Shocking—But It Didn’t Have To Be

 When we hear about a cyclist killed or injured, it seems that the most common cause is an unfortunate encounter with a motorist.

Well, today I read a “first”:  a rider who was electrocuted.

No, he wasn’t riding an eBike.  And his electronic shifting system wasn’t to blame because, well, he didn’t have one.

Rather, the cyclist in question was pedaling along a suburban bike path when he hit a downed power line.

First responders got the call just before 8:30 pm yesterday. So, it probably wasn’t dark, but I would suspect that in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania—just slightly south of my hometown New York—the light conditions were less than optimal.

Also, from all accounts, Robert Anderson was not only an experienced cyclist, he was also a physical education teacher who practiced what he taught.  So, he was in better condition than most people his age (63) and therefore cruising at a pretty good clip. 

That meant, as one of his friends explained, he most likely didn’t see that power line until he was, or almost was, on it and thus had no time to react.

Given other things that friend—and others—have said, it’s fair to wonder how long before Anderson’s fateful encounter the Duquesne Light Company knew about the problem, and whether they could have cordoned off the area before Anderson unwittingly took his last ride into it.