German rider Danilo Hondo, currently in training while serving a two-year suspension, was injured on Monday when struck by a car in what appears to be a road-rage incident in Somerset West, near Cape Town, South Africa. Tony Brown, an acquaintance of Hondo, and Matthias Kessler, were training with the German sprinter on the Paarl Vallei Road when a car drove past and abused the riders. Both Brown and Kessler said the driver, aged around 65, waited for them to pass before ramming Hondo's bike "with intent".
The extent of Hondo's injuries is not yet known, and Hondo himself isn't sure when he'll be riding again. "The doctors will have to check me out," he said. "Sometimes you get internal injuries from a fall like that - I'm not so worried about crashing, you can crash in any country. The problem is that drivers can do this."
In a strange twist Somerset West police said that the driver of the vehicle called the police station after the incident and reported the cyclists attacking him, something denied by both Brown and Kessler. Hondo is reported to be taking action against the driver.
Sounds like springbank, anyone reading this actually been hit before? I have had a few close calls, but never hit the tarmac because of a manic pedal pusher.
4 comments:
Thats right BK, airport is great. I like the big horse farm at the end. I have seen deer, eagles, owls, foxes and some really fast ankle biting digs on that road. I usually make a loop of it though coming back on Springbank. Lately the drivers have actually been great. I have received a few honks, but they could have been friendly ones for all I know. Perhaps the city's growth is bringing a more diverse population including people who appreciate sport!
I agree with bk, I stay off Lower Springbank in favour of Airport. I don't mind Springbank road as it has a nice shoulder and the drivers there are usually good (they were awesome on Sunday). The biggest problem with the break neck pace of expansion Calgary is experiencing is that we cyclists are rapidly running out of quiet roads to ride on! They're not widening any roads or adding shoulders which usually means drivers get angry. Boo-urns to the City of Calgary "planning" department.
Need a sea-change in attitudes at the planning department and Calgary citizens in general. There is no reason Calgary couldn't have a bike proponent on the city council like Portland, San Diego, and Tucson have. If they'd budget for bike transportation on their new and enhanced traffic corridor plans, it would be better for everyone. You may even get more people to switch to bike transportation if they saw it as a safe option.
But then Reid we would just have bike rage on then pathways then. Not COOL!!
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