Cyclist, Geon Hanson, is knocked down while training on the George Price Highway
Geon Hanson
Well-known Belizean cyclist Geon Hanson remains in critical condition tonight after being knocked down by a commuter bus along the George Price Highway this morning. Hanson, who was on routine physical training along the circuit, was rear-ended by the vehicle while riding his bicycle in the vicinity of mile thirty-eight. According to Deon Leslie, president of the Belize Cycling Association, the near-fatal accident is a tragic reminder that motorists and cyclists alike should pay careful attention to traffic when traversing the highways.
Deon Leslie, President, Belize Cycling Association
Deon Leslie
“I was informed early this morning that one of the cyclists, Mister Geon Hanson who rides with Capital City Cycling Club, better known as C-four, was involved in a traffic accident this morning around miles thirty-eight on the George Price Highway. Apparently reports are that he was training when he was ran into by a bus and the impact, he broke the windshield of the bus, dented the bus and was flung some feet into a ditch off the side of the road. Thank goodness apparently he landed in mud and water which cushioned the impact. Last word is that he is right now in the O.T. at the K.H.M.H. undergoing surgery. Apparently he ruptured his spleen and he has heavy internal bleeding. So we are all just praying, hoping for the best. Geon is one of the up and coming cyclists. He is classified as an under-twenty-three. He won the Krem Classic the other day and so he is one of the future stars in cycling. So this is a tragic mishap for us on Christmas Eve. My prayers go out to the family, his friends, everyone in the cycling community—I know we are all in prayers together because he is one of us. I heed warning to all motorists, all pedestrians. For cyclists this is where we train, this is where we race; so you will see cyclists. Of course we are going into the middle of the cycling season now with the big races coming up—the Krem Classic first of all and then we have the Cross Country, we have the road Championship and all the other races. So you will see a lot more cyclists on the road training. But not only cyclists training, you will also see other everyday citizens out there exercising. When the dry season comes that’s when you start to see the heavy influx of people on the road. So we ask motorists to proceed with caution. 
The law is when you see a cyclist; three feet. But we understand the road conditions and similar we ask our cyclists to train with caution as well. The sunrise isn’t until quarter pass six every morning now and that is too late for cyclists to be on the road. So they leave home at four-thirty, five o’clock, five-thirty and so we ask them similarly to take precaution, wear your reflectors, have your lights on, be aware of your surroundings, be aware on oncoming traffic. We know the roads aren’t the best right now because of the rains; some of the road conditions aren’t where we would like it to be, but the road is for everyone. We ask motorists, cyclists and pedestrians to share and be cautious of each other.”
As much as I have sympathy with Geon Hanson I am more than surprised that more of the cyclist early in the morning have not been knocked down or killed, or course it would then be the driver of the car/truck/bus that would be jailed and charged with careless driving, driving without due care and attention, manslaughter by negligence, causing death by careless driving etc. etc., when 99.9% of the time it would be the cyclist that is at fault. I have to drive down the George Price Highway before dawn most mornings heading to work, daily I pass cyclist riding two or three abreast (is that legal), no lights (front or rear – need them both- does the law not say that?), no reflectors (required by law?), cyclists wearing the lycra suits which is non-reflective (not a law, but surely it is sense – be seen, be safe). The road past the dump for miles has no lights, long straight sections, not too bad if you can drive with head-lights on full beam, but when another vehicle is heading towards you should dip you lights, more often than not as is usual in Belize as there is no method for having lights checked and aligned correctly with the oncoming vehicle with their lights badly adjusted, you are blinded and have to move over to the right, can’t see the cyclist until you have almost hit them – it is going to happen, it has in the past, it will in the future unless cyclist learn that they must also obey the laws of the road, get lights (on ALL bikes), get reflectors (on all bikes) wear something that reflects, be seen, be safe.
Might be an idea for the Police at the Mile 4 checkpoint to confiscate any bike passing that was not in accordance with law and a danger to other road users, but not likely as the bikes appear out of the dark and are gone. Maybe time for the Minister of Works and Transport to have a word with the Minister of State, Minister of Finance and Economic Development Emphasis on Economic Development and get him to get his mates to obey the rules of the road and get some lights for their bikes
Mr. Coach, thanks, your words are very true and correct.
But the roads also needs be improved, we need a visible line in the center of the road, a visible on the side of the road that will seperate the bicycle lane, PLEASE Ministers… PLEASE.
Mr. Coach, thanks, your words are very true and correct.
But the roads also needs be improved, we need a visible line in the center of the road, a line visible also on the side of the road that will seperate the bicycle lane, PLEASE Ministers… PLEASE.
Get well soon my brother!
The problem we have is there is no emphasis on who get a drivers licences… Too ofter you hear about accidents and trucks and buses because the people who get these licences are not propertly trained to do so and no intensive test and given for them to acquire a licences.
The taximen are another story all together –
I saw an excellent suggestion from Mr. Anwar Barrow for public service announcements in the form of a commercial which would educate some people…
This young man Mr. Hanson is what other young people should aspire to be.
slow …you are obviously a bus driver or friends wuth one…i was driving that road that morning…the bus drivers and the truck drivers are completely out of control…they drive like maniacs…they purposly ride the center line to intimidate on coming traffic …and if you move over they cross the center line for fn…they will also drive way over the speed limit for large vehicles …and when you try to pass they speed up and force you off the road…that is why more tourist are killed by traffice accidents in belize…the goverment NEDS TO HAVE a unmarked car catch these RECLESS drivers and get them off the road…