Mia had been in NZ on a cycling holiday since late October and was travelling towards Wanganui when she was struck by a truck heading in the same direction, according to a police statement.
Mia kept a public blog of her journey through New Zealand (translation) on the bike she'd called "pinkie". In it she spoke about being constantly harassed by drivers honking their horns at her - sometimes as by way of a greeting, often accompanied by a thumbs up sign. These positive honkers appeared to be particularly frequent in underpowered and overloaded vehicles, people on vacation, since the owners had generally learned that they didn't need to hurry.
Then there were the less positive types - the negative tooters driven by the importance of an "incredible race against time". Those who were fond of using a loud horn when a cyclist got in their way and slowed them down. The type that would sneak up at high speed to well within her safety zone (0.5 -1.0 metres) and then overtake with horn blaring, leaving her shaking with adrenaline.
Her mother is understandably distraught at her daughter's death and we'd like to extend our sincere condolences to her for her unimaginable loss, it's every parent's worst nightmare to lose a child in such a way.
Update 1
We have discovered that Mia isn't the only German born cyclist to have died in New Zealand in the last 5 months. Gifted post grad student Jens Richardon, who'd been living in NZ for around 10 years and well used to NZ road conditions and drivers, was killed in a hit and run whilst cycling in Springston-Leeston Rd, about 45 kilometres southwest of Christchurch in August of last year. link
Cycling cannot be considered to be a safe pursuit in New Zealand when there are so many aggressive hoons owning the road. We are instantly reminded of the awful death in October of North Shore doctor Graham Robinson who was struck and killed under similar cirumstances whilst cycling outside of Helensville. The driver of the white Toyota Hillux sped off after hitting him and police have yet to track him down, despite having an excellent description of the vehicle.
We also recall the 'Tamaki carnage' a month earlier when a cyclist was critically injured and three others hurt when a car ploughed into a pack of 20 riders on Tamaki Drive, Auckland. News reports at the time stated
"Witnesses to the crash said the vehicle was turning from Cliff Rd on to Tamaki Dr when it collided with the pack, who were riding from the waterfront towards Vale Rd. They said the car appeared to slow down briefly before speeding towards the cyclists.Heather McCracken's report concluded with details of other cycling fatalities and high number of injuries on NZ's roads during 2009
"She accelerated into the middle of the group, just cleaned the guys up," said John Cooney. The driver was "roundly abused" by the riders when she stopped. Police inspector Willie Taylor said the driver appeared to have driven through a compulsory stop before colliding with the group."
* Fatal cost of riding your bikePretty awful figures for such a small country. NZ does have the worlds highest car ownership - 720 per 1000 people, even more than the United States' 675 per 1000 people (in 2005) and when that's combined with intolerance towards other road users the weaker and more vulnerable need to be better protected than they are at present.
Seven cyclists have been killed so far this year on New Zealand roads.
Last year 10 riders were killed and almost 900 injured, with most crashes occurring at intersections on urban roads.
Last weekend cyclist Frank van Kampen, 46, was killed after being struck by a car near Otaki.
A 34-year-old cyclist was killed last month in a hit-and-run accident near Leeston, Christchurch.
Another Christchurch crash took the life of a 19-year-old cyclist in July.
Two cyclists have been killed in the Bay of Plenty, one in a May accident at a Mt Maunganui roundabout, and another following a crash involving a logging truck near Te Puke in March.
Two Dunedin cyclists have also lost their lives - one after colliding with a car in the city in March, and another in a crash outside of Mosgiel in June."
We suggest a national network of safe cycling routes, in which bike riders are protected from collision hazards with motor vehicles and more publicity given to visitors about which roads are dangerous for cyclists, so that they may plan out their holidays around those routes before they leave home.
Something has to be done to re-educate NZ drivers too, perhaps a national advertising campaign to make them more aware of the difficulties cyclists face and that the roads are for all to share, a revision of the driving test and tougher penalties for dangerous driving causing death or injury.
For other information about NZ poor road death and injury statistics see "Road death toll increases" and "NZ's roads described as killing fields"
See also 1.5m to Survive: 1.5 metres of space for NZ's 1.5 million cyclists
Related post : Another German Cyclist Killed In March
Today's posts - click here)
My deepest condolences to Mia's family and friends. I can't begin to understand the pain they are feeling. But, as a cyclist my heart sinks and I hurt when I hear about the the death of a fellow cyclist wherever it may happen. I feel this way of course because I'm a human being, but also because I'm a cyclist and we're people who love to ride bicycles and we all share the fears and the joys of riding. The loss of Mia reminds us of our own fears and it also reminds us of that special place cycling has in our lives and how we don't want to ever lose it. Mia lost that joy, which reminds us that we too can lose it too...in a blink.
ReplyDeleteWith more and more cars and bicycles on our roads competing for space, let us find ways to respect one another and responsibly share the roads that belong to all of us.
Motorists, please give cyclists at least 3 feet or 1 metre of space when passing us from the rear. And cyclists, please be visible and predicable. The consequences of giving and doing less can be deadly.
Joe Mizereck
joe@3feetplease.com
joe@roadguardian.com
Thank you for your comment, some groups in NZ are already calling for 1.5m of space, see the on-line petition "1.5m To Survive" for 1.5 million cyclists in NZ at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/ridestrong/ the group says:
ReplyDelete"Make 1.5 metres of space a legal requirement to pass.
There is a fundamental lack of understanding of the risk motorists pose to cyclists - with fatal consequences. Explicit legal provision is required to ensure motorists give cyclists 1.5metres of room when passing. Legal provision is critical to reinforce safe driving behaviour as the current advisory approach has failed to deliver safe outcomes."
They are also calling for Safer Roads and Routes, Providing for Children, Lower Speed Zones and Instant Fines.