A bicyclist who was seriously injured while riding on the WO&D Trail last week died Monday, June 15.
William S. Dudgeon, of Ashburn, was 55.
According to the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office, he was traveling on his bike at about 4:30 p.m. on June 9 when he attempted to pass a juvenile on the W&OD Trail just west of Ashburn Village Boulevard.
At that time the juvenile attempted to take a side path, and the juvenile’s bike clipped Dudgeon's bike, causing him to fall. Dudgeon was wearing a helmet.
He was airlifted to Inova Fairfax Hospital, where he died Monday. The younger bicyclist was not injured.
Fatal bike-bike crashes are so rare, that in the past - when trying to find data on them - I couldn't. In fact, this is the first one I know about in the entire DC area (though some theorize that Paul Rossmeissl was the victim of one).
Steve Lafferty of Maryland was killed approximately two years ago on Claiborne Pkwy. in a bicycle - bicycle crash while on an RBC ride. There have many other non-fatal crashes involving cyclists on the W&OD, often with an at fault minor.
Posted by: Roger Kurrus | June 30, 2015 at 04:22 PM
"at fault minor"
Respectfully, Roger, the minor is in no way at fault. In fact, I'd say anyone crashing into a child while overtaking should be prosecuted for reckless driving. Kids swerve. That's what they do. Anyone who has watched kids ride bikes knows this, right? This is the fault of the overtaking cyclist. The passing vehicle MUST yield. You'd have to be suicidal to pass a kid on that path at speed.
Posted by: Will Niccolls | July 08, 2015 at 09:18 AM
The kid was turning off the trail with out looking back to see if it's safe or signaling the turn. The majority of trail accidents happen because all types of trail users don't make sure it's safe before entering, exiting, or u-turning on trails.
The person entering, exiting or turning around must yield to trail users traveling along the main route of the path.
With that said, the safest thing to do is to expect everyone to not follow the rules. Announce when passing, and watch body language to predict when trail users will make unexpected and abrupt change of direction.
Posted by: Joe F | July 08, 2015 at 10:35 AM
Will Niccolls, I completely agree with your comment. A bike is still a vehicle and we should always treat it as such. He was traveling at a higher rate of speed than safe given his surroundings.
It's perfectly fine if he wanted to go fast when no one else is around or the bikes near him also match his speed, but in mixed use trails it was up to him to modify his behavior for his safety and those around him.
Joe, I agree the kid should have been trained to watch his/her surroundings better when biking and learn when it is safe to maneuver turns and when it's not.
Unfortunately, people don't need to take road tests to ride bikes like we do with cars.
In the end, this was an accident. I feel horrible for William's family. I feel horrible for the kid who experienced this.
Posted by: D | July 08, 2015 at 04:42 PM
The article does not state the speed of either cyclists and a juvenile might be up to 17 years old. Not enough info to fully evaluate what happened.
If a ped, cyclist or other driver suddenly cuts in front of a car with out right of way the person making the unexpected movement is at fault.
On multi-use trails all users must expect to be passed and therefore look before entering exiting and turning around.
I agree this was a horrible accident and hopefully trail users learn to better predict when a trail user might make an unexpected move and look before entering exiting and turning around on trails.
Posted by: Joe F | July 08, 2015 at 08:08 PM
Joe F, your comment makes no sense.
When turning, you have NO obligation to look behind you...to signal yes, but not to look behind you. In fact, turning around to look behind you is dangerous.
According to the rules of the W&OD, the person overtaking has the obligation to both alert the person being overtaken(by calling out or a bell) to slow so that they are overtaking at no more no more than 5 mph (over the speed of the other person) and to pass at least 6 feet from the person being overtaken.
Your advice is wrong logistically, legally and morally. While too many people think this is the case, they are the ones who make the MULTIUSE path so dangerous.
Posted by: Kasper Hauser | April 22, 2016 at 12:57 PM