On this day in 1995, Canberra's sub-zero temperatures wreaked havoc for cyclists all over the territory. The conditions gave cyclists more trouble than just frozen fingers, faces and toes. At least four cyclists were thrown from due to black ice on bicycle paths.
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John Miller, a regular cyclist, was riding on his usual path to work at around 7.45am the day before when he saw his friend, Graeme Smith, who was receiving medical attention after a fall in an underpass in Kaleen that ran below Ginninderra Drive.
Smith was brought to Calvary Hospital and then transferred to Woden Valley for surgery to be performed on his hip. Miller said "the waters just runs across there and in the morning it freezes solid and becomes incredibly slippery. The ambulance officers had trouble just trying to push their stretcher down there. Then, while they were there picking up Graeme another girl went over on the ice right in front of us".
Miller continued "earlier yesterday someone also fell off there and smashed their bike and a friend told someone else fell off in Yarralumla on ice on a bike path as well". He stated every season in Canberra brought its own unique challenges to cyclists.
![The front page of the paper on this day in 1995. The front page of the paper on this day in 1995.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/232169359/49dc59a0-8d93-45f3-81a3-59e537e9d943.png/r0_0_902_1261_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Miller previously received stitches earlier in the year as he hit a pile of autumn leaves after coming off at high speed. He said "I ride from Flynn each morning and I cross a number of these icy patches and I'm just very careful of them. Apparently Graeme saw the ice and slowed right down but when he hit it, it just threw him off and I think he's hit the concrete wall as he fell".
Miller would simply like people to be aware of the potential black ice on cycling paths as the injury risk could be quite severe.
He highlighted the numerous kids who use the path to ride to school. Anyone could be injured at any time.