Car Wipes Out Paceline, As Usual Readers Blame Riders

[Bill Bove]

This happened yesterday in Miami. I hope everyone does O.K. I feel bad for the cabby who apperently is just trying to make a living. Tough all around. And as usual the comments section is full of hatred to cyclists.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/top-stories/story/656397.html

[ridemoreoften]

Is this happening more often or are we posting it more frequently and increasing awareness? Just curious what folks think.

[Ahneida Ride]

Morais, who did not have any passengers, struck the riders from behind.

A records check indicates Morais has been ticketed in Miami-Dade County several times in the past five years, including the most recent ticket in July for running a stop sign.

He has also been cited for speeding, failing to obey HOV lane requirements and seat-belt violations.

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David Ryan's executioner also had numerous incidences with the law before
he took a hairpin turn, racing another car, at 80mph.

[Needs Help]

I feel bad for the cabby who apperently is just trying to make a living.
I believe that sentiment is the root of the problem for cyclists. The general public feels that a driver can runover and kill cyclists with impunity as long as the driver didn't mean to. All a driver has to say is, "I didn't see them", and that seems to be a justifiable excuse and worthy of sympathetic feelings. It doesn't seem to matter what the reason was for not being able to see the cyclists: the driver was discplining a child, or text messaging a friend, or sleeping at the wheel. Sleepy drivers are more dangerous than drunk drivers. Would you be as sympathetic if the taxi driver had just downed 5 drinks at the local bar and then plowed into the cyclists?

As long as the public feels sorry for drivers who run over cyclists, the laws will never be tough enough to prevent more tragedies like this from happening.

[SamIAm]

This happened yesterday in Miami. I hope everyone does O.K. I feel bad for the cabby who apperently is just trying to make a living. Tough all around. And as usual the comments section is full of hatred to cyclists.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/top-stories/story/656397.html


I don't consider myself unsympathetic, but I don't feel bad for the cabby even a little.

[Volant]

Tragic.

.

[67-59]

I believe that sentiment is the root of the problem for cyclists. The general public feels that a driver can runover and kill cyclists with impunity as long as the driver didn't mean to. All a driver has to say is, "I didn't see them", and that seems to be a justifiable excuse and worthy of sympathetic feelings. It doesn't seem to matter what the reason was for not being able to see the cyclists: the driver was discplining a child, or text messaging a friend, or sleeping at the wheel.

The sad reality is that many people today can easily imagine themselves being the driver who is disciplining the child, text messaging a friend, or falling asleep at the wheel. Not so many can imagine themselves as the cyclist....

[Blue Jays]

My viewpoint is cellular telephone records (for all involved parties) should be requested by police as one of the "pieces of the puzzle" being inspected.