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 Erin Schroeder |
The next thing Erin Schroeder saw as she regained consciousness sprawled in the lane of oncoming traffic, was a full can of beer, spinning around on the pavement.
"I really don't know why I'm alive," said Schroeder, an avid cyclist. "I'm just thankful to be well."
Now the local bicycle club is offering a reward for someone who can provide more information on the crash.
Schroeder had been biking along K-64 near C-60, about 12 miles from her home around 3:30 p.m. Saturday, April 11, when a car came zooming up behind her.
"I remember seeing an ash blue car with a lot of people. They were going very fast," Schroeder said. "A full beer can hit me. I don't know if the car caught my back tire. I flew across the road."
She was knocked out for a moment. When she came to, she found that the impact and sliding on the road tore through three layers of her cycling clothes, specially designed to be strong and protective. She had scrapes and bruises from road burn.
"I ended up in the middle of the other side of the road. A car could have easily come and," she said. "I could hardly breathe. I think I was in shock."
Her bike wasn't rideable, so she walked to a nearby farm. She tried calling her husband on her cell phone, but he didn't answer. At the farm, she got help.
"I had road burn down my left side," she said. "I'm still dealing with my pelvis and back."
Living through the crash doesn't change Schroeder's opinion of cycling.
"It's my No. 1 passion," she said. "I started in junior high. If I have any free time, that's what I do. It's just sad that this was intentional."
Schroeder said she's just happy to be alive, but fellow Plymouth County Cyclist Club members don't want to let the incident go unnoticed.
They are offering a reward for information brought into the authorities that leads to a conviction.
"If a reward would be offered, that could generate some activity and could possibly bring the violators to some public scrutiny and try to show public concern over this behavior," Clayton Hodgson, of the cyclist club, said. "If it isn't pursued, we felt like the folks that did that deed would feel that it is not a big deal. Pursuing it would indicate this is not acceptable."
People with tips can contact Crimestoppers at 548-4968 (and calls can be anonymous) or the Plymouth County Sheriff's Office at 546-8191.
As summer approaches, a lot more cyclists will be on the roads, Schroeder added, so the club wanted to help drivers be aware of cyclists.
"Just give bicyclists plenty of room. We are a moving vehicle, so we go with traffic," Schroeder said.
And if you're behind a bicyclist going up a hill, slow down and wait to pass until after you've crested the hill, she suggested.
And for cyclists, Schroeder advised them to protect themselves.
"That helmet saved my life," she said, adding that she's a physical therapist and has seen head injuries before. "And I understand why we wear bike clothes."
Cyclists should wear bright colors, have a flashing light on their bike, and travel with a cell phone, along with wearing protective bike gear, she said.
"All of that really played a huge role," she said.
Note: The nature of the Internet makes it impractical for our staff to review every comment. If you feel that a comment is offensive, please
Ms. Schroeder, what happen to you was terrible, and down right shamefull. Until I read your artical I was proud to say I am from Le Mars Ia. These past few years reading about the crime and ongoing troubles in this little town, I had felt this was par for the course. What happen to you however is unforgivable. When they catch these people, I hope the Law book is thrown at them, no pun intended.
As a Le Mars citizen, I am sorry this had to happen to you, and wish you and your family well.
I agree with the Plymouth County Cyclists. This incident should definitely be pursued. Most drivers are very respectful of bikers and walkers, but it seems younger drivers are too interested in their cell phones and car full of friends to worry about what's around them. I'm thankful Erin was not hurt any worse---those uncomfortable helmets are around for a reason!
Of course, there are also some kids who need to learn that the proper place to bike is NOT down the middle of the street! If you see kids you know doing this, please call their parents so it can be stopped before there's a more serious accident.
I agree that this had to be a horrifying experience for you. But for Fadesharley and FoodForThought, please don't assume that these were teenagers or even someone from LeMars. I've seen plenty of adults driving recklessley, throwing beer cans out windows, and making bad decisions while driving. But if caught, I hope they pay the full consequences for their actions.
This story can really fire up people. I'm glad it does. We need to have wider roads for cyclists, farm equipment, and normal traffic. As much as we continue to inundate people with messages to not drink and drive or have open containers of alcohol in the vehicle, it still continues. When will we/they learn to err on the side of safety. I think that more bicycle lanes should be in place along county roads. Bicycle trails aren't just for pleasure, they also allow for economical transportation. We need more bicycle lanes along the roadways, build the roadways wide enough to accomodate those who use them.
To assume that the perpetrators were young people, I must say I agree they were young in mental maturity.
dodgers84: Did I say that the people driving the vehical were young and did I say that the people were from Le Mars, Ia.? Think not. I stated I was from Le Mars. But here is a little free advice from Fadesharley, hence the word Harley, as in Davidson, as in Harley Davidson Soft-tail FatBoy motorcycle. When I am on my 2 wheel vehical I also have alot of experience watching some of those morons behind a steering wheel. What these people did to Ms. Schroeder borders on attempted manslaughter. If caught, and I hope they do get caught, that they do some real hard time and they get sued so bad they won't be able see straight for 50 years. The people that did this probably thinks that what they did was cute. Someone will talk, specially with a cash award out there. Don't think for a minute that they have any honor among themselves. No doubt that they even know what the word Honor means.
dodgers84, before you criticize and point fingers, make sure you have your facts straight.
ERIN I THOUGHT WHEN WE SAW YOU THE OTHER DAY YOU WERE HURTING / IN PAIN/ NOW WE KNOW WHY .THIS YOUNG LADY IS OUT HELPING PEOPLE EVERYDAY TO OVERCOME PROBLEMS HEALTH PROBLEMS CREATED BY ACCIDENTS AND ILLNESS. NOW OTHERS BEING COMPLETE FOOLS INJURIED HER. I HOPE THESE PEOPLE ARE FOUND AND THEY GET MORE THAN THE BOOK PUSHED IN THE FACE ,THEY NEED TO BE PUNISHED TO THE MAX .THANK GOD SHE IS ALIVE TO BE WITH HER FAMILY AND FRIENDS. ERIN THIS TERRY . I AM ONE OF THE LUCKY PEOPLE THAT SHE HAS BEEN HELPING FOR THE PAST YEAR SO I CAN HAVE A BETTER LIFE. PLEASE EVERBODY HELP TO FIND THESE FOOLS SO THEY DO NOT HURT OR KILL ANY OTHER PEOPLE.
Iowa is not a place set up to make it easy for bike riders to get around. The state as a whole seems to be geared for people that use cars for transportation. I would like to be able to ride a bicycle more often for my daily activities but there's sometimes no way to get to my destination without being on a road full of fast driving cars and SUV's that rarely show respect for cyclists.
While this is a situation moreso caused by some idiots that shouldn't be driving in the first place, Iowa DOT needs to make Iowa a friendlier place for cyclists. Bike lanes would be a good start.
Dodgers84--point taken, although I did say "younger" drivers, not teenagers. I don't think your average 50 year old will be throwing beer cans at bikers.
However, I certainly hope every time you see "adults driving recklessley, throwing beer cans out windows..." (quote from dodgers 84) that you don't let it go. Call the police! That's what they're around for! If anyone sees a vehicle swerving, throwing things out the window, etc., report it. If you don't, you are just as guilty as someone injured later by these idiots. Also, don't assume that by reporting reckless driving that you are "snitching." If a driver has a diabetic incident or cardiac attack while behind the wheel, it can look a lot like a drunk driver. You may save more than one life by being pro-active.
This is very sad that this happened to her. I am glad she will be ok. Unfortunately the highways are designed for cars, motorcycles, trucks that was the original intentions for them and they are posted minimum speeds for that reason. A vehicle coming over a hill going the speed limit isn't going to expect to see a bicylce in the lane. It would be nice for cyclist to have roadway also, but until that time, hopefully others make sure they dress safely and do their best to also be safe.
To Erin, her fellow bike riders, motorists, farm machinery drivers and most importantly, the Red-neck mentality drivers. It isn't a Plymouth County/Iowa/USA problem, it happens the world over.
It is a punk mentality and wider roads, more laws, more visible protective clothing wont change it. It's education thing and lets face it, who's going to take charge of that. As in New Zealand and Australia where I'm more familiar with riding on the roads, there are road laws. I'm sure there are similar laws in the USA. Bike riders CAN ride in the middle of a lane (just like an Armish farmer can on his horse and cart or a combine at harvest time) and CAN ride two abreast. Of course there are restrictions on freeways, and some highways where minimum speeds must be maintained. Drivers overtaking MUST allow 1.5 meters clearance (around 4') 99.9% of drivers are happy with these regulations. Most bike riders are intelligent enough to realise how vulnerable they are and ride as far to the right as possible (even it it means riding in all the debris and picking up punctures). All other motorists are expected to respect these laws. But these are the same drivers who aren't supposed to speed, pass on solid lines, not drink and drive. Not drive with suspended licences, think that losing 5 seconds a day is the end of the world etc., etc..
So the solution isn't simple for the politically correct but for us average Joe Bloggs it is. Suspend licences, have tracking bracelets attached
but more importantly, ban them from sitting in front of a big screen when the Tour d' France is on cheering for Lance cos he can't stand those who bask in his glory but spend 11 months of the year trying to run him and his fellow athletes off he road!!
Bike riding is great, but more hazardous than mountain climbing. I've ended up on a hood or two, under a bumper, have road rash on top of scar tissue from previous road rash, I have patches on patches of my Lycra shorts but the risk of it is better than what all those abusers are missing out on.
A breeze in the face, the sun on your back, thighs you can crack walnuts on and waking up in the morning with a 42 beat a minute heart rate rather than a hangover from cheap liquor. (As opposed to a hangover on the expensive liquor I prefer).
My advice. Choose your routes well, ride in the mornings (less drunks) and keep your eyes to the right for an escape route. There are two types of bike riders on the roads. Those with Road Rash and those about to get it.
To "Smile it's just my opinion" - Iowa law gives bikes every right to the road as cars. Additionally, you state the "original intentions" for roads are for cars, not true.
http://inventors.about.com/library/inven...
"Yet the invention that would spark a revolution in transportation was a simple two-wheeler. The bicycle. Its popularity in the 1880s and 1890s spurred interest in the nation's roads.
On October 3, 1893, General Roy Stone, a Civil War hero and good roads advocate, was appointed Special Agent in charge of the new Office of Road Inquiry (ORI) within the Department of Agriculture. With a budget of $10,000, ORI promoted new rural road development to serve the wagons, coaches, and bicycles on America's dirt roads."
To Smile it's Just My Opinon; WOW, where to start ?? This was not an "accident" these people INTENTIONALLY did this, and if caught should face attempted manslaughter charges. Roads in Iowa are Public Use roadways. All forms of transportation have the right to use them. The only roads that have a POSTED minumum speed are the Interstate and some divided US Highways. Also, do you drive with your eyes closed ? Coming over a hill you should be ready and expecting anything to be in your way. A deer, farm equipment, just about anything. The mentality that you, "drivers" own the roads is ridiculous. If drivers would just respect us, all would be fine. The few seconds in time it costs you is not worth the serious injury or loss of life it cost the cyclists.
To Cychuck, take a deep breath I think you misunderstood me, I didn't say it was an accident, I said it was a bad thing that happened. I also am not taking the side of vehicles and the hill example that I put down is just that an example. Yes the driver should pay attention but I bet more don't than do. Most drivers are too busy talking on cell phones and not paying attention. Roads my be public use but the intent for my post was for everyone to be careful....right or wrong unfortunately a vehicle verse a bike we no who the loser will be...