idun Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 I am furious. I am told that it is part of it all, the accidents that happen, but I simply cannot believe why people are not locked up and the keys thrown away because of their stupidity and negligence.Today, if you watch, a car holding tv cameras according to the BBC news, simply moved across the road and knocked cyclists off their bikes, leading cyclists.In the past, people from the crowd or even gendarmes have got in the way and cyclists have come off their bikes too. Now if I hit a cyclist, then I would need prosecuting. I would probably say that I hadn't seen the bike, because that would be the only reason I would ever hit a cyclist and yet this car today was filming the bloody race! They knew where the bikes were and they still hit them. Honestly, I am so angry. Please someone tell me that the gendarmes have arrested this conducteur and they will forever be sans permit! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5-element Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 I just missed it Idun as I was called out when it happened, but apparently the car didn't just move across the road. There was a tree, which was, very oddly, sticking out, and the driver just had that swerve reflex - too late to see the cyclists next to the car.I am glad I missed it - as I was still getting over the previous crash (horrible injuries, including a broken thighbone and fractured pelvis for Vinokourov, one of the leaders). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YCCMB Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 It was horrible and quite ridiculous. If you're driving a car through teh front-runners in the Tour de France, I don't think the "sorry, mate, didn't see you" excuse would wash... poor, poor Hoogerland, he looked in agony on the podium... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5-element Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 Edit: you are both right - from the info I just got, everyone is up in arms about that incompetent driver (French TV car, apparently). The commissariat is handling the "incident".Edit 2:http://www.ouest-france.fr/ofdernmin_-Tour-2011.-Accident-provoque-par-une-voiture-suiveuse-un-scandale-_6346-1868774-fils-tous_filDMA.Htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quillan Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 Not my cup of tea bicycle riding but we have a Dutch guy staying at the moment who is a bit of a fanatic. He had been watching the TDF on our TV and came out on to the terrace in tears. Once he had gained his composure he had a bit of a tourettes moment with a few good old Anglo Saxon expletives about what he would like to do to the driver. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loiseau Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 Not my cup of tea either really, but while standing on the pavement watching the Tour come through a Vendee village last week, I was amazed by how closely official vehicles were tangled up with the riders - in front; between front runners and others; and hot on the (w)heels of the tail-enders. It looked like an accident waiting to happen.Angela Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianagain Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 http://www.flickr.com/photos/francetvsport/5921834685/in/photostreamVideo clip of incidentBrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSKS Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 When you see how close the press cars and bikes get to the riders and how closely they follow each other the real surprise is that such incidents aren't more common. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham & Brenda Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 The car driver swerved out round the tree instead of braking and checking that he had room to do so - a manoeuvre you see all too often on French roads - often caused by following too close to the vehicle in front Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 Perhaps I am paranoid, but it knocked off course a strong rider who had been winning the climbs, and left the 'maillot jaune' open for a French rider;;;;;and it was a FRENCH tv company car (from the commentators who had been waiting for a French cyclist to win something)I even had the impression that it was a car from the team for which Voeckler rides, but I may be wrong about that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 Yes, it was a French car, but it was from one of the TV companies. Really, Norman, your paranoia is approaching mine! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pachapapa Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 Sounds like the same lot from the Pompadour Residence that handled the DSK matter.[6] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pachapapa Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 Picture of dutch barbelated left buttock.[IMG]http://cache.20minutes.fr/img/photos/20mn/2011-07/2011-07-11/article_hoogerS.jpg[/IMG]Do hypodermic needles cause swellings?[6] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loiseau Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 [quote user="woolybanana"]...Really, Norman, your paranoia is approaching mine![/quote]I have to say that, having viewed the online clip, the thought did cross my mind as well.The poor chap in the barbed wire; what a horrid sight... Hope somebody was handy to dab on the iodene afterwards (Yikes, I remember how much that used to hurt!).Oh no, being France, it'd be the lurid mercurochrome, wouldn't it?Angela Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 Betadine here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianagain Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 According to an article in cycling news, Johnny Hoogerland seems remarkably sanguine about the whole thing."It might be a scandal but I don't think they did it in purpose. Everything's well taken care off over here but... you can be mad but I don't think they did it in purpose," Hoogerland repeated."I know that I'll be in a lot of pain during the rest day. I hope I can recover. It's a pity but I'm a Zeelander. We're not easy to tear apart. I'm still alive..."Brian (again) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Coeur de Lion Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 Ouch, that looks painful. I don't know what the driver was thinking, obviously not looking very far ahead. I think if he'd have slammed his brakes on, there would have been even worse casualties. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frederick Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 I was watching it when it happened ..The commentator said he should have braked not swerved .There was a time after when a race doctor was hanging down the side of a motor bike treating a guy while he cycled along.. That looked like an accident waiting to happen to me ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Coeur de Lion Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 It's common sense and the highway code says that you should brake. In this instance though, I think there was less damage caused by swerving than braking. But then in normal circumstances, driving and cycling like this is considered dangerous.This is just one of the many risks involved in playing sports.If it were me, I'd sue the tree for being on the road... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Araucaria Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 [quote user="Mr Coeur de Lion"]It's common sense and the highway code says that you should brake. In this instance though, I think there was less damage caused by swerving than braking......[/quote]Less damage? So the car gets a bit scratched by the cyclist, instead of a dent from the tree, and the cyclists risked being killed? That was a concrete post that Hoogerland hit. How much damage would have been caused to the occupants of the car if they had chosen to hit the tree rather than the cyclists? The TV cars are supposed to be crewed by skilled drivers who should know not to steer into the cyclists. Let alone overtake (to get a better shot) rather than wait until it is safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted July 11, 2011 Author Share Posted July 11, 2011 That poor cyclist, I am squeamish and felt quite ill when I saw that photo. Sounds like a tough man, I sincerely hope that he does as well as he should in the competition now in spite of his wounds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Coeur de Lion Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 [quote user="Araucaria"][quote user="Mr Coeur de Lion"]It's common sense and the highway code says that you should brake. In this instance though, I think there was less damage caused by swerving than braking......[/quote]Less damage? So the car gets a bit scratched by the cyclist, instead of a dent from the tree, and the cyclists risked being killed? That was a concrete post that Hoogerland hit. How much damage would have been caused to the occupants of the car if they had chosen to hit the tree rather than the cyclists? The TV cars are supposed to be crewed by skilled drivers who should know not to steer into the cyclists. Let alone overtake (to get a better shot) rather than wait until it is safe.[/quote]Look what was directly behind the car. If the driver had hit the tree, the car would have bounced out and the two motorcyclists that were up his backside crash into him plus god knows how many cyclists into that. If he had braked hard, a similar situation would have arisen also meaning many more would have been injured.The driver was at fault for not looking far enough ahead, his instincts were spot on in this instance. But he should have had his eyes on what was ahead, not on whatever it was he was focussing on. But it's also bloody stupid having a tree practically on the road! Someone should cut that down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Araucaria Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 Perhaps.But as for "god knows how many cyclists", this car was overtaking the leading cyclists, five of them, and the rest of the competitors were six or seven minutes behind (and that's a long way - the cyclists were doing about 60 kph apparently).This is a cycle race, not a motor rally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Coeur de Lion Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 I agree, the driver is at fault no matter what for not thinking ahead, but once the incident started, I think he did the right thing. At least I believe that's what I would have done in that situation. It's pure instincts at that point. I imagine he would have seen the tree, been reasonably aware that there were bikes near him but hope that the swerve would not be such that it would hit anyone. If he'd have hit the tree or braked hard, then there definitely would have been a bigger crash.But to reiterate, it was his fault that the situation even occurred, but I think he did all he could to get out of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5-element Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 The car driver was unceremoniously kicked out of the Tour de France, as he should. He had been disobeying orders in any case, and his car shouldn't have been there in the first place.Hougerland, covered in bandages, still got on the bike yesterday (rest day) for training. Such determination!And this is his take on the matter:http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303812104576439862756666174.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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