Iowa Counties Urge Lawmakers to Address Liability Issues for Bikers
Midwest News • January 30, 2008
The route for this year's bicycle race, RAGBRAI, is set and counties along its path want lawmakers to address the issue of their liability.
The issue arose after Crawford County settled a lawsuit ...
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Subject: A few details..
Posted On: January 30, 2008, 2:07 pm CST
Posted By: Han Valen
Comment:
Um, a little accuracy in reporting here would be nice, perhaps with a few more details.
RAGBRAI is not a race, it is a ride.
(Des Moines) Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa.
This is a week long event in which cyclists will ride from one side of the state of Iowa to the other, stopping each night in host communities which will provide them camping space, food from local organizations and some festivities (outdoor movies, dances, etc.)
Generally, the route is only on state highways. I can't remember a time in which the route was on either I-80 or I-35, the two federal interstates in the state.
For the 30,000-some rides who participate, it would be a logistic nightmare to collect waivers for each of them, particularly since people will join up or leave at any time during the week, depending on their schedules or desire to ride the route... for example, the route this year will go through North Liberty, Iowa... which until recently was my residence. I could decide to join up and ride half the route the next day, but if I had to sign a waiver to ride my bike on a public road, then I certainly wouldn't.
I don't know how or why the county settled this case. They must have been pretty darned negligent in failing to fix that hole for them to have to pay out that much.
Not to mention the fact that this yahoo couldn't have been the only one to hit it, but was the only one to die as the result.
Crawford county is certainly over-reacting to suit and their settlement of it. They really are only hurting themselves by not allowing this huge number of tourist into their county.
In its 35 (?) year history, there have been other deaths on RAGBRAI, generally they are freak accidents.
The thing that is making the other counties freak out is just the volume of increased bike traffic over what is already a questionable system... the state highways.
Anyway, seems to be a stupid thing to want to have the state step in on from my perspective.. I know that I can get killed walking the street, or riding a bike. I take some level of responsibilities for my actions and failure to be safe.
I wish I was everyone.
Subject: A few details..
RAGBRAI is not a race, it is a ride.
(Des Moines) Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa.
This is a week long event in which cyclists will ride from one side of the state of Iowa to the other, stopping each night in host communities which will provide them camping space, food from local organizations and some festivities (outdoor movies, dances, etc.)
Generally, the route is only on state highways. I can't remember a time in which the route was on either I-80 or I-35, the two federal interstates in the state.
For the 30,000-some rides who participate, it would be a logistic nightmare to collect waivers for each of them, particularly since people will join up or leave at any time during the week, depending on their schedules or desire to ride the route... for example, the route this year will go through North Liberty, Iowa... which until recently was my residence. I could decide to join up and ride half the route the next day, but if I had to sign a waiver to ride my bike on a public road, then I certainly wouldn't.
I don't know how or why the county settled this case. They must have been pretty darned negligent in failing to fix that hole for them to have to pay out that much.
Not to mention the fact that this yahoo couldn't have been the only one to hit it, but was the only one to die as the result.
Crawford county is certainly over-reacting to suit and their settlement of it. They really are only hurting themselves by not allowing this huge number of tourist into their county.
In its 35 (?) year history, there have been other deaths on RAGBRAI, generally they are freak accidents.
The thing that is making the other counties freak out is just the volume of increased bike traffic over what is already a questionable system... the state highways.
Anyway, seems to be a stupid thing to want to have the state step in on from my perspective.. I know that I can get killed walking the street, or riding a bike. I take some level of responsibilities for my actions and failure to be safe.
I wish I was everyone.