A cyclist has died and another has been rushed to hospital with serious injuries after being struck by vehicles in separate crashes on WA’s Eyre Highway.
The incidents came just days after the start of the annual Indian Pacific Wheel Ride, a long-distance cycle ride between Fremantle and Sydney.
It Is not known if any of the 35-plus riders taking part in that event were involved in either of the two crashes.
A WA Police spokesperson told Yahoo News the first crash occurred near Madura, about 190 kilometres west of the WA-SA border, between 5:30-6:00am yesterday.
The 62-year-old rider died at the scene.
There have been two separate cycle accidents on the Eyre Highway.PIC: Dominika Roseclay / Pexels
Police are trying to confirm details of the other vehicle involved, which was also travelling east.
The second cyclist was hit near Fraser Range, 100 kilometres east of Norseman, just after 8am.
Yahoo News reports that the male cyclist, aged in his 50s, was taken to Norseman Hospital by St John Ambulance, and has since been flown to Royal Perth Hospital due to the severity of his injuries.
He remained in a stable condition as of yesterday evening.
Police believe the vehicle may have been a truck travelling east along the highway.
Both crashes are under investigation.
Before the March 16 start of the Indian Pacific Wheel Ride, long-distance cyclist Kevin P appealed to grey nomads and other travellers to keep an eye out for cyclists.
“Please give them at least one metre where speed limits are 60km/h or less, and 1.5 metres when the speed limit is higher,” he said. “Remember, you are allowed to cross solid lines to overtake a cyclist, provided it is safe to do so.
He said those taking part were experienced long-distance cyclists who carried their own camping gear, food and water as they made their way along the 5,471km course.
“Australia is a great place for a camping road trip,” he said. “Some of us just prefer a smaller, slower vehicle for the journey!”
These latest incidents come three years after a 21-year-old Adelaide man was killed while cycling across the Nullarbor. Yahoo News reports that he was hit by a drug-affected truck driver near Caiguna, with the driver eventually jailed for four years.
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Being both a cyclist since my childhood and now in my seventies, I’m fully aware of the risks and try to avoid them as much as possible. But there are issues on both sides of the coin. The first being drivers need to be vigilant and cyclist need to be as visible as possible, wear bright colours high viz stuff and have lights blazing. Or though it’s legal to cycle two abreast on narrow road it pays to have mirrors on your bike and ride in single file.By the same token if drivers would slow down when they see a cyclist, it allows them to position the bike ready for car and van to overtake, which legally means a minimum distance of 1 mtr between vehicle and cyclist. I prefer when towing to try for at least 1.5mtr to allow for both the drag and width of caravan. And lastly a little more patience on both sides would go a long way to keeping everyone safe.
When I did the W-E trip several years ago on my bicycle, I always wore my hi-vis vest and helmit – and the truckies were always especially kind to me.
Once in going up a slight hill, a grey nomad (passed me going E) pulling a caravan-trailer, went up the hill and over the solid center line. At the crest of the hill a WA policeman (travelling W) was forced off the road by the grey nomad.
The WA policeman shouted at me and pursued the grey nomad. Later when the policeman returned and continued going west, I waved at him as he continued in his duties of patrolling the road. Gave him my customary wave.
Wonder what sort of ticket/fine the grey nomad received?
I would hope it was huge
I travelled the Eyre Highway westbound on the day of the accidents. Trucks and caravans travelling at 100 km/h have difficulty judging the speed of approach of bicycles when all that is visible is a light. By the time the vehicle is close enough to determine that it’s a bicycle, it’s impossible to reduce speed substantially. I witnessed this first hand with an oncoming truck passing me and a bicycle at the same point. Luckily I saw the potential danger, braked and pulled onto the shoulder. The truck driver waved thankfully so he passed me and was well onto my side of the road.
i feel the organisers of such events should really consider the risk far more than just saying “you are allowed to cross a solid white line to pass a cyclist”. There just isn’t the option to cross the solid line if oncoming traffic is passing at the same time. How often do you see this happen?
Your post suggests that you believe that cyclists have less right to be on the road than you do. People who cycle the Nullarbor tend to be extremely experienced cyclists, as was the man who died. There are a lot of things we don’t know, like was the driver tired from driving overnight or was he drug affected. When I cycled in NZ a year ago, the scariest drivers were in campervan and didn’t maintain 1.5m legal distance from cyclists. All vehicles, including bicycles, are entitled to be on the road, and all drivers need to drive to the conditions. I believe there are about 8 cyclists who are continuing with the ride, so please watch out for them.
If drivers have difficulty judging the speed of other vehicles on the long, straight outback roads perhaps they should surrender their license. Surely, this is a basic driving skill that all drivers should possess. Blinking red lights would indicate a bicycle ahead and drivers should be starting to slow in anticipation, particularly if unsure how close the light is.
Crossing the double lines to overtake a cyclist is in the laws, not just a suggestion by cyclists or event organisers. If there is oncoming traffic, why are you attempting to overtake another vehicle on the road into oncoming traffic? If it’s not safe to overtake use your brakes to slow down and wait until it is. Unfortunately, that is an option that too many drivers never consider.
If you can’t slow enough, you are “over-driving”. No vehicle should travel at a speed where the vehicle’s stopping point is beyond the view of the driver. That was taught in my driving lessons 30+ year ago and hopefully still being taught.
Every time I’ve crossed the paddock on my bicycle I’ve come across other riders. Hundreds cross every year. Everyone should always be on the lookout for cyclists on every road. The truckies knew we were out there. They were using UHF radios to report to other truckies. Some riders also carry UHF radios.
Whether it’s an event or a touring cyclist, every rider has the rights to be on the roads. Those overtaking other vehicles, regardless of size have the responsibility to do so safely. If you can’t, then do everyone a favour and hand your license back.
We were camped at the free camp at Madura Pass and unfortunately drove past the scene just after the police arrived. A scene of this nature really rocks you. We have noticed that there are a lot more multi trailer rigs on the road. Probably because the railway is out of action because of the floods last week and will likely be out of action til next week. It maybe possible that there are a lot of drivers are inexperienced driving on this road? We did notice that the police were going over a truck checking the front and side of it.
Surely the driver would see the rider in front of him and look in the mirror when they went go past?
hopefully the driver will come forward
Very sad for all concerned.
We were also told today that there was another cyclist hit around Eucla today but not heard anything online.
We too were driving across the Nullarbor recently. We saw three different cyclists over a morning after leaving Norseman, heading east. We fear that two of the three *may* have been those involved. One chap, a black man, wearing black spandex, & riding a black cycle caused my wife & I to remark to each other how sensible it would be for him to wear some Hi Vis clothing, as well as our feeling that even with that we would not feel safe cycling across the Nullarbor because of the high number of road trains using the route (compared to our previous crossing some years ago). The second cyclist also had no Hi Vis clothing, the third one did. We also felt that possibly the only way to be safe would be in addition to Hi Vis clothing, each cyclist should have a ‘support vehicle’ with a ‘Cyclist ahead’ Notice in large letters to warn vehicles approaching from behind. We don’t know the circumstances of the tragedies & are not attributing these to either poor driving or lack of visibility, but we do feel shaken hearing the sad news just days after we think we passed those cyclists. Our condolences to their families & to the drivers involved.
I have a bike. Good quality mirror. Gravel tyres. Bright clothing. I eyeball overtaking vehicles and if in any doubt about how much clearance there is going to be I get off the bitumen or crowd the verge when on gravel, even stopping if I feel safer. Far too many inattentive, phone goggling drivers out there to do otherwise.
I note the cyclists were heading east early in the morning when the sun is low on the horizon the sun was probably in the eyes of the vehicles approaching from the rear. In this case Hi- viz gear and flashing lights would be of little help and difficult for drivers to see in the suns glare.
Yes you are correct Len. Have driven East on the Nullarbor around that time of day and the sun glare can be very bad. Sorry but think riders should be starting later.
When I last travelled the Nullarbor with my caravan we were heading west through the Madura pass which is a very steep section of winding road. To me even the roadhouse is tricky to enter and exit. But just as we were travelling uphill through the pass a lone bicycle rider was also travelling west and struggling up the hill. The road trains and other heavy vehicles 2way channel 40 lit up warning each other of a very crazy bicycle rider trying to ride up the Madura Pass hill being very wobbly and using up to 2 metres of road. The rider even went ‘bush’ when he realised what little room the Road Trains had. The rider was not wearing high vis. Was not using a flashing taillight or flashing headlight. Yes – he had every right to be there but with 3 trailer road trains, Smaller road trains, other vehicles passing him at slow speed or fast speed. My thoughts and prayers were for this unintentional suicidal rider. Sometimes having the right to do something needs to be re-thought. I would never ride my bicycle on a highway with a speed limit of 110kph. I remember being out on the ocean in my 18 foot boat. A cargo ship was passing. I had the right of way according to the rules but common-sense prevailed and I got out of the way. Common-sense should out weigh rights – sometimes!