Winnatts Pass death

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mybrainhurts

Original Poster:

90,809 posts

254 months

Wednesday 16th April 2014
quotequote all
A female cyclist was killed Saturday 12/4/14 at the bottom of Winnats.

Punched a hole through a small section of dry stone wall, to the right of the cattle grid, going down, near Speedwell cavern.

How the hell did that happen?

Edited by mybrainhurts on Wednesday 16th April 17:51

anonymous-user

53 months

Wednesday 16th April 2014
quotequote all
Could be one of many reasons to be fair, overheating brakes, slippery surface, swerving to avoid a pothole, another rider or a car, is there sheep free grazing in that area? etc. A very sad but timely reminder to check your bike over before each ride.

numtumfutunch

4,704 posts

137 months

Wednesday 16th April 2014
quotequote all

There is wild speculation and conjecture on other forums

The only certainty is that a tragic accident happened and a cyclist is dead

I would personally be interested in knowing what happened purely as this is a section of road I regularly ride up and down and I am naturally wondering if this could have happened to me or my riding pals

One thread mentioned "failed brakes" although this could be absolutely anything

RIP

Saddle bum

4,211 posts

218 months

Wednesday 16th April 2014
quotequote all
numtumfutunch said:
There is wild speculation and conjecture on other forums

The only certainty is that a tragic accident happened and a cyclist is dead

I would personally be interested in knowing what happened purely as this is a section of road I regularly ride up and down and I am naturally wondering if this could have happened to me or my riding pals

One thread mentioned "failed brakes" although this could be absolutely anything

RIP
I would suggest "Brakes failed to function correctly".

If so, some thing that definitely needs looking into.

MiseryStreak

2,929 posts

206 months

Wednesday 16th April 2014
quotequote all
http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/death-on-w...

Very sad news, she was 22, gulp. It seems another young woman was also killed in a head on collision the same day in the same area.

I've often wondered what I would do if my brakes failed on a steep descent, usually when I'm going down Ditchling Beacon as brake failure there would mean washing wide into oncoming traffic. Unclipping then trying to aim where you throw yourself might be the best bet but it usually happens so fast there's no time for rational thought.

Even when they're working perfectly, cable operated rim brakes and road tyres will never provide an emergency stop on a descent like that. I love descending but you are at the mercy of so many things, brake cables being just one.


Rocksteadyeddie

7,971 posts

226 months

Wednesday 16th April 2014
quotequote all
Total brake failure front and rear seems unlikely. Winnatts is pretty steep in places, and the surface can be pretty ropey too. For an inexperienced decsender it would be pretty easy to get into trouble. Many of the Lakes passes are the same, and the limited run off area before an unforgiving dry stone wall breaks your fall compounds the issues when it goes wrong.


Birdthom

788 posts

224 months

Wednesday 16th April 2014
quotequote all
No time for speculation IMO

Rocksteadyeddie

7,971 posts

226 months

Wednesday 16th April 2014
quotequote all
Birdthom said:
No time for speculation IMO
I never understand posts like this. There is a whole world out there where you can not discuss issues. Feel free to stay in it like the majority of people. One assumes, by virtue of the fact that you've clicked on at least one link to be here, that you have an interest in the subject at hand. It is human nature, and a nature that is exagerated by the advent of the internet, to speculate. If you don't want to be involved then no one is asking you to read the thread, nor to contribute.

It's terrible that a young girl has died. Discussion on the internet may be totally fatuous, but ultimately it is harmless, and reading it may contribute to someone taking less risk, or dealing with a situation they find themsleves in differently in the future that saves them from a similar accident.

TheFungle

4,069 posts

205 months

Wednesday 16th April 2014
quotequote all
I had an accident several years ago where (on my road bike) my bars came loose on the stem with the effect being that they rotated forward. Unfortunatey this rotation happened as I was descending on the hill, I had no way of braking and as my weight was too far warward I couldn't move my hands back and on to brakes.

Result?

I had to crash on purpose, thankfully apart from quite a few grazes my injuries weren't too bad and looking back it's the crash that makes me wince the most.

On a positive note I used it as an excuse to buy a new bike the following year.

RIP the poor lass.

Digga

40,201 posts

282 months

Wednesday 16th April 2014
quotequote all
Paranoidairgbag will likely be along soon, either to tell us this never happened, or to suggest that, on this day, just around the corner on Mam Tor, no less than 57 mountain bikers rode of a cliff to their respective demises; http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

mybrainhurts

Original Poster:

90,809 posts

254 months

Wednesday 16th April 2014
quotequote all
numtumfutunch said:
this is a section of road I regularly ride up and down
This is a section of road I regularly drive up and down.

Stick a PH smiley on your bum and I'll wave next time I pass you...smile

Birdthom

788 posts

224 months

Wednesday 16th April 2014
quotequote all
Rocksteadyeddie said:
I never understand posts like this. There is a whole world out there where you can not discuss issues. Feel free to stay in it like the majority of people. One assumes, by virtue of the fact that you've clicked on at least one link to be here, that you have an interest in the subject at hand. It is human nature, and a nature that is exagerated by the advent of the internet, to speculate. If you don't want to be involved then no one is asking you to read the thread, nor to contribute.

It's terrible that a young girl has died. Discussion on the internet may be totally fatuous, but ultimately it is harmless, and reading it may contribute to someone taking less risk, or dealing with a situation they find themsleves in differently in the future that saves them from a similar accident.
I just think it's poor taste. Anything typed here is online for years and I'm sure the victim's friends and family wouldn't want to see forums full of speculation. None of us know the facts, so it's pointless to speculate. Just mindless gossip which does no good.

mybrainhurts

Original Poster:

90,809 posts

254 months

Wednesday 16th April 2014
quotequote all
Birdthom said:
Rocksteadyeddie said:
I never understand posts like this. There is a whole world out there where you can not discuss issues. Feel free to stay in it like the majority of people. One assumes, by virtue of the fact that you've clicked on at least one link to be here, that you have an interest in the subject at hand. It is human nature, and a nature that is exagerated by the advent of the internet, to speculate. If you don't want to be involved then no one is asking you to read the thread, nor to contribute.

It's terrible that a young girl has died. Discussion on the internet may be totally fatuous, but ultimately it is harmless, and reading it may contribute to someone taking less risk, or dealing with a situation they find themsleves in differently in the future that saves them from a similar accident.
I just think it's poor taste. Anything typed here is online for years and I'm sure the victim's friends and family wouldn't want to see forums full of speculation. None of us know the facts, so it's pointless to speculate. Just mindless gossip which does no good.
Read the bold bit again.

Birdthom

788 posts

224 months

Wednesday 16th April 2014
quotequote all
mybrainhurts said:
Read the bold bit again.
I don't buy that at all, unless what is being written is based on facts which in this case aren't yet available.

Anyway, I've said my piece and it wouldn't be right for me to harp on any further, so I will step away.

mybrainhurts

Original Poster:

90,809 posts

254 months

Wednesday 16th April 2014
quotequote all
I have to strongly disagree with you.

Road use is a constant processes of learning. My bike licence goes back fifty one years and my car licence goes back fifty years and I'm still learning. There are many accidents that seem to be inexplicable when you view the scene and discussing them with others, whether witnesses or not, often brings out something you hadn't thought about, thus making you aware of a hazard you hadn't previously perceived and making you a safer driver from that moment on.

The question of victims' families viewing online discussions is pretty remote. If my 22 year old daughter had been killed, the last thing on my mind would be sitting at the computer to see what people are saying.

MiseryStreak

2,929 posts

206 months

Wednesday 16th April 2014
quotequote all
Birdthom said:
mybrainhurts said:
Read the bold bit again.
I don't buy that at all, unless what is being written is based on facts which in this case aren't yet available.

Anyway, I've said my piece and it wouldn't be right for me to harp on any further, so I will step away.
I can't agree with you either, for reasons already stated, it helps to make me acutely aware of the risks involved in descending. I wasn't speculating as to the details of this particular accident, more of brake failure in general (and that is not to say that this was the definite cause here). But discussion aside, threads of this nature are no place for bickering and point scoring. First and foremost it is a terrible tragedy that this young girl died enjoying a sport we all love, if we can learn something from her death then she may not have died in vain.