Cyclist dies after dog crash

An early morning recreational bike ride ended in tragedy after a fatal collision between a cyclist and a runaway dog. Douglas William Cater, 65, died in Auckland hospital 10 days after falling off his bike outside Glover Park, St Heliers, on April 1.

He was cycling downhill on Glover Rd about 6.30am when a chocolate labradoodle called Ruby ran from the park, an approved Auckland City Council off-lead dog exercise area.

The father-of-three, who was wearing a helmet, hit the 10-month-old dog and fell off his bike, suffering severe head and internal injuries.

He was rushed to hospital but died on April 11. Oh, that's my birthday!

Senior Constable Bryan Hensley of the Auckland Serious Crash Unit is investigating. He said Ruby's owner had let her off her lead and was about to throw her a ball when she ran into the road.

Hensley said the road had a slight bend in it and many cyclists went around it on the wrong side of the road. "Coming down the hill, you can see everything coming towards you. When we got there, the marks and debris were on the wrong side of the road.

(...)

"It's just one of those very unfortunate things." He said Ruby was a bit "battered and bruised and sore" but otherwise okay.

How bizarre! but a crash is a crash, it could have come from a car, a sheep... it makes you appreciate the days above the ground just a bit better.