Biking accident on trail raises light safety issue

When Dax Tobin took his bike out on the evening of April 9, he had no idea the ride would end as abruptly as it did.

"I turned off on the trail -- not five seconds after that it felt like I hit a brick wall," said Tobin.

The experienced cyclist was practicing for an upcoming triathlon and thought he would take a shortcut on the Cape La Croix Trail to get home, getting on the trail at Osage Park. It was dark, and Tobin's headlight was running out of batteries.

Trying to save batteries for the upcoming ride on city streets he switched off the light. The two bikers riding side-by-side the opposite way on the trail had no lights either, and Tobin collided with them.

Tobin's face was smashed in three places, and he ended up with a broken jaw, a plate in his left eye socket and a caved-in nose. He was wearing a helmet.

"The doctor said if I didn't have a helmet on I would have broken my neck," Tobin said.

Tobin doesn't blame the other bikers for the crash, saying it was nobody's fault, but would like to see some lighting on the trail.

While the trail is open until 11 p.m., there's no lighting system to illuminate it at nighttime. With no headlights and no trail lighting, Tobin and the other cyclists had no hope of seeing each other until it was too late.

Cape Girardeau parks and recreation director Dan Muser said the story just illustrates the need for cyclists to take more precautions when riding the trail.

"Do you drive a car at night without headlights on?" he said. "It's just common sense."

Muser said his department would love to install lighting for the trail, but the budget just won't allow it.

"At one point in time we looked at that possibility and knew we wouldn't have funding for it any time soon," Muser said. "If someone wants to donate some money for it, we would be glad to put up lights."

John Dodd, owner of Cycle Werx in Cape Girardeau, said he cautions his customers that reflectors aren't enough for nighttime bike rides.

"Reflectors only work if there's other light to reflect," said Dodd, who employs Tobin.

Tobin can attest to that. He said the last thing he can remember about the wreck was a close-up image of a small, white reflector just before his face smashed into it.

But staying cautious and careful is important at night and during the day, Dodd said. The trail has some sharp curves and blind spots, and any bike riders should ride the trail at safe speeds. And when passing on the trail, caution takes even more precedence.

"It's just like driving a car," Dodd said. "If a car in front of you is going 10 or 20 mph in a 40-mph zone, don't pass going 40. It makes good sense to get up behind somebody and make sure they know what's going on before you pass.

"Getting in a hurry or thinking you own the trail, that's when you're going to have problems."

Signs posted along the trail urge users to ride at safe speeds, yield to oncoming traffic and stay on the right except when passing.

Tobin said after his experience he'll never ride at night without a light again, and he plans to lobby AmerenUE to install some lights along the trail. The wreck taught a painful and valuable lesson, but Tobin is in good spirits.

"I'm bionic now," he said, joking about the plate in his eye socket.

And Dodd said since there are no lights, there are a few simple steps cyclists can take to stay safe on the trail at night.

"Would it be nice if there were lights? Sure," Dodd said. "But if you're riding at night, have a light, be seen and take time to take extra caution."

msanders@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 182