http://www.bicycling.com/culture/news/b ... t-by-a-car
Bike Racer Ellen Watters Dies 5 Days After Being Hit by a CarFriends and family hope to honor the up-and-coming pro cyclist, who died from complications of the crash, with a safer passing distance lawBY CAITLIN GIDDINGS DECEMBER 29, 2016
ellen watters cyclist
Ellen Watters competing in the 2016 Canadian Road Cycling Championships. FLOWIZM/FLICKR
Canadian bike racer Ellen Watters, 28, died Wednesday, five days after being hit by a car on a training ride near her home in Sussex, New Brunswick.
Watters raced for The Cyclery-Opus, a Canadian women’s development team, for years, and had recently signed to pro road team Colavita/Bianchi for 2017. This past Memorial Day, she won the Tour of Sommerville—an esteemed 50-mile race held annually in Sommerville, New Jersey, since 1940.
Her death is mourned by cyclists across Canada and the US.
Watters’ sister Lily released a statement on Facebook, urging friends and family to “channel some of Ellen's fantastic energy, and use it to improve the safety conditions for cyclists.
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“It's very difficult to find the right way to share news that is so important and so terrible for so many people,” she writes. “Ellen no longer had any brain function when the excellent and very kind doctors examined her this afternoon. She was surrounded by family, and so many dear friends, over the past few days, and has received more support than I could have imagined. Ellen was truly an awesome force. Everyone who knew Ellen was better off for it. She shared joy with everyone she knew, and took joy in sharing her love and positivity around her.”
According to CBC News, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police of Sussex are still investigating the crash and have not determined whether any charges will be filed against the motorist. Watters was hit by the driver of a Volkswagen Golf traveling in the same direction as her at 2:30 p.m. on December 23; conditions were clear.
Watters’ cycling team and friends are already discussing ways to bring a new one-meter passing rule called “Ellen’s Law” to New Brunswick. A similar law, which has been in effect in Ontario since 2015, requires motorists to maintain a distance of just over three feet when passing a cyclist, or face a $110 fine and two license demerit points.
In addition to joining the movement to enact this law, and practicing safe driving when passing bikes, cyclists can remember Ellen Watters and show their support for her family through the “Love for Ellen” GoFundMe campaign.