Posted on 09/18/2011 7:32:42 AM PDT by Immerito
A few months ago, I received a phone call from a cyclist with an incredible story about an incident in Lawrence County, Ohio. Because the cyclist-a guy named Tony Patrick-was in need of an attorney, I hooked him up with Steve Magas, a contributing author to Bicycling & the Law, and a well-known bicycling attorney in Ohio. After hearing Tony's story, Steve took his case. More about that later; first, let me tell you about Tony.
Weekdays, Tony runs his small construction company in Huntington, West Virginia. Weeknights, and weekends, Tony, a Cat 2 racer, can often be found hanging out at Jeff's Bike Shop-that is, when he's not out on a training ride, or racing. And that's not unusual; Jeff's Bike Shop is the center of a vibrant racing scene in Huntington, the second-largest city in West Virginia, and the home of Marshall University.
That racing scene means regular training rides, all of which start out and end up at Jeff's. There's a ride every other day, each geared to a different set of riders, but the real hammerfest is the Tuesday night ride. That's the ride where the locals try, as Tony puts it, to hurt each other over the course of a 23-34 mile route that takes them across the Ohio River, into the back roads of southern Ohio, before looping back across the river into Huntington.
And that's how Tony found himself just outside of Chesapeake, Ohio, one Tuesday night in August of 2008, heading into town to take the bridge back across to Huntington. Tony was riding with "Ryan," a then-16 year old nationally-ranked racer with a 4.2 GPA. ["Ryan" is a pseudonym; I've concealed his identity because he's a minor.]
(Excerpt) Read more at bicycling.com ...
Lesson here is to stay out of Ohio.
He obviously doesn't have enough sense to stay off the roads where death is one splat away.
Having lived in mountain communities and beach communities with riders, I find they are a pain in the ass. They do not obey traffic laws, they ride in clumps impeding traffic (when paths are provided) and generally obnoxious sots.
I have little sympathy for them when for years I have seen how they “obey the law” - they don’t.
The article writer took 9 pages to tell his story. Seems to be impressed with himself and love the cyclists.
“they ride in clumps impeding traffic (when paths are provided) and generally obnoxious sots.”
They scuff your paint job when you swat them with a fender as well....
I guess all walkers, people walking their dogs, runners, kid on bikes, etc should stay off the roads, too. Right? Roads are for cars only. Right?
Well he was writing for a cycling site, I supposed his love of cyclists could surprise some people.
When I got to the bottom of the first page and realized that, I bailed.
Naked blog-hit pimping.
I bike at least twice a week when the weather is good, and I agree with you 100%.
Bicyclists should have no right to be on a road, period. When you think about it, it doesn't even make sense. A bike going 5 mph sharing a road with cars going 35 mph?
As you said, if you want to bike, find a bike trail.
Is this article actually 10+ pages long? According to the link, it is.
After suffering through that article, I would have entitled it “When A-holes Collide”, the cop was one, and the bikers were not to far off the mark either.
This cop certainly seems to have delusions of grandeur as well as anger management issues. This deputy needs to be fired and the prosecutors who defended this idiot’s action before a judge need to be sanctioned and disciplined by the court. This is totally outrageous and the taxpayers are going to get hammered in this case when it gets to court.
HUH? I do not pass them on mountain roads, as much as I would love to knock them over I don’t.
Bike paths have plenty of room if they road single file like the are supposed to - they don’t. That’s why its called impeding traffic.
The worst offenders are the ones with the “special” racing colors and those helmets that make them look like their heads are deformed.......
When a cop says “Pull over”, you better pull over. Why argue with him? Not that cops are always right. But they are always cops. You get a lot further being nice than arguing with them over a traffice issue.
I speak from experience as I had one dart right in front of my car when I was going 5 miles an hour with the light and he was riding in the crosswalk, not on the road. Luckily he was not seriously injured, tried to flush marijuana and was not wearing a helmet. In addition, many observers in the area told the police that I was a total victim. Of course, he was a minor and I had to handle the repairs to my car with my insurance only.
I personally think that bicyclists need to learn to share the road, or get off the road. I could not live with myself if I seriously hurt a bicyclist, but they must learn to be responsible or they will die. It is as simple as that.
Yep, and many on two wheels will be willing to lose a fight with a 1 ton vehicle to prove it.....idiots!
Simple common sense: when the cop says “stop” you stop. If the cop is wrong you’ll have your day in court to demonstrate that. To ignore the order to stop only needlessly escalates the situation.
This cyclists license an tags an proof of liability an collision insurance gives him all the authority he needs to be on the road like the rest of the drivers on the roads........:o)
Physics an safety be dammed ....spandex vs steel phhhhtttt..;o)
This story is he said we said BS.
The deputy doesn’t need to be fired, he needs to be criminally charged. Oh, and fired.
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