Cyclist Narrowly Escapes Death After Attempting to Ride Over Rising Drawbridge

Riding a bike in a city can be a dangerous pastime. Cars, smog, and buses all pose threats to your health. But for this cyclist, a near-death experience was all their own fault.

The Racine Bridge in Menasha, Wisconsin raises up in a traditional bascule design to allow for boats to pass underneath it. On July 4 this year, a cyclist ignored the flashing warning signs on the traffic bridge, maneuvered around a series of boom gates and rode straight off the edge gap formed as the bridge lifted. The cyclist also scraped the boom gate as she navigated through its narrow gap.

In the video of the accident, the bike is just visible in the gap, but its owner is unable to be seen until drivers waiting for the bridge rush to scoop her out. An ambulance responds quickly and eventually manages to evacuate the cyclist off to hospital.

It is unclear what injuries the 37-year old cyclist may have suffered from their severe fall. In other reports, it seems the bridge authorities were quickly alerted to the accident and thankfully stopped the bridge from closing again before the woman was rescued.

The cyclist's bizarre behavior has captured media attention in the US as many wonder what motivated the determined bike rider. 

Via: RFP Channel