Skip to main content

Speed Cycling

A South African cyclist suffered a serious crash during a race in his country, due to an antelope’s lack of awareness of road rules. The cyclist was knocked off his bicycle by a Red Hartebeest buck, which charged across the dirt road he was riding along. The cyclist saw the animal spring from the side of the road but there was little he could do to stop. The antelope dazedly stood up following the impact and then bounded away, apparently unhurt. However the cyclist was left sprawled in the grass.
August 10, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
A South African cyclist suffered a serious crash during a race in his country, due to an antelope’s lack of awareness of road rules. The cyclist was knocked off his bicycle by a Red Hartebeest buck, which charged across the dirt road he was riding along. The cyclist saw the animal spring from the side of the road but there was little he could do to stop. The antelope dazedly stood up following the impact and then bounded away, apparently unhurt. However the cyclist was left sprawled in the grass. Footage of the incident was captured by another racer. The cyclist was taken to hospital but did not suffer any serious injuries, despite his helmet shattering with the impact and he was discharged the following morning. Meanwhile in the US a number of road cyclists suffered an embarrassing crash, which was also captured on camera. One cyclist lost control on a bend and crashed into metal barriers by the roadside on the route of the race, in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The peloton of riders following closely behind also became involved, with another rider hitting the barriers and one falling off as he collided with a barrier that had been thrown into the road. There were no injuries, other than bruised egos.

Related Content

  • Climate change is damaging roads
    August 16, 2018
    With 2018 well under way, the ravages of extreme weather in recent months is now sadly apparent on the road network in many countries, and even on many continents. In East Africa, heavy rains have overwhelmed storm drains in many areas, with flood waters washing away vehicles and damaging road surfaces in urban and rural areas alike. Road repairs are now having to be carried out in Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda to patch up surfaces that have been washed away, along with the replacement of signage and
  • Analysing intelligent speed adaptation benefits
    February 22, 2012
    Oliver Carsten, Professor of Transport Safety at the Institute for Transport Studies (ITS) at the University of Leeds, UK, discusses Intelligent Speed Adaptation, looking at its safety potential
  • Russian road repair
    January 14, 2015
    The driver of a construction truck in the Russian city of Voronezh recently had an unwelcome surprise when his own vehicle became the centre for a major road repair. The mixer truck was being driven along the road to a construction site when it suddenly fell into a large hole in the roadway. No ordinary pothole, this was sufficiently large for the rear of the vehicle to tumble inside, leaving only the cab poking out. The driver managed to jump out and was unhurt. The truck was less fortunate however as the
  • Guiding hand from Pexco
    February 9, 2012
    A lane separation system from Pexco is guiding more than 6,000 vehicles each day through changing traffic patterns.