Sad Reminder of the dangers of cycling

[MikeWaters]

Does Tex want to forgive and not punish drunk drivers who kill?

[creekster]

Originally Posted by Coach McGuirk

I was hit some ten years ago in AF canyon. I was coming off of a trail by tibble fork and was headed to climb back up to the top of alpine loop. An old man in an 70's impalla ran me into the side of the mountain. A second before my legs were pinned, I jumped off my bike pushed off the back of his car and landed on the pavement. I was not seriously injured but my bike was. The old man continued on his way as though nothing had happened.

Believe me when I say I take this stuff seriously. Numerous times idiots have "buzzed my tower" and yelled Faggot as I swerve in trying to maintain a position between eating it on a soft shoulder or crashing into traffic.

The only reason I titled the thread Sad Reminder of the dangers of Cycling is because regardless of how careful I am, someone that is driving a 2 ton machine can come along and end my life without notice. In no way are these cyclists at fault, even if they were out of the bike lane and this guy should be prosecuted, no matter how badly I feel for him. My life depends on prosecuting everyone of them to some degree or another. Otherwise, the life of a cyclist is inconsequential.

Good post. I agree completely.

[creekster]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

He could have been looking down, pickign something off the floorboard, texting someone, etc. in a road that was bending to the right.

Poosibly, but that is criminal conduct. Besides, he is a cop. It is evenh worse for that to happen to him.

[Indy Coug]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

Does Tex want to forgive and not punish drunk drivers who kill?

<Thread synopsis>

MW: Murder!
Tex: Not murder.
MW: Does Tex want to forgive and not punish drivers who kill?

[creekster]

Originally Posted by Indy Coug

<Thread synopsis>

MW: Murder!
Tex: Not murder.
MW: Does Tex want to forgive and not punish drivers who kill?

You forgot one:

Indycoug: Failure to demonstrate reading comprehension but makes partisan comment anyway.

Waters asked if a drunk that killed while driing was any different to Tex. You don't thinhk this is legitmate inquiry based on Tex's postrs?

[Indy Coug]

Originally Posted by creekster

You forgot one:

Indycoug: Failure to demonstrate reading comprehension but makes partisan comment anyway.

Waters asked if a drunk that killed while driing was any different to Tex. You don't thinhk this is legitmate inquiry based on Tex's postrs?

I don't think anyone gives Tex a legitimate inquiry on this site. There is no way given the scant details in that article that anyone could divine intent.

[Spaz]

The issue should be investigated, and prosecution seriously considered.

Regardless of circumstances, anything that results in an accident, with or without fatalities, as a result of negligent driving, deserves investigation & possible prosecution.



We've all made mistakes while driving, and there's a number of possibilities that could have resulted in a purely accidental set of circumstances leading to this result. It's surprising, and perhaps condemning, that one who should be a model for safe driving ended up with this result.

While I'm not prepared to condemn the guy for it, if it's true that this was intentional, or even unintentional (read not a 'hazing' incident) but the result of negligence, the guy deserves prosecution. Having unintentionally, but negligently, caused a near-death experience while driving recklessly (wasn't nearly so much fun after the accident), I'd say I would have deserved prosecution if anyone had died from my lapse in judgment.


I would post an attempted joke about bikers wearing spandex, but this isn't the appropriate thread to do so in...

[Tex]

Originally Posted by Coach McGuirk

In no way are these cyclists at fault, even if they were out of the bike lane and this guy should be prosecuted, no matter how badly I feel for him. My life depends on prosecuting everyone of them to some degree or another. Otherwise, the life of a cyclist is inconsequential.

I don't know if this is addressed to me, but I never suggested the cyclists were at fault. And I don't think mercy on the part of the family, presuming this was an accident, means that the life of anyone--much less a cyclist--is inconsequential.

Originally Posted by creekster

Tex? Can you offer any scenario that would suggest this was a simple matter offorgiveable inattention thta could happen to anyone?

I'm not sure my thoughts are fairly characterized as "a simple matter of forgiveable inattention" ... I'm trying to give you the benefit of the doubt here, creekster, and assume you aren't engaging in Archaea-style distortion here, but legitimately misunderstanding.

There's nothing simple about taking 2 (or 3) lives. It's a horrible tragedy. What I'm suggesting is that you have knee-jerk imputed intent to this man based less on actual evidence than on your own emotion reactions to others who were legitimately guilty of taunting cyclists.

Based on a single article with barely a pair of paragraphs on the incident, you all have divined intent, pronounced guilt, and determined sentence.

Originally Posted by Archaea

But Tex's attitude scares me. Killing cyclists is ho-hum.

BTW, I feel the same way about DUI drivers who kill others. There must be strict enforcement to deter others.

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

Does Tex want to forgive and not punish drunk drivers who kill?

It's demonstrative of the irrationality you folks are approaching this issue when my comments are characterized as treating this tragedy as "ho-hum."

Drunk driving is a little bit different in my opinion, but depending on the circumstances, the same counsel could apply.

[creekster]

Originally Posted by Indy Coug

I don't think anyone gives Tex a legitimate inquiry on this site. There is no way given the scant details in that article that anyone could divine intent.

I can divine he was a cop on duty driving his car that killed two people on the opposite side of the road. That is enough needed to }etermine criminal conduct.

[Tex]

Originally Posted by creekster

I can divine he was a cop on duty driving his car that killed two people on the opposite side of the road. That is enough needed to }etermine criminal conduct.

Indeed. And criminal negligence is likely an appropriate charge.

Barring evidence of malice, "murder" is not.