File this under “fish story.”
A cyclist riding along the Platte River Path in Denver, CO was seriously injured in what was initially described as a “clothesline booby trap.” It turns out he was snagged by a fly fisherman!
According to 9 News, a fly fisherman attempting to land a large fish crossed the bike path with his rig, leaving the fishing line draped across the trail. He pulled the line taut just as the cyclist passed by and snagged his helmet on the line. The cyclist lost control and landed in the hospital with a chipped bone in his spine, a concussion, broken pelvis, broken arm and multiple bruises and abrasions.
Question for the bike lawyers: How liable is the fly fisherman for stretching his fishing line across a busy transportation corridor during the evening commute? This happened on the Platte River Trail just south of downtown, not far from the big REI flagship store by the confluence of Cherry Creek. How many Federal Parks with fly fishing have riverside bike trails? Have the doctors told this man and his wife that the helmet saved his life?
Via Bike Denver.
I was on that trail Saturday, and saw people fly fishing….
What test line was the dude using? I would think a cyclist would blow right through fishing line. I’d be more worried about getting a hook in the eye.
Hope they use barbless hooks!
As a bike lawyer, I’d say he is very liable for the injuries, or at least he would be in Oregon.
I’m a California Bike Lawyer and I would say that liability seems pretty clear here. The person with the fishing line has a duty to act reasonably prudent and not jeapordize the safety of passers by. Leaving a taut fishing line across a frequently traveled path is a breach of that duty. The fisherman should be liable for the injuries suffered by the cyclist.
I’d say it’s just as much the cyclist fault as it is the anglers. I live and fly fish in the denver metro and have seen more issues with douche bag cyclists acting like they’re in the freakin’ tour de france going well above safe speeds along that same trail. It’s unfortunate yes but both are equally at blame. Oh and cyclists, if you want cagers to share the road, learn how to properly ride a bike on the street.
Every time I see fishermen fishing along a bike trail, I worry about this exact thing.. Especially with my 7 yr old… I’m going to ignore the hateful comment below. people forget that cyclists are doctors, dentists, accountants, etc too. yes, there are a few bad riders out there that give us good riders a bad name.. but we are NOT all bad. Stop being so hateful.