This is nuts! [Archive] - The Paceline Forum

chuckred

07-09-2008, 09:50 AM

and not an "accident"!

My sister lives in the area and has bought things from Synergy - reports that they are really nice folks. Not that it matters in this context, but brings it even closer to home.

I've seen several close incidents on other organized rides and it really bothers me!

One was an elderly lady who was trying to go down the closed highway at the start of the Triple By Pass. She had to be forcibly restrained (well almost) by the Co State Patrol as she was so mad and they were worried she'd do something stupid.

Another was a 30 something trashy woman who refused to slow or stop for traffic director at the start of the Bob Cook Memorial last year. She finally stopped when the traffic director threw his radio at the back of her car - she was screaming at him despite the fact that she was putting many people's lives at risk.

My broken record take on these folks - no different than terrorists...

Cdub

07-09-2008, 09:53 AM

So what will happen to the driver of the vehicle?

bike <3'er

07-09-2008, 09:56 AM

Could be a Doctor, PhD of Engineering, Philosophy or Veterinary Medicine etc. Still, it goes to show that, as William might offer, "Well it proves one thing, Mr. Hooper. It proves that you wealthy college boys don't have the education enough to admit when you're wrong."

gasman

07-09-2008, 09:57 AM

So what will happen to the driver of the vehicle?

He is out on $30 K bail and has a court appearance next week. The police are investigating and it sounds like felony charges may be brought against him.

William

07-09-2008, 10:08 AM

He is out on $30 K bail and has a court appearance next week. The police are investigating and it sounds like felony charges may be brought against him.

FIRE UP THE GRILL!!!!!

http://markruinsdinner.files.wordpress.com/2007/09/grill-fire.jpg

William

johnnymossville

07-09-2008, 10:11 AM

There is hardly a single ride I go on where I don't see at least one stupid move by a driver. Not to mention, now that drivers are busy talking on their phones and staring at their GPS, it's getting even harder to get noticed. Maybe with the current climate change and gas price hysteria the court of public opinion will turn a bit in our favor. Dunno about that though.

That LA Times article did sound a bit anti-cyclist.

Fixed

07-09-2008, 10:12 AM

CMY

07-09-2008, 10:22 AM

Look at how it's portrayed in the LA Times. Almost makes it seem like the cyclists are to blame:

The way I read it was that this is an ongoing problem in the area. The Doc is completely to blame in this particular incident (and I hope the guys make a full and speedy recovery), but can we please stop and acknowledge that this might have been the culmination of months / years of cyclists getting in the way of the residents there?

I realize where I am (flame suit on) but I don't think either side walks on water.. both do some stupid sh*t at times. Unfortunately it's usually the innocent who are the victims of a slow boil, just as this case demonstrates.

BURCH

07-09-2008, 10:55 AM

The way I read it was that this is an ongoing problem in the area. The Doc is completely to blame in this particular incident (and I hope the guys make a full and speedy recovery), but can we please stop and acknowledge that this might have been the culmination of months / years of cyclists getting in the way of the residents there?

I realize where I am (flame suit on) but I don't think either side walks on water.. both do some stupid sh*t at times. Unfortunately it's usually the innocent who are the victims of a slow boil, just as this case demonstrates.

+1

These poor guys were probable victims of months/years of a few cyclists that consistently ignored proper riding etiquette and have created hatred. No excuse for the driver though. His butt should be locked up immediately.

bostondrunk

07-09-2008, 11:10 AM

Screw the law. Send Willy out there to deal with him!!!

chuckred

07-09-2008, 11:12 AM

+1

These poor guys were probable victims of months/years of a few cyclists that consistently ignored proper riding etiquette and have created hatred. No excuse for the driver though. His butt should be locked up immediately.

It's no different than pulling a gun out on someone who cuts you off on the freeway, a semi truck driver running over a car who passes them on the right, etc.

People should be able to get mad without trying to kill an innocent person.

I bet the cyclists were going the speed limit on the way down - I know that's not a 50MPH road!

Ozz

07-09-2008, 11:45 AM

From the LA Times article....

"People here are very, very angry at bicyclists and their disregard for the laws of the road,"

Like cutting in front of cars and slamming on their brakes......I hate it when cyclists do that.... :rolleyes:

Thread drift:

I had a front row seat to seeing a bicycle commuter almost get squashed by a metro bus this morning.

I was sitting on the bus next to the front door. The bus had just exited the freeway (Stewart Street, by REI Flagship store) and had a green light at the intersection at the bottom of the ramp and was proceeding thru.

The bicyclist turned right onto street without looking or stopping at his red light. Luckily, the bus driver saw the idiot, slowed and was able to avoid hitting the cyclist, but only by about a foot. I don't think the doofus (no offense to Dr. Doofus) even saw the bus coming until he tried to continue to cut across traffic. Bear in mind this was about 7:45 during the peak of the morning commute.

There are idiots on both sides of the fence....

just saying...

OtayBW

07-09-2008, 12:59 PM

+1

These poor guys were probable victims of months/years of a few cyclists that consistently ignored proper riding etiquette and have created hatred. No excuse for the driver though. His butt should be locked up immediately.
You're no doubt correct. The prevailing 'wisdom' seems to be that cyclists don't ride according to the laws of the road. Sounds like these guys were riding lawfully at the time of the incident.

According to the LA Times article:
"People here are very, very angry at bicyclists and their disregard for the laws of the road," [Wendy-Sue] Rosen said, adding that residents had reported being spat upon by cyclists.

I suppose she was either speaking generally about the situation out there, or if she was referring to this particular incident, sounds like she needs to get her @ss better informed.

Vancouverdave

07-09-2008, 01:03 PM

Not completely OT, but NPR ran a story this morning on the centennial of the Ford Model T being introduced to the world and my main thought was, will they even hint that Henry Ford, through mass production of automobiles, was a worse mass killer than Hitler, Stalin, Mao Zedong, Idi Amin, and every other psycho dictator of the 20th century combined? Made 'em all look like candy asses. I used to ride Mandeville and other canyons while living in LA. In my experience, wealthy white drivers are the most dangerous thing on four wheels--kind of like arrogant gangbangers with too much social empowerment.

erector

07-09-2008, 01:13 PM

Too much money, big fancy cars, the arrogance of movie stars, and the self-involvement of paris hilton.

what's worse, they can post bail and still show no responsibility for their action.

ps. this is coming from a 1/2 ASIAN cyclist who also has to ride with a large number of his fellow drivers on the road.

Dekonick

07-09-2008, 01:32 PM

An ER doctor. I am saddened to read this. A healer should not succomb to road rage. Sickening.

Funny thing is, lately, I have seen lots of folks on old steel - bikes that have been hanging for years and now are making a comeback...albeit with neophyte operators.

Be careful out there folks! Be friendly, and try to obey the laws...

Side note, I had some @ss yell at me to "get the FVCK out of the ROAD" last month. I was on Interstate 70, decked out in full turn out gear (the yellow reflective protective gear for firefighters) with a flashlight in hand directing traffic over so my engine driver could re-position and block off a lane of traffic to make it safe for the paramedics to work on an acciednt. I thought the State Trooper was going to blow a head gasket he was so pissed, but his car was on the other side of the guardrail...

If people get pissed when emergency crews work, imagine how they feel when slow fat cyclists like me hold them up in traffic... :eek:

girlie

07-09-2008, 01:34 PM

ps. this is coming from a 1/2 ASIAN cyclist who also has to ride with a large number of his fellow drivers on the road.

Well now!!
The true problem is Volvo drives and not anything to do with ethnicity.
:)

KJMUNC

07-09-2008, 02:11 PM

So apparently the DA is not going to procecute the Doc in this case due to "insufficient evidence of wrongdoing".

I just saw an email string that originated from one of riders involved and went back/forth between club leaders and attorneys. The Doctor (who owns a medical software company) has been identified by several other area cyclists as having been involved in other recent but unreported incidents on PCH and in the Mandeville area, but I guess the po-po's are going to wait until someone actually dies to do something about it.

Sucks they are not going to prosecute or even use this as a reason to establish a dialogue between the local clubs and area residents. If you've ever ridden Mandeville you know that both drivers, cyclists, and motorcyclists act like idiots on that road so something is bound to happen again. Those homeowners need to realize that buying a seven-figure house on a public road doesn't buy you the right to dictate who gets to use that road.

girlie

07-09-2008, 02:19 PM

Well I don't know all the facts....but it is a shame that nothing is happening.....wonder if they would have acted the same to any Joe Smow in that situation i.e. not a homeowner, etc............?
CRAP