(February 2024) James Barella EUC fatality near Melbourne AU

[Forwardnbak]

On 2/20/2024 at 8:07 PM, Panzer04 said:

Tragically, we had a local rider die in a single-vehicle accident while riding along a bike path last night here in Melbourne. I gather he lost control avoiding two cyclists coming in the other direction. We don't know any other details about how he was riding or if he was wearing any protection. He would have been riding a Lynx at the time.

RIP

https://www.police.vic.gov.au/man-dies-following-electric-unicycle-crash-bellfield

terrible news above.

He was a respected rider with good experience and a positive influence here in Australia from what I read. RIP

I saw a message from someone who arrived on the scene and saw the smashed up helmet and the horrible scene still happening.

There was a mention of two cyclists on the path at the same time and the rider was apparently moving at speed. 

Not sure the helmet type or what happened at this point.

My condolences to the friends and family. 

  

7 hours ago, RossJ said:

coroner's report: https://www.coronerscourt.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/COR 2024 001015 Form 38 - Finding into Death without Inquest_Signed.pdf

FINDINGS AND CONCLUSION
Having reviewed all the evidence, I find that James’ death was the result of an accident while riding a motorised unicycle in a risky fashion. Excessive speed [40kph+], high alcohol consumption [0.1 BAC], being on the wrong side of the path, and wearing an improperly fastened helmet [strap not closed] contributed to the death.

Edited October 31 by RagingGrandpa
(added a quotation)

[daniel1234]

I know we all ride till death, but how fast do you need to go on the trail to die like that with a helmet?

[Frolic0415]

9 hours ago, Panzer04 said:

Tragically, we had a local rider die in a single-vehicle accident while riding along a bike path last night here in Melbourne. I gather he lost control avoiding two cyclists coming in the other direction. We don't know any other details about how he was riding or if he was wearing any protection. He would have been riding a Lynx at the time.

RIP

https://www.police.vic.gov.au/man-dies-following-electric-unicycle-crash-bellfield

He was a good friend, I will miss you heaps James. Much love

[Mono]

On 2/21/2024 at 11:12 AM, daniel1234 said:

I know we all ride till death, but how fast do you need to go on the trail to die like that with a helmet?

The simple problem a helmet has to solve is to prevent a fractured skull. The difficult problem, people usual don't appreciate, is to prevent a fatal deceleration. 20km/h is already enough speed to die when hitting an immovable obstacle straight on with a helmet (say, a tree or a rock):

If the helmet gives you 2cm of deformation cushion to decelerate from 20km/h to zero with a constant rate (ideal scenario), the deceleration is ~80g over ~0.01s ((5.56m/s)² / 2 / 0.02m ≈ 1540m/s² ≈ 79g). A linear deceleration of 80g of the head or the chest is usually fatal. With 5cm deceleration distance, continuous deceleration to zero gives ~32g which is usually survivable. This means, for example, a 6cm thick helmet shell would need to be compressed down to 1cm during the accident. I don't think any helmet we could buy can do this.

Additionally, rotational accelerations/decelerations are less tolerated by the head than the simple linear ones. Also, if the neck or the throat hits a stationary rod, 20km/h can easily lead to a fatal injury regardless of a helmet.

Edited February 24 by Mono

[winterwheel]

Also, when the rider comes off the wheel and rolls for a distance the helmet can sustain multiple damage during the roll or even come off entirely before the rider comes to a stop. This is what we believe happened in our fatality.

[Planemo]

2 hours ago, winterwheel said:

or even come off entirely before the rider comes to a stop.

Theres no way a properly secured helmet should come off unless in exceptional circumstances (usually catastrophic destruction of the helmet itself) but yes you're right they do because people aren't securing them properly or getting the right size to start with. It makes me weep especially when I see kids on pushbikes with poorly fitted helmets, put on by well-meaning parents but who unfortunately clearly haven't got a clue. The amount I have seen where the front edge is nearly at the top of the head or the rear edge is so high the front is virtually covering the poor kids eyes. Adding to that, many are simply too big (oversized for the kids to 'grow into') and of course poorly fastened because they don't want their cherub to gripe about having a strap against their throat. I've seen many that would simply fall off at the mere hint of an unplanned dismount

As you say, I suspect James was just very unlucky in hitting the immovable guardrail, it's one reason why a particular type of 'Armco' barrier was largely removed from the UK's motorway network because many motorcycle riders were getting killed (tangled up/rapid deceleration) by it rather than sliding alongside. Many of the riders had expensive, proper gear that would have coped happily with a 70mph slide but as soon as they hit one of the barrier supporting legs...its game over

[Yook]

On 2/21/2024 at 9:12 PM, daniel1234 said:

I know we all ride till death, but how fast do you need to go on the trail to die like that with a helmet?

I heard it was a DH full face, not a DOT/ECE certified helmet, and that it was "split in half" 

[Mono]

4 hours ago, Yook said:

I heard it was a DH full face, not a DOT/ECE certified helmet, and that it was "split in half" 

you mean, while it was on his head, because this seems to be in contention?

Edited March 5 by Mono

[Skampster]

The list on the first page, the guy in Australia who who hit the guard rails on the side of the road. From what I know about that accident, the guy was a tad reckless, he was trail riding and some cyclists where coming the other way, so he tried to avoid them, lost his balance and messed himself up. Being he was on one wheel, he lost his balance, and we all know that feeling  when your balance goes, and that particular thing is EUC related, and he went down. EUC specific injury. This kind of event is always on the back of my mind, mess up, your balance goes and it’s up to the gods how you land. If I land well and walk off, it’s no longer the EUC’s fault to what then happens after. 

Edited September 22 by Skampster

[RossJ]

As previously discussed, James Barella died in Melbourne earlier this year. I recently found the coroner's report into the incident.

https://www.coronerscourt.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/COR 2024 001015 Form 38 - Finding into Death without Inquest_Signed.pdf

Quote

FINDINGS AND CONCLUSION
Having reviewed all the evidence, I find that James’ death was the result of an accident while riding a motorised unicycle in a risky fashion. Excessive speed [40kph+], high alcohol consumption [0.1 BAC], being on the wrong side of the path, and wearing an improperly fastened helmet [strap not closed] contributed to the death.

Sadly it appears there may have been some errors of judgement and bad luck. Hopefully we all learn something from this!
 

Edited October 31 by RagingGrandpa
(bugfix quote)

[Skampster]

From what I’ve been told, he was a bit of a maverick so to speak. 

[Bizra6ot]

2 hours ago, RossJ said:

Sadly it appears there may have been some errors of judgement and bad luck.

A drunkard riding aggressively without fastening his helmet on a shared bike path isn't what I'd call some errors of judgement and bad luck

23. Toxicological analysis of postmortem samples identified the presence of ethanol (alcohol) at
a concentration of 0.1g/100mL. By comparison, the legal limit for driving a motor vehicle is
0.05g/100mL.
27. Having reviewed all the evidence, I find that James’ death was the result of an accident while riding a motorised unicycle in a risky fashion. Excessive speed, high alcohol consumption, being on the wrong side of the path, and wearing an improperly fastened helmet contributed to the death.

[Skampster]

And as I e said previously in this thread, imo that’s NOT an EUC specific fatality. Riding an EUC didn’t kill him, stupidity did. 

Edited October 31 by Skampster

[Frolic0415]

I miss you every day James, was always a blast riding with you. No one pushed me quite like you did and I'll always appreciate that.

 

 

Edited October 31 by Frolic0415

[RossJ]

2 hours ago, Bizra6ot said:

A drunkard riding aggressively without fastening his helmet on a shared bike path isn't what I'd call some errors of judgement and bad luck

Okay, so I just should have written what I really think of his behaviour!

I was quite peeved in the aftermath when his family came out publicly lobbying the government to crack down on EUCs! I didn't know James but from what I've read, I'd be surprised if that would have been what he wanted to see. The state of Victoria just legislated for e-scooters but not EUCs (or any other PMDs). All other states in Australia have either legislated or appear close to it, using a broad definition of PMD which caters for EUCs. This incident can't have helped.