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BMX General => BMX Chat => Topic started by: In2bmx on June 06, 2016, 10:31 AM
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I'm still in total shock over the fatal accident on the London ride this weekend . :(
I was having a good chat with Dan an hour before the accident, he was saying he was excited about coming to his first MK this year :(
He was such an honest happy person, always smiling and never had a problem with anyone.
My thoughts go out to his close friends ,Nicola and his children :'(
RIP DAN CASH STEPHENSON . A BMX brother lost too soon .. Ride in Peace.
(http://i580.photobucket.com/albums/ss250/in2signs/0C65B012-FE6B-4542-99DD-34EF3D6D69EF_1.jpg) (http://s580.photobucket.com/user/in2signs/media/0C65B012-FE6B-4542-99DD-34EF3D6D69EF_1.jpg.html)
(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/ss250/in2signs/7BE82D62-06E0-418E-A6B5-151DEDF4CED3.jpg) (http://s580.photobucket.com/user/in2signs/media/7BE82D62-06E0-418E-A6B5-151DEDF4CED3.jpg.html)
We all love the RAD rides and they are getting bigger each year. I think we should sit back and take a good look at what has happened here .
Accidents do happen , but this can't happen again .
We were jumping red lights, me included :( . The ride organisers need to learn from this horrible accident. Make changes to routes .
Avoid roads where possible.
All stick together .. There were a few groups on Saturday splitting off .
We all need to abide to the laws of the road in the future .
RIP DAN :'( .
Carl
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Shocked, upset and truly saddened to hear about Dans passing. Our love and thoughts are with Nicola and his family. RIP Dan xx
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Dan was such a great man & the nicest nutter I've met. I'm terribly saddened by it all :'(
Deepest, deepest condolences to Nic, his kids,all the family & friends
R.I.P Dan $
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No one should go on a RAD ride out and not return home :(
I agree with your comments Carl and for those of us on the ride with Dan it has come as a massive shock and a big reality check .
Dan was a fellow BMX'er and above all a thoroughly nice lad , he will be missed by all that had the fortune to meet him . My thoughts and prayers are with his family and many friends .
R.I.P $ DAN $ :(
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Very saddened to hear this. :'(
RIP Dan
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There's probably not a lot that any of us can write here, to truly explain how gutted we are about this tragedy. It's been a huge shock to all that knew him, and equally a huge shock for people, like myself that didn't know him.
Life can be so unfair and cruel at times, but an accident of this level is absolutely devastating, particularly as Dan was doing a fun thing, something he loved doing. I can only imagine what Nicola and his poor children must be going through today.
Even before the tragic news last night, that poor Dan had left us, I'd spent the day thinking about a guy I'd never met, and how what had happened to him will probably change my future. Everything as been put into perspective, as this guy had been doing exactly what I had been doing just 6 days earlier in Liverpool - it could easily be my family grieving - our any one of our famillies grieving.
I agree with Carl's points about safety, and maybe some of us need to ease off the madness a little. Just look at Griff and Ben last year, and how easily these accidents happen.
If we take anything from Dan's tragedy, it's that we need to calm down, and look out for each other, that's what famillies do.
RIP Dan Cash. :'(
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Sad sad news ... Didnt know him personally but R.I.P, thoughts with family for sure at this time
Was only out on my bmx yesterday and having a few beers , you think ur invincible.
What happened really brings it home..
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Ride in peace Ca$h :'(
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RIP Dan $
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Shocker for sure , first time I met the bloke and was having a right laugh with the crazy b4stard outside the pub before it happened .
RIP Dan
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Totally agree with you all, carl, joffy and dan.......
RIP Dan $.
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Truly saddened by this news, met Dan on a santas ride with Nicola and has great banter with him ever since!
I cant imagine how his children and Belved Nicola are feeling.
To lose your life when having a days fun out, is just so wrong.
Rip Dan Cash Code Stevenson
with all the tributes to him, and his nature, he is obvioulsy going to be sorely missed
Mark x
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My heart goes out to Nicola and his kids, such a cruel & tragic loss
Dan was such a warm and friendly guy and as can be seen much loved by many people, we were devastated to hear the news come through of his accident - I didn't handle it too well tbh but thankfully had some good mates around
As has been said already this has given many of us (& our families) a lot to think about.
This could just as easily have been one of us, no amount of planning is going to remove the danger of riding in a place like London, even if you find a route that is mostly off-road then you have to find a way to get there and back which will still mean braving the traffic.
While organisers can demand people wear helmets, as long as there is no legal requirement it will remain a personal choice - but I think that many will consider doing it now.
It's a horrible reminder of just how fragile life is - nothing can be taken for granted and we should all try and get along a bit better while we're still here.
R.I.P. Dan - you'll be missed mate :'(
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Tragic and devastating news. His poor family. Couldnt believe I was reading this about a rad ride having been to so many of the MK's. As has been said this brings it right home.
FFS take care lads and wear helmets :'(
RIP
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Terrible news. I didn't know Dan, but we have lost one of our own, and that is very sad.
Perhaps it is time to reconsider how we organise our rides?
The gatherings are the reason I stay into this hobby; the bikes are now really just a means to that end for me. When I think about how I tear arse around on our rides, minus helmet, and plus a few beers, this weekend's sad loss has made me realise that we are not invincible just because we are on a kid's bike.
Getting back on a style of bike that I had so much fun when I still had the innocence and naive invincibility of childhood does not mean that I am actually invincible, even if those childhood memories prompt the feeling.
Dan's legacy could be to ensure that our rides become safer, whilst being no less fun; I will sign up to that and take me helmet in future.
RIP Dan; gone but not forgotten.
Richard.
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Have been waiting for an appropriate thread to appear as didn't want to comment before others felt it was right too.
I whole heartily agree with everything you have said Carl.. I couldn't have put it better myself.
Shocked and stunned ... Tragic ..
I couldn't even face riding my bike back to Waterloo on Saturday .. Andy and I walked them back ...
As Joff and Dan have said .. No one should go out on a Rad ride and not come back.
Minutes before the accident those that rode that stretch must of all felt as scared and as shock up as I did ... It was insanity and someone was always going to get hurt.
Hindsight is a terrible thing but we must learn from this as a mark of respect to Dan himself and his family.
It has been suggested on FB that we perhaps dedicate a ride to Dan wearing tartan and dollar signs.
It seems a fitting tribute to me and a sign that Dan and his family are still deep in our thoughts.
How about those of us going on the Blackpool ride do this as it's the next ride in the Rad calendar?
Just a suggestion and I'm only thinking out loud at this moment as the whole thing is just so tragic and so devastating.
RIP Dan
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Heartbreaking news. Godspeed Dan.
I don't participate in any rides as my family has been so closely affected by a similar accident - I just can't cycle on roads anymore.
Please tell me you guys don't cycle on roads after drinking...
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Gutted to hear this. I feel truly heartbroken for Dan's family & friends. Never met him but still can't get my head around such a tragedy. RIP
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Such a tragic loss, I must've left to make my way home just before the news got to you guys at Trafalgar square. It really shook me up when I found out later in the evening so I'm not sure how I would've accepted it had I been there still.
I didn't know Dan personally but had spoken to him on many rides in the past, he always had a smile on his face and came across as a real nice fella.
Thoughts go out to his family :'(
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Heartbreaking news. Godspeed Dan.
I don't participate in any rides as my family has been so closely affected by a similar accident - I just can't cycle on roads anymore.
Please tell me you guys don't cycle on roads after drinking...
I have to echo the words of Chris above as I also don't participate in ride outs or cycle on the roads anymore after being hit myself many years ago breaking my collar bone (i was lucky, Very lucky)..
I didn't know Dan although i'd seen a few of his posts around Facebook, seems he was clearly a popular fella & it is indeed a tragedy as no one should lose their life to their hobby..
Please if you go on these ride outs Stay RAD, look after each other & above all take all the sensible safety precautions you can.
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Thoughts are with his family and friends; RIP Dan.
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For me this has been devastating, my thoughts are with Nicola and his family, making that call to her on the day was a very hard thing to do.
I totally agree with the points made above and I will be asking peeps to wear a lid on all future rides for their own safety.
Dan got side swiped by a bus, this wasn't at a high speed and there wasn't anything he could do to avoid it,the bus driver just didn't see him, he fell off to his right and banged his head hard on the ground, he didn't get run over, I would imagine if he was wearing a lid the outcome would be different.
For this reason I would ask all the guys that go on rides to take a little time to ingest just what happened this weekend and think about wearing a lid in the future, plus slow the riding pace down.
We all need to go home to our loved ones.
R.I.P Dan $ Stephenson
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Echo all the comments above - I didn't really know Dan, but knew his love and passion for BMX.
In utter shock when I was told about the accident on Saturday and so sad we have lost a BMX brother.
Over the next few days we will organise a collection fund for Dan and the family, and will remember him with either a ride or gathering.
RIP Dan Cash x
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Nice lad, sad loss met him a couple of times, I'm pretty stunned tbh as although we weren't mates, some of you guys are and it could so easily have been any of us, (northern monkeys). London tbh is hectic and not ideal for drunken riding I have been on the last couple of London rides and traffic isn't cycle friendly combined with alcohol the roads aren't safe, I didn't feel safe but I was pissed n didn't bother, I'll think twice from now on, as for organised ride outs in Dans name it's probably best that it's left to those close to him to decide the format whether it be a big ride, an MK tribute or a tribute day where riders organise their own little ride outs nationwide in his honour (seems best) like Carl said roads (especially busy ones) should be taken into consideration when planning rides and all should stay together during the ride outs from now on , London of all the many rides I've been on is a huddle and bustle city and its very easy for it to splinter as it did for the last 2 years previous people getting lost , left behind etc there's no rush just because the city is, take our time, stay together which will make us more visible to others , make sure when we leave a bar, as Brett always does give plenty of notice so people aren't left behind (just ordered food/drink) and make sure this doesn't happen again, I want to spend the next few years being gutted for missing a ride, not relieved I wasn't there to witness this !! Stay safe guys and be excellent to each other
Ps I've deactivated my FB account for those who are friends, just for a week or so, can't handle the vibes, I like to take the piss n wind people up on there, this is not the week for either so I'm out
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Agree with Jono's points about splinter groups .. I always think safety in numbers on the rides but too many people on Saturday couldn't wait for others to finish or even arrive at Waterloo before dashing to the next pub leading to several smaller more vulnerable groups playing catch up around a city they don't know very well.
As Jono said lets learn from this .. It's not about blame or pointing the finger in any way . Please don't get me wrong ... It's about Radsters working together to keep everyone safe in future.
Like Jono I also want some time out , in my case from carrying on my build thread because I don't think it's appropriate at this time.
Ant
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Exactly how I felt people were saying where's next pub, n shooting off coz they knew where it was leaving us strangers concentrating more on keeping up with the guy in front than what was in our immediate surroundings to be fair last year Griff kept a good reign on it as it was bedlam the year before me n Gaz Hulmes were on our own, no other northerners on it (that we knew) and we didn't have a clue where we were by the time we'd climber the steps at the bridge most were over the bridge n gone, last year I lost everyone (probably the vodkas fault) tbh but luckily Dave Racine came n found me
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I remember meeting Dan on the last years London ride, he stood out from the crowd with his bike and clothes he wore, I couldn't make the ride on Saturday and only found out Sunday evening what had happened and was shocked and numb because the rides are great fun and full of laughs, nobody expects such a terrible thing to happen RIP DAN
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Absolutely terrible news. I was watching out for updates all yesterday having seen the early posts. I think this will touch everybody in the hobby and I have seen comments and posts from the U.S. guys already, sending their support. I chatted to the wife about this last night as I myself had been kind of joking around with my folks about me not wearing a helmet on the up-coming London to Brighton charity ride later this year. I was saying 'well you didn't make me wear one when you let me out on my BMX back in the day'....
I guess it is now time to accept that the roads have changed, and we have changed.
Rachel has mentioned that the local councils might begin insisting they get some prior notice before large group gatherings in future in light of this terrible accident; this could assist with route planning and might even get officials involved to help moving people from A to B.
I imagine a few people will have their old racing lids from BITD; I have coincidentally sourced one a couple of weeks ago, but how solid they might be is another question after all of these years. Anything will be better than nothing of course so maybe there should be heavier emphasis on this side of the hobby as everybody spends cash on beautiful bikes, but matching lids would be a lovely addition too, and I for one would love to see them being used again. Nothing will match a new, modern item though.
Thoughts with Dan's family today. This can't happen again.
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Such a sad happening. Never had the pleasure of meeting Dan. My heartfelt condolences go out to his family.
R.I.P Dan.
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:'( terrible news
my thoughts and condolences to his family
not been on many ride outs , the first being Cleethorpes the other year , we met at the local track for a bit of racing , i had full face helmet, gloves and full knee/shin pads , which i wore to ride the track , upon leaving the track i stuffed all my kit in a rucksack and went of on the ride, it never even crossed my mind at the time or on subsequent rides that something as tragic as this could happen .
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I only met Dan on saturday and seems a happy go luck chap and such horrible news to hear what had happened as i left before the incident took place .
I haven`t done the london ride for a few years and lots had changed ie the route along the river was dangerous as so many more tourist`s than before . we seem to stop for long periods of time at pubs and the route was over the shop ,going down one way roads the wrong way and people jumping lights in front of police cars and the weaving in and out of the bus lanes ,it was a accident wait to happen .
Not take it away from whoever organise it as we are all to blame but we need to think more about the route and maybe get all the riding done first before getting pissed up as i know some people had done 4 or 5 pints by 5 pm which is fine but when your in control of a bmx in london and you could get nicked for drink driving as still a offense if over the limit .
I loved the rides but we need to think more when doing them
rest in peace Dan
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Brother's in arms and Comrades.
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I can't really add anything that hasn't already been said. Whenever i go on a ramp night i wear my helmet. When i'm at home and go for a ride either on my BMX or mountain bike, i wear a helmet. But, and it's a big but, i've never worn a helmet on any of the many rad rides. Why? I suppose it's the feeling that you're just rolling from pub to pub/place to place. Also it's the feeling of safety in numbers and being part of a gang. I always feel safer riding on the rides than i would riding alone on the roads. The truth is that you're always at risk, at high or low speed, and alone or as part of a group. I will be wearing my helmet on the rides in future. It's such a shame that it's taken a tragedy like this to make it hit home. Although i was there on Saturday, i never had the pleasure of meeting Dan. R.I.P Dan, my BMX brother
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It's a myth, it's an offence if you're not in control of the bike due to drugs and alcohol which means you're not capable of riding it, ( fixed penalty £30) you are not obliged to give breath blood or urine and no endorsements on your licence apply it's about as useful as it being an offence to be drunk in a public place (who hasn't) and who's ever been done, unless other offences occurred , having said that you've made some other valid points but it's not realistic to expect people to turn up to a rad ride n leave the boozing til after the rides finished, if that became the norm, I'd sell up now as I only use them to get between pubs without having to walk, we'll learn from the weekend and move on, having only a couple of 5 min chats with Dan I won't attempt to speak for him, but I'll speak for me and all of the radsters I know by guessing they'd all expect us to carry on bigger n better, faster and harder but from now on keep more of an eye on each other
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I'm so sad to be reading this :'(
I don't know Dan or even met him, but my thoughts go out to his friends and family.
R.I.P my fellow BMX'er.
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I didnt know Dan and have never had a ride out, but know a good geezer when I see one
RiP matey
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Condolences and our prayers for Dans family. Ride in peace! :'(
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Lovely man in many ways. Ride In Peace Dan
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https://www.facebook.com/events/1206867376012761/'ti=icl
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Sincere condolences to his family & friends
R.I.P Dan
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Very sad news :'(
RIP Dan
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Sad sad news condolences to all the family.
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I'm not trying to be controversal at this difficult time but wearing a helmet won't stop accidents.
8 cyclists have been killed this year ... all wearing helmets.
I have only been on one of these rides in London ... years back for Great Ormond Street ... and one point that is coming out is very true ... there is strength in numbers. When the people on the ride rode together then they ruled the road ... traffic had to wait and that was that ... so sticking together and making sure the fastest and the slowest are all in the same group is something that MUST happen. When the pack spread out and I was riding single file with my daughter and her friend in front then buses took the piss and got too close ... theres even statistics that show that drivers are LESS inclined to be careful near cyclists wearing helmets BECAUSE they are wearing them... what kind of madness is that.
I had never met Dan but we chatted recently as he bought some stuff off me ... this is a tragic accident ... but its not the fault of riding a bike or not wearing a helmet ... look at the numbers of pedestrian deaths on London roads... obviously, as Stu has explained as he witnessed it, a helmet could have helped Dan ... but what's much more important is the lesson that if we head out to have a fun day ... the streets are a dangerous place... and we are safer sticking together in groups on these rides ... organisers can only do so much ... it comes down to each and every rider to choose to do whats right.
Its just such a shame that a tragedy like this is needed to bring the message home.
RIP Dan ... I hope your passing is the catalyst to make things better and safer for everyone... which is something I'm sure you would be proud of.
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Bang on ED
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Bang on ED
Spot on. Every time we step outside our homes, and in everything we do, we take calculated risks. All we can do in the future is to try and minimise those risks, whilst still doing the things we love, be it BMX or whatever
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never knew Dan ,but shocked to hear this
thoughts go out to his family anf friends
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Bang on ED
Spot on Ed . i totally agree mate. We need to stick together,safety in numbers.
But from now on i'll be wearing a helmet on the rides :daumenhoch: Mrs has put her foot down .Helmet or i don't ride. Which i think is fair.
For once i'm listening to her :daumenhoch:
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R.I.P Dan fistblump
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R.I.P. Dan
My thoughts are with you, your family and friends in this truly difficult time
Such a tragic shame :'(
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I have only been on one of these rides in London ... years back for Great Ormond Street ... and one point that is coming out is very true ... there is strength in numbers. When the people on the ride rode together then they ruled the road ... traffic had to wait and that was that ... so sticking together and making sure the fastest and the slowest are all in the same group is something that MUST happen. When the pack spread out and I was riding single file with my daughter and her friend in front then buses took the piss and got too close ... theres even statistics that show that drivers are LESS inclined to be careful near cyclists wearing helmets BECAUSE they are wearing them... what kind of madness is that.
RIP Dan ... I hope your passing is the catalyst to make things better and safer for everyone... which is something I'm sure you would be proud of.
I too have only been on one London Ride (2007 Children In Need) and have been too scared to go on another since. Had a bad experience whilst passing a bendy-bus in that it went to pull out from a stop as we were about half way alongside it. Having said that, accidents do and will happen even in places you think are pretty safe (didn't someone skim their head under the bridge on last year's lake-ride). Hopefully we have all learnt a valuable lesson from this weekend - protect ourselves and stick together.
Ride-on, Dan Cash x
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I said to Mrs P that I don't think we'll be doing anymore London rides, her answer was that whatever RAD do you won't be going on anymore that's for sure. :-\
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Mine has said she won't stop me but has made her feelings about wearing a helmet crystal clear.
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We all love the RAD rides and they are getting bigger each year. I think we should sit back and take a good look at what has happened here .
Accidents do happen , but this can't happen again .
We were jumping red lights, me included :( . The ride organisers need to learn from this horrible accident. Make changes to routes .
Avoid roads where possible.
All stick together .. There were a few groups on Saturday splitting off .
We all need to abide to the laws of the road in the future .
RIP DAN :'( .
Carl
Well said Carl. I've been on enough RAD rides and done the same thing. I've always thought that there was an accident waiting to happen and sadly it was much worse than we could foresee. If there's a positive at all to this, it's that it may make us all take stock and be a little safer on the roads.
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I hear you Rob ... Spoken to my Jo long and hard about this sad sad subject but also decided that sadly I won't be attending any more of the London rides even if they were to happen again.
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To be honest everybody just needs to do what they do . There's only one way in life and it's ur own . This has hit me hard for obvious reasons . I could have walked away but didn't . I for one after the shite I've been through. I will not be sitting in my armchair dribbling at 80 thinking I wish I'd done this and that . It's not a dress rehearsal. We only pass this way once . Crack on .
Yes this has hit me hard aswell :'( No blame on anyone .
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RIP Dan
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Plenty of comments that we can all absorb and take on board. I never met Dan but what people have wrote about him suggests he was a larger than life character with a fun mischievous nature.
Yesterday was meant to be a celebration for me but it was sombre event, I thought about Dan all day and the people he left behind. If like me you have a partner and children, it doesn't bear thinking about
It was a tragic accident and a reminder of how privileged we should feel when waking up each morning..........I know I have already changed some things and thinking a lot more but I wish the circumstances were different.
People have mentioned that something should change as a result, I have for myself because for me that is the best thing I can do as a mark of respect to him and will be everlasting.
RIP Dan
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Some good points made on this thread.
I for one have been hit hard by this, as I know others have from Saturday and I will definately not be doing another ride in London , maybe anywhere.
The bottom line is , none of us would get on our road/ mountain bikes and ride around without a lid, yet it's considered ok ( or was ) , to knock back beers and ride around a busy city? Stupidity at its greatest.
It's worth saying at this point , that Dan had only had one beer.
It's terrible that this has happened , but hopefully , only good can come from it.
Such a massive loss.
RIP DAN x
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I still can't believe one of our own lost his life on a bike ride, just so tragic. I never met Dan but from seeing some of the videos and reading stuff about him I would have liked to.
The helmet thing, I know there are arguments for and against but I went over the handlebars of my racer last year and smashed the side of my head onto the road. It bloody hurt and I sat dazed on the pavement for 5 minutes but considered myself lucky and took it as a warning. You can of course trip over while walking and bang your head but of course it's a slower speed.
You do only live once though and have to do things you enjoy otherwise what is the point?
Ride In Peace Dan $.
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Bloodyhell, I didn't know about this until I clicked on this thread 10 minutes ago! Shocking news!
RIP Dan.
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Haven't been on RAD for a few weeks, and just wish to mirror the comments already made. What tragic news, thoughts go out to his young family. I had read about Dan in the national news at the weekend, it was a brief story, it didn't mention RAD, and I must say I didn't realize this was connected to our site at the time...
Never met the guy but clearly he shared the same passion as all of us, BMX - such sad news!
RIP Dan Ca$h
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I found about this on Monday as I was heading off on holiday to the TT races. I didn't know Dan in person but had seen him on Facebook in the same Bmx chats. I actually felt sick and very sad as I left, for someone I'd never met it hit me quite hard.
It's making me think very hard about my next ride out that I join in. On previous rides I've been riding around on my Bmx with 6 pints in me, on the road amongst traffic. I would never do that in my car or on my motorbike but I've thought nothing about doing it on a road on a Bmx.
I don't want to go into it, but I've seen some very dangerous riding on previous ride outs. Very naughty stuff done in traffic that was done deliberately to play games with motorists.
As others have said I hope we can move on from this and all take time to think about making ride outs safer.
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I found about this on Monday as I was heading off on holiday to the TT races. I didn't know Dan in person but had seen him on Facebook in the same Bmx chats. I actually felt sick and very sad as I left, for someone I'd never met it hit me quite hard.
It's making me think very hard about my next ride out that I join in. On previous rides I've been riding around on my Bmx with 6 pints in me, on the road amongst traffic. I would never do that in my car or on my motorbike but I've thought nothing about doing it on a road on a Bmx.
I don't want to go into it, but I've seen some very dangerous riding on previous ride outs. Very naughty stuff done in traffic that was done deliberately to play games with motorists.
As others have said I hope we can move on from this and all take time to think about making ride outs safer.
We did a ride a few days ago in Crewe and attitudes have already changed. Most people had helmets so you didnt feel a prat :daumenhoch: