Lupi33x]

Re: Re:

well he was on the wrong side of the road and it was head on

...allegedly

yeh... duh..

That doesn't make him a psycho. Specially if it's someone from the UK. It's more likely stupid...

Indeed, psycho would be driving on the correct side of the road and crossing over to hit the cyclists on purpose. This sounds more like negligence and lack of elementary knowledge by the driver.

What kind of driver doesnt realise they drive on a different side in Europe?
Not someone that should have a license.

 

[staubsauger]

Re: Re:

well he was on the wrong side of the road and it was head on

...allegedly

yeh... duh..

That doesn't make him a psycho. Specially if it's someone from the UK. It's more likely stupid...

Indeed, psycho would be driving on the correct side of the road and crossing over to hit the cyclists on purpose. This sounds more like negligence and lack of elementary knowledge by the driver.

What kind of driver doesnt realise they drive on a different side in Europe?
Not someone that should have a license.

There's something called intuition. My former teacher once opened his door when he had to additionally brake with the parking brake in a corner. It was a moment when he acted fast out of former routine. He lived in Germany some years already, then.

 

[wrinklyvet]

Re: Re:

well he was on the wrong side of the road and it was head on

...allegedly

yeh... duh..

That doesn't make him a psycho. Specially if it's someone from the UK. It's more likely stupid...

Indeed, psycho would be driving on the correct side of the road and crossing over to hit the cyclists on purpose. This sounds more like negligence and lack of elementary knowledge by the driver.

What kind of driver doesnt realise they drive on a different side in Europe?
Not someone that should have a license.

There's no accounting for these things. I'm not a medical expert but the human brain is complex. This kind of error can happen when someone is least expecting it. If, for example, a driver stops for a break, relaxes at a cafe or something and then sets off again, the ingrained habits, relaxed mind and inadvertence can allow someone who knows better to revert to the side of the road that is normal for them, especially if there are no features on the road to correct this.

This is why, when one leaves a ferry port in Britain or Continental Europe the roads are laid out in such a way that it can't happen in the first few miles and then they remind you with a well-placed sign just up the road.

One day we will know more about this accident, I suppose, but meanwhile it is fertile ground for imagination and accusation. It was said to be a female British driver, but whether in a hired car from just down the road, Benidorm perhaps, or was somebody who is living there, or what, We don't know.

I am sorry for all involved. Let's not assume it was idiotic or not very easily done. Negligent and culpable, yes, I think we can probably assume.