# Cyclist Down (serious injuries) on Tram Tracks (possibly hit by trailer), Sheffield



## Sheffield_Tiger (7 Sep 2010)

Fingers crossed that the cyclist pulls through....
_http://www.thestar.co.uk/headlines/Sheffield-crash-cyclist-suffers-serious.6517090.jp_
_
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_A CYCLIST was taken to hospital with serious injuries this morning after coming off his bike on the tram tracks on Ridgeway Road, Sheffield.__The man, aged in his 30s, was riding along the road at around 8.15am when he lost control of his bike.

A Land Rover had been following the cyclist and it is believed the trailer the 4X4 was pulling collided with the man.

Paramedics rushed the cyclist to hospital with potentially life threatening injuries.

The incident was blocking the road, causing traffic chaos for motorists caught up in the queue and commuters waiting to catch buses and trams._
Based on the above:
1) Tram Tracks2) Overtaking too close


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## gaz (7 Sep 2010)

eeeeek that sounds nasty. i hope he is ok.


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## ianrauk (7 Sep 2010)

had a couple of 'wobbly' moments myself in Croydon going over the tram tracks. Very easy to miss-judge the damn things.


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## HLaB (7 Sep 2010)

I hope he turns out to be OK! Not saying its the case but some idiots with trailers just aren't use to them and forget they are pulling them :-(

Why do most stories, end up summarising the traffic conditions ?


> _The incident was blocking the road, causing traffic chaos for motorists caught up in the queue and commuters waiting to catch buses and trams._


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## Wobblers (7 Sep 2010)

Nasty.

Struck by the _trailer_??

Hmmm. That doesn't sound right, does it? Now, if he really "lost control of his bike", and with tram tracks that's quite plausible you'd expect the land rover to have hit him directly (too close, in other words!), or swerve round him. In which case, the trailer would follow the land rover's track, and miss. Unless it was wider than the car. Again, too close!

Call me Mr Cynical, but it seems far more likely that the motorist blithely overtook him and pulled back in too soon, forgetting that he had a trailer.

Hope he pulls through.


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## Sheffield_Tiger (7 Sep 2010)

Could make all kinds of speculations but it's not inconcievable that the cyclist fell whilst being overtaken too closely



HLaB said:


> Why do most stories, end up summarising the traffic conditions ?



To be fair, I thought this report was better than most from local rags. Usually they *start *out something like

"Drivers were subjected to the most horrific and awful wait in their enclosed easy-chairs with built-in entertainment systems, the poor dears, whilst a pest of a road-tax dodger caused havoc by sustaining injuries at rush hour"


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## 2Loose (7 Sep 2010)

McWobble said:


> Nasty.
> 
> Struck by the _trailer_??
> ...
> ...



Indeed. The article makes a point about the motorist was following him, but then the trailer he was towing hit the cyclist, but not the cab of the vehicle, so he must have gone past..or at least tried to. Badly by the sound of it.

I hope he pulls through too. Tram tracks are bad enough to negotiate without impatient trailer towers to complicate matters.


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## Norm (7 Sep 2010)

McWobble said:


> Struck by the _trailer_??
> 
> Hmmm. That doesn't sound right, does it? Now, if he really "lost control of his bike", and with tram tracks that's quite plausible you'd expect the land rover to have hit him directly (too close, in other words!), or swerve round him. In which case, the trailer would follow the land rover's track, and miss. Unless it was wider than the car. Again, too close!
> 
> Call me Mr Cynical, but it seems far more likely that the motorist blithely overtook him and pulled back in too soon, forgetting that he had a trailer.


If we are speculating, my *guess* is that the cyclist felt intimidated by an overtaking Land Rover and trailer and was more worried about what was to his right than what was heading under his wheels. 

Tram / train crossings are bad enough on a motorbike, I've never tried when cycling but I can't imagine they'd be much fun.


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## marinyork (7 Sep 2010)

I really hope he gets better. It's hard to say. The trailer could have swerved then again it may not have. Car wheels have problems sliding/drifting on the tracks and there's a concrete surface and tarmac outside of this. It's been known in the past for vehicles to slide and even spin off the road on turns of direction, especially in the wet due to the differentials. It rained very heavily last night and there could still have been some residual water knocking around in the tram tracks and concrete and tarmac (as happens). Or it may have been dry and just a crap overtake. Very little way of knowing.


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## StuartG (7 Sep 2010)

Bit pointless speculating.

What disappoints me is that after these incidents the relevant police unit conduct an expensive and careful forensic analysis as the basis of a prosecution or for a coroner. However they don't seem to be freely published for us all to read and understand what happens in these accidents. I'm sure there are lots of lessons to be learnt by cyclists and motorists but instead we are condemned to repeat the carnage - none the wiser.

Indeed there could be a whole TV series potential in 'reconstructions' which would be a lot more useful at educating the public than the normal Police Camera Action dash about town ...


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## Davidc (7 Sep 2010)

I've had a couple of run-ins with tram tracks in the past, most recently on a velib in Brussels. How you come off and where you end up depends on a number of factors, and without a description of events it isn't sensible to speculate as to how the cyclist and trailer came into contact.

One of those factors is the weather, and since marinyork lives in Sheffield he knows better than the rest of us what it was like there!

It's just to be hoped and wished that the cyclist survives and recovers well.


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## andrew-the-tortoise (7 Sep 2010)

Hope the cyclist pulls through ok .

Cycle around that area myself, but usually an hour earlier to when the incident happened.

Have had issues with wet tramlines in the past; as well as trailers getting too close - I think sometimes van/4x4 drivers forget they are towing - pulling in too soon. A utility company's trailer came the closest a few months ago - nearly sending me into the kerb [but to his credit he did stop and apologise after viewing my gesticulations, think he had a bad day].


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## amaferanga (8 Sep 2010)

I really hate tramlines and try to avoid ever crossing them if I can. There are many crossings in Sheffield where you simply can't cross at or even close to right angles. I can see a couple of crossings on Ridgeway Rd where a cyclist would have to cross at a shallow angle. I don't think it was raining at that time yesterday morning, but I guess the tramlines could still have been wet from rain through the night.


Tramlines are basically accidents waiting to happen for cyclists unfortunately unless they are designed in such a way that you can cross at or near to right angles.

The good news is that its mostly easy to avoid any dangerous tramline crossings in Sheffield once you know your way around.


Fingers crossed that the fellow makes a full recovery.

EDIT: Just found this thread from andrew-the-tortoise about the same stretch of road and the dodgy crossing I was referring to above.


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## marinyork (8 Sep 2010)

Minor update in the star http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/Cyclist-hurt-in-collision-on.6519066.jp


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## Sh4rkyBloke (8 Sep 2010)

Phew - glad to hear the driver encased in the metal frame was not hurt, could have been nasty hitting a cyclist...


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## Trumpettom001 (8 Sep 2010)

Why do they bother reporting that the guy in a vehicle designed to negotiate boulders/deep mud/ 45% inclines.... was not harmed by a cyclist? Are they looking for a silver lining?


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## Sheffield_Tiger (8 Sep 2010)

Could have been a Brenderup or a Brian James trailer - they are expensive and what with cyclists not being insured and all.....

It's what press do..we should not be surprised by now


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## dodgy (24 Sep 2010)

Thanks for coming in with the facts, really glad you're on the mend. Those tram tracks sound poorly conceived


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## ianrauk (24 Sep 2010)

good to hear you are on the mend.
And a warm welcome to Cycle Chat.


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## skudupnorth (24 Sep 2010)

Glad to hear you are on the mend and welcome to the site you will get loads a good info here and hugs if you ask nicely ! We have trams in Manchester but thankfully i don't need to commute that way so i miss the joy of going over them.I take it you are still on the mend after those injuries,hope it does not put you off cycling.


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## 2Loose (24 Sep 2010)

Ouchy! Those tracks can be a b*tch, even when you are aware of them.

Hope you mend well, sounds like it could have been even worse than it was!


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## Sh4rkyBloke (24 Sep 2010)

What? We can't blame the car driver???? What do we do now??? 


Seriously though, welcome to the forum. Glad to hear you're okay.


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## gaz (24 Sep 2010)

I hope you recover well!


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## magnatom (24 Sep 2010)

Hi in1piece,

It's good to hear you are still in one piece! Many thanks for updating us on this. It's an unfortunate way to join the forum, but you are of course most welcome! 

Fingers crossed your recover is as smooth as possible, and that you are back on the bike (avoiding tram lines!) as soon as possible!


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## Norm (24 Sep 2010)

magnatom said:


> Hi in1piece,
> 
> It's good to hear you are still in one piece! Many thanks for updating us on this. It's an unfortunate way to join the forum, but you are of course most welcome!
> 
> Fingers crossed your recover is as smooth as possible, and that you are back on the bike (avoiding tram lines!) as soon as possible!


+1 Can't improve on that. 

Well, ok, I'd probably say "recovery" but I won't mention it.


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## magnatom (24 Sep 2010)

Norm said:


> +1 Can't improve on that.
> 
> Well, ok, I'd probably say "recovery" but I won't mention it.


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## CopperBrompton (24 Sep 2010)

Welcome to the forum, and thanks for posting. It does show the dangers of people jumping to conclusions based on too little information.

I hope your recovery is faster and easier than expected.


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## BSA (24 Sep 2010)

I live near that spot and I had the same accident 18 months ago (I think I posted it on here at the time). 

I was in the center of the lane though as I was at the front of the traffic, although there was an arctic directly behind me. I got a buckled front wheel and a bruised shoulder, my general road positioning saved me that day I think. 

I have had a rational fear of tram tracks ever since. Ironically enough I only went that way because it was icy and I wanted to stick to the main roads!


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## HLaB (24 Sep 2010)

Thanks for the update in1piece


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## marinyork (24 Sep 2010)

I'm glad you are doing all right. Whilst I agree that the tracks are dangerous, I'm a little interested why you seem to have been falsely told/believe that it is not the driver's fault at all. Only a complete moron would overtake when a cyclist is trying to cross the tram tracks and if someone has told you otherwise they need a very deep refresher on the highway code and how to drive. Most drivers do wait I would add.


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## mr_cellophane (24 Sep 2010)

Life threatening injuries to posting here in just over 2 weeks.  Glad it wasn't as bad as first reported,  and glad there aren't any trams in Essex.

Here's to a speedy recovery.


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## andrew-the-tortoise (24 Sep 2010)

Hi in1piece.







Glad you are doing well .


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## 661-Pete (24 Sep 2010)

Great to see you join us and post your account, and welcome, In1piece: I like your choice of username (here's hoping it will remain accurate for the rest of your days...)! Have to say, _ten_ ribs sounds horrendous (my colleague who recently came off his m/c broke only three) - hope you can keep on top of the pain! Best of luck.


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## fossyant (24 Sep 2010)

Glad you are OK, and not In2piece(s)


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## Sheffield_Tiger (24 Sep 2010)

As others have said, OUCH! - but you're OK with no major lasting damage which is good

It's horrible round there, used to hate that part of the city riding from Crystal Peaks to Norton and yes, if you feel more comfortable walking that stretch then don't have any qualms about doing so


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## zacklaws (24 Sep 2010)

What amuses me about tram tracks is that, yesterday I had to do my road saftey test at work which crops up every few years and I got hit with the question about cyclists and being carefull with tram tracks, out of the four answers, one, was when there wet and another was, at all times, I answered at all times as I know any metal surface is dangerous when its wet, but tram tracks are more of a danger in themselves if you ride into them but the correct answer is, when there wet. Perhaps the high way code needs amending.

In a similar way even double yellow lines can be a danger if they are slightly raised, wet or icy and you get between them as they will take your wheels away from underneath you. I know from experience many years ago when it happened to me in a busy town center, directly opposite a crowd of people at a bus stop. I learnt my lesson well that day, keep away from double yellows.


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