Update: LA Doctor V. Cyclists

[Steelhead]

Here is a video from CNN that I just got, looks like the angry Dr. in LA is out on bail and actually may face some punishment for his road rage incident on two LA cyclists. Go get em' L.A. !

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2008/08/16/rowlands.bike.clash.crash.cnn

[gone]

Thanks for the follow up. Nice to see something being done since he's a repeat offender.

[dvs cycles]

I would like to know when and where the trial is at and attend. I'm sure I'm not alone.

[Acotts]

There was an article in the NYT about cyclist vs cars. One "Biker Lawyer" was quoted as saying that they only win one out of three cases because jury's often come into the courtroom with very strong negative opinions regarding cyclists.

[BumbleBeeDave]

There was an article in the NYT about cyclist vs cars. One "Biker Lawyer" was quoted as saying that they only win one out of three cases because jury's often come into the courtroom with very strong negative opinions regarding cyclists.

. . . but this guy's aggression was so obvious and egregious that I would be surprised if he's not convicted. Even if by some wild chance he's not, a civil judgement against this guy is a slam dunk.

BBD

[Steelhead]

Apparently he no longer practices medicine, but works for a medical product manufacturer or something like that, some kind of E.R. management software or something. Exactly what I cannot recall. If he is still a licensed Dr in CA. I hope they pull his license.

I think this goes way outside of the cars Vs bicycles thing and should be looked at as attempted vehicular homicide. I wonder if, given that this is not (apparently) the first time he has done this, if it could even be called a hate crime? He obviously targeted a specific "class" of people, ie. people riding bikes.

What a sad thing.

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . that attempted vehicular homicide would be a good charge, though maybe not totally supportable by his actions as reported. but assault with a deadly weapon, certainly . . .

BBD

[Bud_E]

. . . but this guy's aggression was so obvious and egregious that I would be surprised if he's not convicted. Even if by some wild chance he's not, a civil judgement against this guy is a slam dunk.

BBD

I would love to agree with you but with the current state of the legal system, I would be surprised if he was convicted. I hope I'm wrong and that he loses his shirt.

[Samster]

There was an article in the NYT about cyclist vs cars. One "Biker Lawyer" was quoted as saying that they only win one out of three cases because jury's often come into the courtroom with very strong negative opinions regarding cyclists.and "critical mass" events will only improve our reputation [joke].

[paulh]

Hopefully, not THIS kind of slam dunk!

[Steelhead]

Is that the Dr.? Remember, Dub rides, may be off road but he does ride.

[sloji]

I was recently returning home after a 30 mile ride and got behind a moped on a busy street doing about 18mph. I sat behind her about a foot back and relaxed enjoying the draft when she slammed on her brakes, I fishtailed and kept my line while she turned around and said "I didn't say you could draft off of me!" I rode around her and realizing I didn't want WWF smackdown with a 55 year woman on a moped I conceded and wondered if I was in the wrong. Looking back I realize just how f'ed up that situation was and just how bad it could have turned out. Was I wrong and if I was did that make her right?

[BumbleBeeDave]

I was recently returning home after a 30 mile ride and got behind a moped on a busy street doing about 18mph. I sat behind her about a foot back and relaxed enjoying the draft when she slammed on her brakes, I fishtailed and kept my line while she turned around and said "I didn't say you could draft off of me!" I rode around her and realizing I didn't want WWF smackdown with a 55 year woman on a moped I conceded and wondered if I was in the wrong. Looking back I realize just how f'ed up that situation was and just how bad it could have turned out. Was I wrong and if I was did that make her right?

. . . for more than about ten seconds without letting them know I'm there. Same courtesy I would expect if someone latched on behind me. I don"t mind in the least if somebody wants to suck my wheel for a while if they are courteous and let me know they're there. I do get a bit jiggy, though, if I know they are there and they sit there for miles on end without offering to take a pull.

I probably wouldn't do it with a moped, though, just because I have no idea if they know how drafting works.

BBD

[sloji]

I almost always announce and ask and this was one of the few, if not the only time, I have not and maybe the lesson is to be wary of any situation as my responsibility and not put it off on others...after all i'm the one who will lose!

On the other hand her reaction was a bit over the top and had she been a bit more prudent and waited another few hundred feet the road widened and would allow me to pass safely. She obviously didn't give a hoot about my safety and used her moped as a tool of her anger. Two wrongs don't make a right.

[BumbleBeeDave]

I almost always announce and ask and this was one of the few, if not the only time, I have not and maybe the lesson is to be wary of any situation as my responsibility and not put it off on others...after all i'm the one who will lose!

On the other hand her reaction was a bit over the top and had she been a bit more prudent and waited another few hundred feet the road widened and would allow me to pass safely. She obviously didn't give a hoot about my safety and used her moped as a tool of her anger. Two wrongs don't make a right.

She obviously did know something about drafting, or she wouldn't have chastised you for doing so without permission. But if I pulled up behind her I wouldn't know what she knows or not, so I'd just avoid sucking her wheel.

BBD

[gdw]

You planted yourself a foot off of a moped's rear tire and were surprised that the driver didn't appreciate your actions? Come on. Would you have done the same thing while driving your car? Why should it be ok when you're on your bike?

[sloji]

You planted yourself a foot off of a moped's rear tire and were surprised that the driver didn't appreciate your actions? Come on. Would you have done the same thing while driving your car? Why should it be ok when you're on your bike?

So I deserved to be punished, interesting view, and her use of her "vehicle" was an appropriate response to invading her space and had I gone down and cracked my skull on the pavement it would have been a "just" move.

Being right and making a reasoned and proportionate response can save lives no matter who is "just." I stick by my "two wrongs don't make it right." I was wrong and so was she.

[toaster]

IMHO, drafting off a moped when the rider is unaware is lame. Jamming the brakes on you is a dumb move as well. Hers is the greater sin when someone gets hurt, you drafting her may result in your own well deserved embarrassment if you touch the moped and fall.


I hope the Doctor gets the maximum sentence. Motorists can be real a-holes when they don't realize the difference between the size and weight of their vehicle compared to a rider and bike.

In most cases, a car turns in to a weapon of intimidation in the hands of the most cowardly humans.

[paczki]

So I deserved to be punished, interesting view, and her use of her "vehicle" was an appropriate response to invading her space and had I gone down and cracked my skull on the pavement it would have been a "just" move.

Being right and making a reasoned and proportionate response can save lives no matter who is "just." I stick by my "two wrongs don't make it right." I was wrong and so was she.

But the way she was wrong was much, much more wrong than the way you were. She could have dropped you, which would have been far more appropriate if you were bugging her. She certainly didn't need to nearly kill you.

[gdw]

She shouldn't have jammed on her brakes but you shouldn't have been tailgating her in the first place. The whole incident would never have occured if you had used a little common sense or followed the basic traffic laws.

[daker13]

They should file additional charges against that Dr. for his offensive hairpiece.

[sailorboy]

LOL,
yea and throw a charge at that lackey who appeared to be grinning like a fool while trying to keep the camera from getting close to the doctor....***?

I wish it were William who he stopped short on 'cause he would've had his spyderco already opened as he cannonballed through the back window, then surgically excised the good doctors peach right through the back of the fine corinthian leather seats on that lexus.

NEXT!

[sloji]

She shouldn't have jammed on her brakes but you shouldn't have been tailgating her in the first place. The whole incident would never have occured if you had used a little common sense or followed the basic traffic laws.

My friend who is a philosopher and statistician spoke to me once about how many laws the average person breaks daily both intentionally and unintentionally and how most of us would owe a fortune in fines. My common sense is in question for sure and as for following basic traffic laws...guilty as charged as I routinely roll through stop signs in deserted areas at 6 am.

[paczki]

They should file additional charges against that Dr. for his offensive hairpiece.

Very funny.

[goonster]

My friend who is a philosopher and statistician spoke to me once about [. . .]

OK, so we're all glad that they don't give philosophers or statisticians badges and guns!

[bzbvh5]

I was recently returning home after a 30 mile ride and got behind a moped on a busy street doing about 18mph. I sat behind her about a foot back and relaxed enjoying the draft when she slammed on her brakes, I fishtailed and kept my line while she turned around and said "I didn't say you could draft off of me!" I rode around her and realizing I didn't want WWF smackdown with a 55 year woman on a moped I conceded and wondered if I was in the wrong. Looking back I realize just how f'ed up that situation was and just how bad it could have turned out. Was I wrong and if I was did that make her right?

Long before I took up cycling I used to ride a moped to school. One day, someone decided to draft (echelon positioned so I saw him constantly out of the corner of my eye) off me without asking. He would even run the stoplights and catch back on when I caught up to him. I knew even then what he was doing but felt very put off and intimidated by his actions and wanted to tell him to stop ridding my ###. I know now he didn't think he was doing anything wrong or out of the ordinary. I didn't say anything and there was no altercation. I just don't think the general public views drafting in the same light as the cycling public.

[sloji]

OK, so we're all glad that they don't give philosophers or statisticians badges and guns!

Philosophers have words and statisticians have numbers and neither need a gun or a badge to be dangerous...in fact most often they find their end comes at the wrong end of a rope!

[jbrainin]

Back on topic, CNN reports the doctor has received a 7 year sentence for his actions.

[BumbleBeeDave]

Back on topic, CNN reports the doctor has received a 7 year sentence for his actions.

That was an awful quick trial. Perhaps you mean when he goes to trial he COULD end up receiving 7 years? Or has he copped a quick plea deal in the face of almost certain conviction that would garner far more jail time?

On a slightly related note, was he given any time credited for having the cojones to show up in public with such a bad toupe?

BBD

[jdoiv]

Back on topic, CNN reports the doctor has received a 7 year sentence for his actions.

Yeah, the trial is scheduled for December. Unless he changed his plea and asked for the maximum, I don't think you got this right.

[Bud_E]

Yeah, the trial is scheduled for December. Unless he changed his plea and asked for the maximum, I don't think you got this right.

+1 . I'm on a couple of SoCal bike forums that have threads dedicated to this case and there's no mention of this.

[jbrainin]

Oh well, that's what my wife told me, and she hadn't even heard about the guy before today.