HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2015-08-20, Page 6PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2015.
Sawchuk’s fellow Tri-Hard details several close calls
By Lisa B. Pot
On Sunday, I and 90 other
triathletes competed in the
Olympic distance of the Goderich
Triathlon race, which included the
42-kilometre bike route Julie
Sawchuk was training on when she
was struck by a motorist.
While we were racing, Julie
was in a hospital bed recovering
from spinal injury, facial
lacerations, lung damage and
broken ribs. She would have loved
to race and it would have been my
great pleasure to try and keep up
with her!
She won bronze last year and I
came in right behind for a fourth
place finish in our age group. She
is my competition, and the most
lovely of competitors. Julie gives
high-fives on the 10-kilometre run!
She has a kind word for everyone
and is generous with praise,
encouragement and hugs at all
times. She’s the genuine article.
Julie and I are Huron County
Tri-Hards, a group of triathlon
enthusiasts who train together in
preparation for events like the
Goderich Triathlon. There are
almost 50 of us, although we don’t
all train together at the same time.
We have jobs and families and
lives and so practices are posted,
and whoever can make it, attends.
The day Julie was hit, I was
cycling with three other Tri-Hards
on Orchard Line outside of
Goderich. We are competitive but
we also like to socialize. So once
we had covered a good 10
kilometres, three of us pulled up
beside each other to have a chat.
We kept checking behind us. When
we heard a driver, we moved back
into single file.
Apparently the driver coming
towards us didn’t like our little trio
and deliberately swerved into our
lane, forcing my training mate Erin
into me, me into our other training
mate Lorraine and Lorraine
precariously close to the gravel
where she certainly would have
wiped out if she hadn’t clung to the
edge of the pavement.
I’m not sure what the driver was
thinking but I can tell you what we
experienced: Fear. Anger.
Confusion. What was his goal?
Intimidation? It worked.
These incidences are by no
means isolated. Two days later, we
were cycling on County Road 25,
coming into Carlow, on the exact
stretch of road where Julie was hit.
No talking this time. It’s a busy
road and we rode hard, sticking to
the white line in single file.
As we were climbing the hill
into Carlow, a speeding driver
started his pass on the solid line
and forced his way between us and
the eastbound car. It was another
frightening moment caused by a
reckless driver not choosing to
give cyclists space.
As I relay these scenarios to
people, I ask them what they think
when they pass cyclists.
One person answered that they
expect us to pull into the gravel on
the side of the road. So I explained
that while that it is potentially
possible for cyclists on mountain
bikes to do so (they have thick,
treaded tires) it’s still risky. It’s not
even an option for those of us on
road or tri bikes. Our tires are
super thin and have no tread...if we
pull into the gravel at the speeds
we travel (25-40 kilometres per
hour) we will immediately wipe
out. And if that happens, which
way will we go? Into the ditch or
under a vehicle’s wheels?
Others suggested that cyclists
have attitude and think they “own
the road.” Well guess what? None
of us own the road. We SHARE
THE ROAD. A cyclist has as much
right to be on the road as a farm
tractor, a horse and buggy and
those driving cars, trucks, vans and
SUVs. Hey, I’m a driver too. I’m
not always overly thrilled when I
have a destination and I’m slowed
down by a tractor or a pack of
cyclists. In fact I’ve had to
reconsider my own driving
attitudes since I became a cyclist.
I’m sometimes late and I like to
drive fast. One person called me
‘arrogant’ for pushing the speed
limit and I’m inclined to agree.
Speeding, lack of focus and texting
are all careless practices that can
lead to accidents.
It’s not worth it! The price of
speeding tickets aside, who wants
to be responsible for causing an
accident, particularly with a
cyclist. I don’t! You don’t! I’m
certain the driver who hit Julie
didn’t either...I feel for him as
well.
Law requires that drivers give
cyclists one metre of space.
Fortunately, most drivers do.
Thank you! Your patience and
commitment to sharing the road is
to your credit and everyone’s
safety.
As for the truckers who pass
and then dip into the gravel onto
the side to fling up stones and
dust...that’s just rude.
There’s an attitude adjustment
that needs to happen here. No one
owns the road. Cyclists don’t.
Farmers don’t. Neither do
drivers.
Let’s SHARE THE ROAD.
Please. Because Julie didn’t get to
race the Goderich triathlon with
her fellow Tri-Hards on Sunday. In
fact, she couldn’t even walk out of
her hospital room.
The rest of us Tri-Hards are
trepidatious. Some are downright
scared. Until the county and the
province embraces the fitness
movement and paves shoulders for
cycle paths, we have to cycle on
the roads.
Some of us are planning to ride
in pairs. We will take up more road
but hopefully, you will see us
better.
SHARE THE ROAD.
This is Julie’s message. On
Sunday, we raced with 4J on our
arms and legs because we support
Julie and her mission 100 per cent.
Join in and keep our roads safe
for everyone who uses them.
Lisa has completed the Goderich
Triathlon four times, once as part
of a relay team and three times
individually. She lives near Auburn
and is the editor of The Rural
Voice, which is also published by
North Huron Publishing.
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Motorcycle Jackets
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Old Mill
Downtown Blyth
519-523-4740
For Julie
Four-time triathlete and Rural Voice editor Lisa Pot, seen
here in early August at an event with 4J on her arm (For
Julie), was one of many who honoured injured cyclist Julie
Sawchuk at events this month. Sawchuk continues to
recover in London. (Photo submitted)
Sawchuk continues recovery
As part of her recovery process,
Julie Sawchuk has begun writing
about the long road she is now on.
Sawchuk is the Blyth-area cyclist
and triathlete who was struck by a
car while training on July 29 on
Blyth Road. After an eight-hour
surgery and the initial stages of
recovery, Sawchuk has been very
active in various types of
media, being interviewed by a
number of outlets, including The
Citizen, on the importance of sharing
the road.
Her words can be read at Words
By Julie at www.juliesawchuk.
blogspot.ca. As of Saturday, Aug.
15, Sawchuk had written three
entries.
In the most recent entry, she spoke
about the 4J (For Julie) campaign,
that saw triathletes sport “4J” on
their arms when they competed in
Sunday’s Goderich Triathlon, the
event for which Sawchuk was
training when she was struck.
On Wednesday, the release of a
snapping turtle hatchling was
organized as a fundraiser for the
Sawchuk family. The event took
place in Wingham at the
Wingham River Flats Ecological
Park Trail.
As of Monday, through a
YouCaring campaign, nearly
$18,000 had been raised for the
Sawchuk family. Also raising money
for the Sawchuk family are Share the
Road bumper stickers, which were
available at the Triathlon.
Sawchuk is scheduled to begin her
rehabilitation this week at the
Parkwood Spinal Cord
Rehabilitation Institute in London.
To donate to the family, visit
www.forjulie.com.
MEETING NOTICE
MUNICIPALITY OF
MORRIS-TURNBERRY
The upcoming meetings for the
Municipality of Morris-Turnberry will be held:
Tuesday September 1 at 7:30 pm Regular Council Meeting
Tuesday September 15 at 7:30 pm Regular Council Meeting
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