Bicycle “accident” on Sunday September 4, around 10pm, location 6.30 and G

[Frarex]

On Sunday September 4th, around 10pm, I was riding my bicycle from 6.30 and J towards the Esplanade, as I was approaching 6.30 and G, I saw three guys on the left hand side of road close to the mountain side corner of the street, one on a bicycle and two on foot. They were standing still or moving slowly in the opposite direction of myself.

As we were on the same path, at least 50 feet before, I moved about 5 feet on my right end side to have a clean way ahead of me, as I reached the corner of 6.30 and G and I was not checking on them anymore, the left hand side of my front wheel got hit pretty violently by the guy on the bicycle and I fell badly on the floor hitting my nose, teeth and several other parts of my body.

I lied down the floor for a minute or so trying to regroup and assess the damage, my lip started to swell and I realized it was bleeding, one of the other two guys said that my nose was also bleeding and passed me the headlight of my bicycle that, because of the crash, broke free from my bike.

Understandably, I was a bit shaken and all that I worried about at the time was to go back to my camp and check my conditions to see if I needed further assistance from the medicals.

I picked up my bike and rode to my camp without thinking that I should have tried to identify those guys or try to find a Ranger. Not sure if the guy that hit me apologized, I remember he said he fell asleep but, thinking back, there was nobody else around us, why he fell asleep and crashed into me just when I was passing by?

As I got to my camp, I checked my conditions, managed to stop my nose and lip bleeding and went to rest in the hope of feeling better on the following day.

On the following day my nose was still soring and I decided to go to the medicals to get it checked, my lip deflated although I still had the cuts on the inside of my mouth.

As I met with the medicals the first thing they asked me is if I thought the accident was intentional, I remained a bit stunned and, thinking about the accident, I replied that I was not sure and they told me that there were people that were crashing on other people to make them fall from their bikes on purpose and that other people including, one of the Rangers, had been involved in such a crashes.

I therefore reconsidered what happened with me riding my bicycle in a quite area of BRC with not so many people around apart from those three guys that did not seem to move very much and a few cars leaving the site after the temple burn, with me moving to have a clear way ahead of me well in advance and the other guy on the bike hitting me so strongly that bent the front wheel of my bicycle, me falling on the floor and getting injured but not the guy that actually caused the incident, etc. all that made me to believe that they caused the accident on purpose!

At the time, I could not think that people could be so dull, mean and cowards (just to stay on the polite side) to cause accidents on purpose, I would not have expected this to happen at BM nor anywhere else in the civilized world; there are definitely more enjoyable things to do in BRC as well as in real life than causing harm to other people.

Arguably causing random accidents on purpose is worse than terrorism, at least terrorists got a motivation (i.e. their distorted ideology) while those people that cause accidents on purpose have no such a "justification" beside the bare desire to cause harm to other people when they least expect.

I was lucky, beside a micro fracture to my nose and a few bruises and scratches that are still healing and will be gone in a few days, and a spoiled second week of holiday of decompression, I do not seem to have permanent consequences; it could have gone far worst!

With this post, I do not expect to get hold of those guys (although it would be nice) rather warning fellow burners that not everybody attending Burning Man have a positive attitude; unfortunately there are also a few scammers which find creating damage and hurting random people without any particular reason enjoyable and should banned from attending the event.

For the records I also reported the accident to the BRC Rangers.

[maladroit]

It does sound strange that he could have hit you with such force, based on the conditions you describe. However, it can happen. I accidentally crashed into my girlfriend's bike sending us both into the playa, denting fenders, skewing a wheel, etc. We were only a few feet apart and it took a moment of lost attention.

It seems strange that group of people would plan to hit you on your bike, and then do something kind like find your bike headlight and bring it to you. However, it's possible the guy on the bike was the ringleader and the others went along at first but then felt sorry about it...that dynamic happens a lot with bullies.

Biking in the city is pure chaos and there are many opportunities for crashes to occur. If the intentional crashers think they can get away with it because everyone will assume it's an accident and it's hard to prove otherwise...they're probably right. Ride defensively and the next time you see this happening on purpose, don't let it go! I will keep an eye out too.

[Frarex]

Cheers Maladroit,

when it happened, I believed as well it was an accident, but then thinking back and thinking at what at the medicals they told me I started to believe that it was caused on purpose given that I moved to a safe distance and the guy was almost stationary. I wasn't drunk or else... a bit tired maybe after staying up from the Man burn to the Temple burn

It was my 4th BM and only had 1 close crash with a girl on my second, we crossed wheels but stopped before we actually crashed into each other, and 1 crash on my own while riding at night with only my navigation lights (elwire etc) on but no headlights on. Thinking back that was quite funny, I didn't see a bicycle laying on the floor and when I hit it I was catapulted in the air, it was like hitting an invisible wall! Fortunately I did not get injured, a bit shocked because I did not expect it and did not know what happened

I also sail boats and did some regattas, I tend to apply the same rules in BRC to avoid crashes:
1. make your intention clear, when you change your route to avoid other people move sharply but safely;
2. if you are in collision route with somebody coming on the side of you follow the tail and clear from behind.

I also ride motorbikes and do track days, also did the first level of the California Superbike School, bear in mind that a two wheel vehicle steer differently than a car, if you push the right end side of the handle bar the bike turn right, not left (if you do not believe me try it!).
That's how many bike accidents (and I believe also the one with your girlfriend) happen. In normal circumstances one doesn't think about it but when in 'panic' and one try to steer in one direction the bike goes in the opposite direction (i.e. the direction that you do not want to go!).

Found this video on you tube that explain better:


Drive safely on the Playa like anywhere else.

[some seeing eye]

Send all of what you said above to [email protected] and ask it be logged. There might be another email for this type thing. It would be useful to put together the medical, participant and ranger reports.

[some seeing eye]

They changed feedback to a web form rather than the email it is http://burningman.org/event/feedback/ . It is collected only until October 15.

[Token]

4 burns and 3 bicycle incidents; 2 crashes and a near miss.

I've gone 9 times and zero accidents.

There is some king of Occam's Razor to be inferred there.

I'd suggest you slow down, use a headlight and realize that there is a pattern in your habits that is increasing your risk of a crash.

Odds are you won't find a villain here.

[Jackass]

This story reminds me of a guy that we used to mountain bike and snowboard with, I just referred to him as Crash. And yeah, it wasn't the people around him that were careless and accident-prone...

I soon learned not to ride near him because at some point throughout the day, he would wrap someone up and take them down with him. It was guaranteed...

[Frarex]

Yes, posted the feedback a few days back with other things I noticed while on my way to Santa Cruz after the event (i.e. mattresses damped on side of the road, bicycle wheel and bags of rubbish in middle of motorway)

BTW I tend to be prudent rider and since my self crash headlight is always on

I do not snow board but I do ski, in over 30 years skiing I never had a crash, hopefully it will stay that way!

[Frarex]

Ah, I also fund a lost bike this year, it was tagged with location and I returned it there... got a couple of good margarita as a thank you!

Life on the playa can be pretty grim without a bicycle

[BBadger]

I really do hope someone wasn't pranking you or others in that manner. Without any other evidence, I'll apply Hanlon's Razor and assume that it wasn't done deliberately.