Friend of A Friend Killed
 

This was the second bicycle fatality in the Lincoln AL area in two weeks. I am trying to get details, but as you know, we rarely learn enough from these crashes to draw any lessons from them. I did google the road. It's an undivided 55 MPH 4 lane with intermittent shoulders that are in poor condition in most places and chip seal elsewhere.

https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/tal...struck-by-car/

While researching that one, I found this one.

https://www.wbrc.com/2021/07/02/linc...iding-bicycle/

Again, scant details, but I did come across something that is a peave of mine. The positioning of the rumble strips on this shoulder. If the strips were placed flush against the fog line that would leave a wide rideable portion of the shulder. As it stand the rideable part of the shoulder is so narrow that riders will have to focus pretty closely on not drifting off the shoulder or into the strips. That leaves them paying less attention to the big picture.

https://www.google.com/maps/@33.6950...7i16384!8i8192

Unfortunate, but it doesn't look like I road I would ride...basically have to ride in the road of a 55mph+ (most likely people are cruising 65mph) hwy with gravel shoulders.

https://www.google.com/maps/@33.5813...4!8i8192?hl=en

I would not feel comfortable on that road either. The shoulders look really rough. He was an avid cyclist. Who knows, he may have needed that road for a quick connector. I have to be on roads I don't love at times for short duration.

The shoulders aren't gravel (there couldn't be the rumble strips if it was gravel).

Doesn't look very rough (outside of the rumble strip). It is a bit narrow.

https://www.google.com/maps/@33.6947...7i16384!8i8192

77 (the site of the second crash) looks good in the narrow space outside the rumble strips. My comment was about the shoulder on Speedway BLVD, the site of the second crash.

Some random sections of Speedway Blvd (the road in the first crash you mentioned).

https://www.google.com/maps/@33.5801628,-86.0761416,3a,75y,222.75h,85.94t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sXWSB9nlEPwi2x73akxq_bQ!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DXWSB9nlEPwi2x73akxq_bQ%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.g ps%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D303.6082%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en&authuser=0

https://www.google.com/maps/@33.579147,-86.0281473,3a,75y,219.01h,55.7t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1szfFMgu0d824f4t8HmOpJQQ!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DzfFMgu0d824f4t8HmOpJQQ%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.g ps%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D334.95905%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en&authuser= 0

Looks OK (if not as smooth as the pavement). Not much different surface-wise from A77. It's not gravel, there are no rumble strips, and it's really wide.

...reading for comprehension.. per the CBS42 report(Op first link) the guy that was killed "was riding his bicycle in the 1000 block of Speedway Boulevard"

My link was 1122 Speedway Blvd. Your link was 3014 Speedway Blvd. The OP also posted a second incident in a different location that apparently had rumble strips of some sort. You tend to keep lots of folks "honest" here, however if you're going to do that you need to avoid shooting from the hip.

:rolleyes:

The OP should have provided the link.

Your link seems a bit rougher but it doesn't look like gravel to me (and there are no rumble strips and it's wide).

Your link also shows two lanes in both directions and it appears to be a low traffic road with good sight-lines.

It was 8am. Was the cyclist going eastbound or westbound?

==============

Paved (but rough).

https://www.google.com/maps/@33.5812791,-86.1084539,3a,75y,324.05h,79.06t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1suX-hA-OCwbGzZSYk6Zgsqw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?hl=en

https://www.google.com/maps/@33.581252,-86.1162688,3a,75y,228.37h,81.86t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s7ouoRkLBPqbD_zNeaddzwQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?hl=en

Here's an intersection where the shoulder is gravel.

https://www.google.com/maps/@33.5813...4!8i8192?hl=en

I'm done..you'll have to figure it out from here.

:rolleyes: It's also not likely they would construct the road so differently in places that are so close.

I'm so sorry for your friend's loss.

What I get from those two news stories is that the first car had no driver, and the second cyclist should have had a sturdier helmet? The press, man. ::shakes head in despair::

Rumble strips in the middle of the shoulder is the stupidest thing I've seen all week. Maybe get some folks together and (try to) get it fixed? Nah, me either.

There are several Speedway Boulevards in the US. They are essentially driveways from interstate highway interchanges to NASCAR tracks. Like this one at Talladega Superspeedway.

Outside of race day, traffic is very very very light on such roads.

BTW, at 8:00AM, the sun *might* have been a factor from Route 77 to just past Alfred Road (~700 Speedway).

And on that brief stretch it pretty much doesn't matter if they were travelling ENE or WSW.
Travelling ENE, the driver may have difficulty seeing a person on a bike, but the person on the bike should be able to see the approaching car.
Travelling WSW, the driver should have no difficulty seeing a person on a bike, but the person on the bike might have trouble seeing the approaching car.

But in the 1000 block at 8:00AM? Nope.

p.s. It was cloudy.

Paul, take good care of yourself and your friend. You are part of a community of mourners right now.

-mr. bill

I looked into rumble strip guidelines state by state since I hate those things. Alabama has the worst "rule".....they suggest 24 inches of shoulder and the rumble strip does not have to be placed at the flogline (white line); rather, it is suggested to provide 13 inches to the right of the rumble strip for cycling. If I am focused and fresh, 13 inches is almost enough but that is not much pavement. The TransAm route in Kansas has similar sections, except the speed limit is 70 mph and they go 80-90 mph.

[QUOTE=fishboat;22573090]Unfortunate, but it doesn't look like I road I would ride...

If I were on a cross-country bike tour I would ride that highway ONCE for sure. As a regular daily commute or workout route, I would avoid it.

Whatever road we choose, it just takes one dummy to put us in the hospital or the ground.

Sorry about your friend. That sucks.

Don't know the guideline in my state. The only rumble strip I've seen is almost on the flog line.

Those indentations flog me too.

Agreed. It's reckless for a bike to drive on basically what is a highway.
I'd only ride the shoulder, and even then, not safe feeling to get passed by 65mph cars.