Local drivers and Maui residents have long complained about the bike tours sending hundreds of thousands of newbie cyclists down the serpentine road descending Haleakala Volcano, Maui's 10,000 dormant volcano. The tours clogged up traffic with endless trails of slow-moving cyclists and chase vans following suit. Apparently, these concerns are increasingly justified. An Ohio woman perished on a Halekala downhill ride yesterday after being struck by one of the chase vans.

This was the third death this year alone, making the downhill ride the most dangerous "adventure" activity in the islands on a per-capita basis. My advice? I never liked the ride, anyway, with the ridiculous jumpsuits and helmets. Go up later in the day and if you want to ride down, do it yourself and at your own pace in the late afternoon without the crowds and the scary vans. The views are spectacular and worth it.

—Alex, 09/27/07