US rider Magnus White dies after being hit by driver while training for World Championships
17-year-old was preparing for Glasgow World Championships after being selected for junior men’s MTB cross-country team
www.cyclingnews.com
-
For more information on how to avoid pop-up ads and still support SkiTalk click HERE.
Magnus White
- Thread starter Tony S
- Start date
www.cyclingnews.com
A friend of mine was one of his coaches at BJC although he was on vacation when this happened. It’s heartbreaking.
What I am finding interesting is that there is absolutely no information out there with details of the incident. Not even the location.
Timing? There is now.
USA Cycling: 'Rising star' Magnus White dead at 17 after being hit by car in Colorado
Magnus White was preparing to compete in the Junior Men’s Mountain Bike Cross-Country World Championships in Scotland.
www.9news.com
According to Colorado State Patrol (CSP), the crash happened at about 12:33 p.m. on southbound Highway 119 past North 63rd Street. A Toyota Matrix, driven by a 23-year-old woman, was driving southbound when the vehcile went onto the shoulder, hitting the back of White's bike.
Looks like they updated that article after more info was released. I know exactly where that is. It’s heavily used by cyclists and has a very wide shoulder but the speeds always scare me so I try to avoid it on my bike.
So hard for everyone involved.
So hard for everyone involved.
This is such a senseless tragedy. Road biking has always scared me, but with the level of distracted driving where it is these days, no way you'll catch me out on the road anytime soon unless it's some backwoods road in Morgan County.
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2015
- Posts
- 6,647
Trouble is, assuming she herself wasn't having a medical incident or mechanical failure, she'll likely get very light sentencing if any for what is vehicular manslaughter.
Just horrible. 9News updated the article linked to above this afternoon with a statement from his parents. 
White's parents, Jill and Michael, released a statement Monday afternoon that said, "Our hearts are heavy as we mourn the tragic loss of our beloved son, Magnus White. We’ve received an overwhelming outpouring of support from friends, colleagues and the cycling community, for which we are incredibly grateful. We are now realizing the incredible reach he had across the world. Magnus was dedicated to his family and friends and loved to surround them with laughter.
"He had an amazing smile that always lit up the room, bringing joy to those around him," his parents' statement continued. "Magnus's passion for cycling started at age 2 with his first strider bike and started racing at the young age of 8. He was an incredibly self-motivated cyclist who was just reaching his potential. Our pride for Magnus goes beyond his accomplishments as a cyclist and student. He held his character and determination to the highest of standards, which he carried through everything he did in life. He touched the lives of so many people and in time we will find a way to honor his legacy."
White's parents, Jill and Michael, released a statement Monday afternoon that said, "Our hearts are heavy as we mourn the tragic loss of our beloved son, Magnus White. We’ve received an overwhelming outpouring of support from friends, colleagues and the cycling community, for which we are incredibly grateful. We are now realizing the incredible reach he had across the world. Magnus was dedicated to his family and friends and loved to surround them with laughter.
"He had an amazing smile that always lit up the room, bringing joy to those around him," his parents' statement continued. "Magnus's passion for cycling started at age 2 with his first strider bike and started racing at the young age of 8. He was an incredibly self-motivated cyclist who was just reaching his potential. Our pride for Magnus goes beyond his accomplishments as a cyclist and student. He held his character and determination to the highest of standards, which he carried through everything he did in life. He touched the lives of so many people and in time we will find a way to honor his legacy."
Last edited:
Here's a video (from a triathlon) turning onto 119 from 63rd, where you can see the wide shoulder and how they have tried to make the intersection safe for bikes with a bus/bike lane through the intersection:
Seeing that's not enough, CDOT and Boulder County plan to build a nine-mile bikeway between Boulder and Longmont, sadly too late for Magnus. Here's the planned bikeway with a below-grade crossing at 63rd:
A triathlon is at the nearby Boulder Reservoir many weekends through the summer, and cyclists heavily use the road for training and to get to and from work. That road is one of my few exceptions to not riding on the road with cars, as I'll train and race there for triathlons. I probably shouldn't ride the course outside a race any longer.
Seeing that's not enough, CDOT and Boulder County plan to build a nine-mile bikeway between Boulder and Longmont, sadly too late for Magnus. Here's the planned bikeway with a below-grade crossing at 63rd:
A triathlon is at the nearby Boulder Reservoir many weekends through the summer, and cyclists heavily use the road for training and to get to and from work. That road is one of my few exceptions to not riding on the road with cars, as I'll train and race there for triathlons. I probably shouldn't ride the course outside a race any longer.
Last edited:
How horrible. I don't know what else to say, but I do feel for his parents and family
Tragic loss that only increases my fear as I road bike near my house with a much narrower shoulder. I’m going to stick my neck out and guess the driver was texting or looking at her phone but I’m sure it will eventually be revealed.
I am always torn by a tragedy like this and what is the proper punishment for the driver. My first instinct is “I hope they rot in jail” but then my empathetic side says it was probably a tragically bad choice/mistake. I intentionally avoid the word “accident” because I believe there are very few accidents. A tire blow out leading to the car to swerve is a tragic accident(unless it was a known bad tire) and merits a different punishment than DUI or distracted driving. What I know is that I am sad for this family to have to bury their 17 y.o. son.
I am always torn by a tragedy like this and what is the proper punishment for the driver. My first instinct is “I hope they rot in jail” but then my empathetic side says it was probably a tragically bad choice/mistake. I intentionally avoid the word “accident” because I believe there are very few accidents. A tire blow out leading to the car to swerve is a tragic accident(unless it was a known bad tire) and merits a different punishment than DUI or distracted driving. What I know is that I am sad for this family to have to bury their 17 y.o. son.
Condolences to Magnus' family and friends...
( I gave-up road riding a long time ago )
again, Condolences... tj
( I gave-up road riding a long time ago )
again, Condolences... tj
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2015
- Posts
- 6,647
The problem with having empathy at an individual level is that most drivers who end up in these collisions have no ill intent (except foor tools like the rolling coal kid). But they know they should be concentrating on the road and in appropriate control of their vehicle yet they aren't.
My mother when she was head of 16-18 at a high school had one girl who had killed a woman in a head on car crash. The reason - she was a recently licensed inexperienced driver who'd been changing tape in the deck. The girl was subjected to a hate campaign from the friends and family of the woman who died I think largely because she went unpunished under the law. Really tough to deal with pastorally.
On the one hand why ruin a girl's future for a momentary slip? On the other how do you stop this happening because people? It's a remote risk in will happen to you as a driver but a risk that will manifest frequently due to the sheer number of people who are handling cellphones while driving etc.
Last edited:
Thread Starter
TS
Obviously I have zero first-hand knowledge about this specific case. The comment that follows is not specific to the case.
I think that the truth is often NOT revealed to the general public. I think the truth is often buried. I had a bunch more comments here, since deleted as not constructive. But essentially we still live in a culture where the majority don't really believe that cyclists should have full citizenship on the road, and that is reflected in the outcomes of investigations and in communications about those outcomes.
Yes. I was that girl when I was a teen-ager. No, I didn't kill or injure anyone, but I was a recently licensed inexperienced driver who got into a couple of fender benders due to incompetence. It was just luck that I hit other cars and not a cyclist or a pedestrian. So not throwing any stones on that score.
According the Denver Gazette there is an ongoing investigation into the crash. I hope they get to the bottom of it. It sickens me that a 17-year old's life is cut short like this.
I hope they seek and find electronic evidence of distracted driving from the phone. It's the same Boulder County DA that didn't charge the snowboarder that hit Ron Lemaster, so I'm not super hopeful. Maybe the victim being a young cyclist vs. an old skier will motivate the DA.
This story on 9news shows where Magnus White was hit. He made it through the 63rd St. intersection and was on a straight section of road with the widest shoulder around.
The story talks about the planned bikeway mentioned above. Given his level, I wonder if he (and other elite cyclists in Boulder) would use it or still be on the road to ride faster and without slowing for other users.
The story talks about the planned bikeway mentioned above. Given his level, I wonder if he (and other elite cyclists in Boulder) would use it or still be on the road to ride faster and without slowing for other users.
