Another PSA - Please be aware out there on your bikes
As I was out on my Saturday morning ride, I came across a huge lash up of police, ambulances, and road debris. Turns out it was the scene of a motorcycle - bicycle collision. The bicycle was totally pretzel-ed and the motorcycle was pretty torn up as well. Turns out, both riders died as a result of the accident. This happened on a very popular tourist / cycling / running route here in Okinawa. Totally open / flat, four lane bridge with shoulders, a median, and unobstructed visibility. No details on how the accident happened, but IMHO, it is obvious that one if not both people (both locals, not tourists or Americans) involved were not paying attention due to the nature of where it happened and the conditions of the day.
Be safe, ride defensively (pretend no one can see you and that everyone driving a motor vehicle is an idiot), and be aware of your surroundings.
Comments
Bridges are one of my routine "red flags". They are dangerous for lots of reasons...debris often has nowhere to go, so it builds up on the shoulders where we ride. And WE have nowhere to go, no grass or anything other than a hard barrier to the side, if we need to bail out. There are usually joints where the bridge meets the solid pavement, which can disrupt stability. They see WAY more than their share of bike accidents, especially deadly ones. Unless I'm in a race on a closed course, I ALWAYS slow down and become hyper alert whenever a bridge is coming up.
While I agree about the dangers of bridges, Al, above is a shot of the structure in question (doesn't fit the 'traditional' definition of bridge). Photo perspective is from the outbound lane headed toward Ikei Island, accident occurred in the opposite lane on the far shoulder. In this case, there is a huge sidewalk emergency escape option.