cyclist killed by text messaging teen

[Bruce K]

Did anyone catch the CNN runner or a small blurb in their newspaper about a 20-something cyclist who was hit by a teenage driver on Wednesday in Colorado?

The kid apparently lost control of his car while attempting to send a text message on his cell phone and hit the cyclist. The cyclist died of his injuries yesterday.

According to today's paper the teenager will be charged with a misdemeanor.

Isn't that at least vehicular manslaughter?

BK

[Kevan]

NY'rs are really heeding the state law concerning cellpone use while driving. Never have I seen a law so totally disregarded.

Excuse me, I have a call.

[shaq-d]

According to today's paper the teenager will be charged with a misdemeanor.

Isn't that at least vehicular manslaughter?

BK

well, first i wanna say it's a tragedy and horrible. but what are you looking for? justice? deterrent? hard to say it's a matter of justice: we're talking about a kid here. as fo deterrence, no lawmaker is going to step in and fight for bikes over cars. not when cars, oil, sheet metal, etc., pay billions of taxes and jobs.

sd

[soulspinner]

One would think so. Besides, lets not send the message that NOT PAYING ATTENTION WHILE DRIVING is any more excusable than DWI. Soon I hope all cars are bluetoothed so we can be safer in our cars.

[manet]

this will hurt:

http://www.americaneunuchs.com/Geld%20Burd%20copy2.jpg

[jwb96]

Did anyone catch the CNN runner or a small blurb in their newspaper about a 20-something cyclist who was hit by a teenage driver on Wednesday in Colorado?
BK
According to reports on the bicycling.com forums, it's wasn't a 20-something, but an older gentleman that went by the username BikerBilly. He had over 17k posts on that forum and although sometimes grouchy, was well-respected for sharing a lot of good bicycling advice.

[Ginger]

Justice? No...I wouldn't say anyone would want justice in this case, that might fall in the "eye for an eye" version of life...

Accountability for the driver's inattention to the task at hand (driving) costing another human life would be nice.

It seems like that would call for more than a misdemeanor. Although I was reading that they were considering the lesser charge as it would be more likely to get the conviction (in part due to the age of the driver, they seem to think that no one would want to put him behind bars for a long time...).

[kestrel]

He went by sydney on bikeforums, here's a link to the article and a picture he posted awhile back.

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=155557

[Serpico]

this is sydney from bikeforums :( he was 63 btw, and in great shape (his daughter posted a pic at bikeforums)

hey was a HUGE contributor in the mechanics forum

a bit brash, but he was also funny--he had 9,000 posts at bikeforums

he posted at 3 other forums as well, someone said he had 50,000 posts total--all just offering mechanical device, no vanity threads

I pm'ed him about a month ago and he responded to two of my posts last week

Some people had issues with his personality, I just considered it the price of admission for his expertise, and part of it as his schtick

I respected him for his incredible amount of expertise and no BS attitude

It's a loss for so many people, hundreds of people on the four forums he visited relied on him for so much information

condolences to his family


Teen in Crash May Have Been Text Messaging (http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/11/26/ap/national/mainD8E4AGFG3.shtml)

http://img.breitbart.com/images/ap.gif

Nov 26 1:24 PM US/Eastern
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HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colo.


A 17-year-old likely will face misdemeanor charges after allegedly losing control of his car while text messaging and hitting a bicyclist.

The bicyclist, Jim R. Price of Highlands Ranch, died Friday, two days after the accident.

"We do not believe it was an intentional act, but it was inattentiveness to the roadway," said Lt. Alan Stanton, spokesman for Douglas County Sheriff's Office.

"The investigation showed that he was text-messaging on his cell phone" at the time of the accident, said Stanton.

The driver could face a charge of careless driving resulting in death, Stanton said. Under Colorado law, the teen could face up to a year in prison.

It was the second time Price, an avid cyclist, had been hit by car. He suffered a broken ankle two years ago when he was hit while riding on a bike path. His wife, Shirley, said he had been especially mindful of cars since then.

Shirley Price wasn't angry with the teen. "I feel sorry for the teenager," she said. "It was a stupid mistake," she told the Rocky Mountain News.

[DfCas]

I just read a post his daughter put up and it said he posted here under the name "bubba".

dan

[Serpico]

wouldn't surprise me, he had a CSI--among other bikes

[EPOJoe]

Tragic. While I consider all cyclists brothers, this is the first time I recall a forum member here (77 posts) losing his life while cycling. :(

[Doc Austin]

I can't believe how often this happens. It just makes me furious.

[sunninho]

RIP bubba, BikerBilly, sydney

Be careful everyone and drive safely.

[William]

One would think so. Besides, lets not send the message that NOT PAYING ATTENTION WHILE DRIVING is any more excusable than DWI. Soon I hope all cars are bluetoothed so we can be safer in our cars.

Drinking and driving Vs. Not watching the road and playing with your cell phone.

Both sound like impared driving to me. Both should at least carry manslaughter charges.

I know he's a kid, he's young, and he didn't mean to do it. But most people don't mean to drink and drive either. And it's not like his drivers ed classes didn't try to teach him to watch the road at all times and not play with distracting devices......or drink and drive. As such, he had been warned.....and someone is dead.


May he rest in peace.

William

[Needs Help]

well, first i wanna say it's a tragedy and horrible. but what are you looking for? justice?
Yes. He took a life. At the very minimum, he should never be able to drive again. He should also do jail time. What's a life worth? What is the life of your child, brother, sister, father or mother worth? A misdemeanor?
deterrent?
Yes. If no one is responsible for their actions, then living among others is much more dangerous.

hard to say it's a matter of justice: we're talking about a kid here.
If someone has a driver's license and makes the decision to get behind a wheel of a car, then they are responsible for the consequences of their actions.

as fo deterrence, no lawmaker is going to step in and fight for bikes over cars. not when cars, oil, sheet metal, etc., pay billions of taxes and jobs.
A country can punish people who kill, and still have cars, oil, and sheet metal pay billions of taxes, and create millions of jobs.

In addition, why should we continually expect so little of our law makers? We elect them, and we can kick them out, and we can even eliminate their jobs completely if we want. Why isn't there a death penalty for violating the public trust? If a lawmaker lies, steals, cheats, or commits crimes while in a position of public trust, why shouldn't they be subject to the severest of penalties? The damage they do to society as a whole is much more severe than what a murderer does. Look at what the corrupt politicians did in New Orleans. Doesn't that deserve capital punishment?

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . this deserves jail time and other measures to make sure this teen NEVER forgets what he did.

I have said it before and will say it again--there is a woeful lack these days of meaningful consequences for people who do things like this. Everyone seems to get sympathy to some degree as a “victim” these days. Even in something like this so many people are going to have the atittude of, “It was an accident of youth--we shouldn’t ruin the rest of his life for it.” That’s what happened around here with a healthy number of people with Josh Paniccia when was drag racing on a narrow road and murdered David Ryan.

Well, look at the picture. Bubba was 63? He looks far younger physically--so much work, obviously so much vitality, and it looks like a role as a grandfather--all murdered by some PFK (pimply faced kid) gossiping with his buddies when he should have been watching where he was going. Put the kid in jail for at least a year, yank his license for 3 years after he gets out, and give him 1000 hours of community service going around to drivers Ed classes explaining what he did and where it got him.

But that won’t happen. That’s a shame, but fortunately Bubba was married to a saint, judging by her quoted comments.

BBDave

[Registered User]

he was "bubba' on the Serotta forum

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=155985
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=155557

and 'boudreaux' on Cycling Forums

http://www.cyclingforums.com/t301831-im-hoping-we-didnt-just-lose-a-member.html

[jerk]

the jerk remembers that bubba guy...he was a self proclaimed redneck with some nice colnagos and the balls to call out people who didn't know what the hell they were talking about when it comes to colnago geometry....plus as that picture shows he had great taste in shorts....

sorry to see you ride off bub,
later days,
jerk

[Dekonick]

We just had a police officer struck by a car - he was in critical condition over the weekend and had to have one leg amputated. (public info - in newspaper thus no HIPPA violation...) He was struck while directing traffic at a previous accident scene. Why post this in this thread? - the person who struck him was attempting to retrieve their cell phone after they dropped it!

He also enjoyed riding off road.

Watch out for cell phone users! :butt: :no:

Believe it or not he is in good spirits despite 4 days on a ventilator and the loss of his limb.

Be careful!