Posted on 02/10/2005 7:16:51 AM PST by Theodore R.
Just because it is legal for bicycles to share the road with cars, doesn't make it smart.
A time to pray, not yell.
Yes, it's horrible. OTOH, I live in Durango CO, named the "Mountain Biking Capitol of the World", and there are many "bikers" who pay no heed to the laws of riding on public roads. Don't know all the details of this story, but I get really tired of "bikers" who think they're impervious and not covered by the laws of road use...and really tired of them riding three or four abreast throwing me the bird when I honk and then pass them. Just some of my experience. Sad this guy got dead.
FMCDH(BITS)
"Reports also indicate Hobbs was riding to Thornton's left inside the westbound lane."
...inside the westbound lane.
180 lb rider, 22+ lb bike / versus 5000 lb truck.
perhaps the cyclist would be alive today had he been following in the tiremarks of his friend who was not riding inside the traffic lane.
Just a thought.
I don't remember which FReeper it was, but one ended up posting that he now "packs" while pedaling, so he can pop off a few rounds at those drivers that dare toot the horn at him.
I suspect this wasn't entirely the driver's fault.
"Reports also indicate Hobbs was riding to Thornton's left inside the westbound lane."
Not a good idea to ride in the lane in Texas.
My brother was hit and killed on his bike along a very wide road in Georgia. Nothing was done to the guy who hit him, who did stop and call the police. The guy driving the car was shaky as far as his driving history and some other facts in his background, but there were no witnesses, other than the driver.
I used to ride my bike 18 miles to work from Higganum to Wallingford, CT. For a good deal of the ride, I rode on a section of road about 12" wide outside of the white line marking the edge of the road. Those cars were whizzing by awfully close. I, too, was training for triathlons.
Maybe not that he hit him but once he had there's no reason he shouldn't have stopped.
That leads one to believe that the driver is at fault.
We live outside a collage town and often have cyclists on the roads.
I have stopped many of them, to try and explain that it's not a good idea to dress in camo then hit the roads.
The colorful outfits and broken patterns may stand out in the city full of gray concrete. But put them against the background of fall leaves or spring buds and they disappear.
(As I become more and more republican, I have more assets I have to protect, don't you know.)
Legally, the driver is probably at fault. This happened only five minutes after sunset. I know in my state, headlights are not required until civil twilight ends half an hour after sunset. And it's the responsibility of the vehicle operator approaching from behind to pass safely.
However, a cavalier attitude toward visibility is a stupid attitude for a cyclist.
"a cavalier attitude toward visibility is a stupid attitude for a cyclist."
I couldn't agree more. I'm thinking there'll be more to the story with respect to the driver.
Since Auto insurance isn't required to ride a bike I doubt it.
Is it difficult to find your way around a collage town?
That is the amazing thing about hit-and-runs. Unless they are drunk or seriously disobeying traffic laws, if they stop they won't even be charged.
That's what I thought. I wonder if I should get umbrella coverage for this.
If it turned out to be the cyclists fault you could always sue him/her.
My thoughts and prayers go to the victim. And the same to the man who struck the cyclist. While he may not have been able to see the cyclist, he should have stopped.
Though, my parents always told me that it was safer to ride against traffic. That way you could see who (i.e. an auto) was coming at you.
I've gotten nearly run over my cyclists when walking my dog. They come speeding through my apartment complex, completely taking up the entire street. Then yell/curse at me to get off the road!
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