'Beyond our control': Local cyclists react to deadly crash that killed Cary man, injured 20 others
Members of the Triangle's cycling commun_i_ty are reacting to Saturday's deadly crash that killed a man and injured 20 other bicyclists near Holly Springs.
Lin Osbourne, a member of the Capital Cycling Club, told WRAL News he rides often with the group of cyclists that Morris-Jones is accused of driving through Saturday morning.
"When things like this happen, it's just a reminder that no matter how much we police ourselves, there are circumstances that are well beyond our control," Osbourne said.
Osbourne was not biking with the Capital Cycling Club on Saturday. He said everyone he is close to is safe, but he knows just about everyone in the group.
"I understand that the road is a shared resource ... but we're out there to enjoy the day, to enjoy being outdoors and to enjoy being with each other," he said. "We are going to make it a top priority to be safe, and we would just hope that motorists would make that a priority themselves and see us as people and not obstacles."
A member of TeamCBC, another non-profit cycling club based in the Triangle, posted on Facebook that the group has canceled a ride scheduled for Sunday, writing, "Out of respect for the rider that was killed and all those who were injured in today’s CCC bike ride we are canceling tomorrow’s TeamCBC Ride. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all of those involved."
Shaun King from the nonprofit Bike Durham spoke to WRAL News about the crash, calling it a "harrowing day for everyone in the cycling community."
"My heart sank because that's a major toll on both one family and an entire community," King said. "When cyclists come together and they ride in a group like this, they are a group of serious civic athletes who are riding with the best intentions -- for safety and for a collective experience. And it's a real tragedy on a beautiful weather day like this that we've lost lives."
Police confirm that Patrick Turner, 63, of Cary, died, and 20 others were injured.
"I personally have rode with the Capital Cycling Club," King said. "I am still not sure whose lives we've lost and if that person is a friend of mine, so I'm nervously waiting to find out how connected I am to this particular experience."
King said many bicyclists who are part of Bike Durham are connected to the Capital Cycling Club.
"This is an older club that rides responsibly and safely and that, for more than 30 years, has raised money for multiple sclerosis on July 4 with their Firecracker Ride," King said. "They are a really great community, and I think we're all really on edge right now and nervous."
King told WRAL News what he would tell drivers sharing the road with bicyclists.
"I would ask you to offer the same patience to cyclists traveling briskly on country roads that you would offer to a grandmother fumbling with her change at a Walmart cash register," King said. "You're not going to scream and yell and aggressively pass this person in line ... I beg you to understand that, when you pass aggressively, you are trying to spark fear, and that fear only leads to stress, and it does not change the situation. The amount of time you save by waiting patiently is time worth saving. So pass safely, and when you do, pass patiently and not aggressively. It's worth the lives you save."
King said Patrick Turner and other bicyclists will be remembered in a candlelight vigil on November 15 on Bike Durham's World Day of Remembrance, a day to remember pedestrians and cyclists who lost their lives in crashes.
"We'll be remembering the person we lost today on this ride, and it'll be a real challenge for us to heal together," King said.
Osbourne said he plans to keep cycling even after the tragedy.
"I've been road cycling for about 40 years, so I will continue to road cycle," he said. "That's a personal position for me. I think ultimately every cyclist will have to sort of make that determination for themselves."
Osbourne said he has already made adjustments to the time of day he cycles to avoid high traffic.
"I will continue, but I recognize that it's an inescapable risk, and I would hope that people would be considerate of one another," he said.