# Cattle Guard Warning



## TandemBear (Aug 18, 2013)

Hello folks,
I'm posting this here because I think many of you may ride road tandem or half bike...









A good friend and experienced cyclist and outdoor adventurer was killed last month while cycling in Wyoming. He was climbing an improved dirt road at probably 10 mph when he crossed the cattle guard above. His front wheel dropped into the gap in the cattle guard rails, causing him to go over the handlebars, landing on his head, causing critical injuries. Unfortunately he died moments later at the scene. Yes, he was wearing a helmet. It happened so fast; they weren't descending at high speed and taking huge risks - just out on a great bike adventure together when he's suddenly gone. So sad 

Apparently, road designers, stewards and/or owners may not have a duty to provide safe passage over cattle guards for narrow bicycle wheels. The victim's friends and family are mobilizing and advocating for a standard that would ensure safe travel over cattle guards for cyclists. Advocating for minimum standards to prevent this sort of tragedy in the future. Unfortunately, this is not the first cattle guard fatality and probably won't be the last. Currently, there are likely a lot of dangerous cattle guards out there cyclists should be aware of. So until the shortcomings of cattle guard design are addressed...

... watch out for cattle guards!!!

If you would like to forward this warning to your cycling group or any other interested parties, please PM me with your email address and I will send the .jpg to you. Thanks in advance for spreading the word!


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## TrailYoda (Feb 23, 2009)

On a tour in 2005 not far from Bend, Oregon on a paved road with a significant downhill 6 of 8 tandems hit a poorly maintained cattle guard at the bottom of the hill. One team folded their front tire rim, all 6 got double pinch flats. The problem was not the design of the guard itself but in the installation/maintenance of the structure. There was a 12"-13" hole in front of length of the guard where the underlying soil and top pavement had broken down into the guard box. Fortunately everyone kept the bikes up and no one was hurt, but since then I am very wary of them as a hazard. It is easy to see how this fatality could have taken place there also. Cattle guards definitely can be dangerous in many ways, when they are wet they are like riding on ice!


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## TandemBear (Aug 18, 2013)

TrailYoda said:


> On a tour in 2005 not far from Bend, Oregon on a paved road with a significant downhill 6 of 8 tandems hit a poorly maintained cattle guard at the bottom of the hill. One team folded their front tire rim, all 6 got double pinch flats. The problem was not the design of the guard itself but in the installation/maintenance of the structure. There was a 12"-13" hole in front of length of the guard where the underlying soil and top pavement had broken down into the guard box. Fortunately everyone kept the bikes up and no one was hurt, but since then I am very wary of them as a hazard. It is easy to see how this fatality could have taken place there also. Cattle guards definitely can be dangerous in many ways, when they are wet they are like riding on ice!


Interesting. Thank you for sharing. Glad no one was injured.


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## honkinunit (Aug 6, 2004)

That's terrible, sorry for your friend's accident. RIP.

I've seen scary gaps on a lot of cattle guards in Colorado, even on race courses.


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