Cyclist killed in Pittsburgh

[rwsaunders]

Say a prayer for this fellow and his family.

http://kdka.com/local/Indiana.Township.accident.2.1718147.html

[thwart]

During daylight, lights on, careful rider... sounds like another texting thing. Sad.

[soulspinner]

Saw a young guy weaving on interstate 490 and low and behold there was a baby in a car seat in his car. Yesterday I counted 4 people texting in 5.8 miles commuting to the shop I work at. :crap:

[rdparadise]

Bob:

Thanks for sharing. Any cyclists death is a tragedy. I followed the link and read the story, seemed like a great guy, good father, etc. I'm so sorry for his death and the loss his loved ones are feeling now.

As the article stated, the driver seemed distracted when he hit the cyclists. Hopefully, the authorities investigation will determine what this guy was doing and he will be charged appropriately. I'm sure the driver is racked with guilt and remorse for having taken an innocent person's life out from under him. He may need prayers as well.

Just last week was the ride of silence to honor individuals that have lost their lives while riding their bikes. It's just a shame that our sport can be dangerous and we are not fully in control of whether we have a safe ride or not at times.

Sending my prayers to the rider's family and the pickup truck driver.

Bob

[Nil Else]

Once I came up on a car doing barely 45mph weaving badly on a busy highway. A young female's head would come up every 10 sec or so and then go back down. It was amazing how she kept the car on the road w/o crashing. I went around and honked at her and she promptly flipped a bird at me and continued with her texting.

Another time I came up on a young male doing essentially the same thing except in the far left lane on a 4 lane highway. This guy was all over basically driving half the time on the shoulder. I went by him and also got the finger treatment and he continued on exactly as he was doing before. Eventually he was done with his texting and he took off like a bat outta hell.

This one girl making a left turn at a light pulled out too late because she was texting and following the car in front of her without really looking at the light. So she got stuck in the middle of intersection cutting off heavy rush hour traffic... here is the thing... she didn't put her phone down. She continued on with texting just sittin in the middle of intersection with *What??* expression... I'm guessing she was textcribing her predicament to her friends.

These kids simply didn't give a #@&%. Nothing will convince them other than missing limbs, or worse, and sitting in a jail, ie, if we are lucky. We've all been there before (young & stupid) if not seen enough. It's russian roulette out there. 2 ton+ stray bullet can come from anywhere.

[snah]

Once I came up on a car doing barely 45mph weaving badly on a busy highway. A young female's head would come up every 10 sec or so and then go back down. It was amazing how she kept the car on the road w/o crashing. I went around and honked at her and she promptly flipped a bird at me and continued with her texting.

Another time I came up on a young male doing essentially the same thing except in the far left lane on a 4 lane highway. This guy was all over basically driving half the time on the shoulder. I went by him and also got the finger treatment and he continued on exactly as he was doing before. Eventually he was done with his texting and he took off like a bat outta hell.

This one girl making a left turn at a light pulled out too late because she was texting and following the car in front of her without really looking at the light. So she got stuck in the middle of intersection cutting off heavy rush hour traffic... here is the thing... she didn't put her phone down. She continued on with texting just sittin in the middle of intersection with *What??* expression... I'm guessing she was textcribing her predicament to her friends.

These kids simply didn't give a #@&%. Nothing will convince them other than missing limbs, or worse, and sitting in a jail, ie, if we are lucky. We've all been there before (young & stupid) if not seen enough. It's russian roulette out there. 2 ton+ stray bullet can come from anywhere.

Now, I'm almost afraid to ride home from the office.....

[Nil Else]

Now, I'm almost afraid to ride home from the office.....

I apologize... but do be careful.

[Dekonick]

Costco connection (a rag they publish) has an article about distracted driving and how texting is 6x more likely to result in accident than being intoxicated.

[deanster]

Some how driving has gone from a privilege granted by the state DOT to a right. Don't know just when it happened but is has and with it a lack of consideration of the rights of others. I stay off busy roads unless there is a wide shoulder or bike lane because I worry about this type of event.
Just wish there was an attitude and law that treated texting like drunk driving and had a stiff penalty like losing one's license.
Will offer up a prayer tonight...what a terrible thing for the family.

[sailorboy]

Aweful news and so sad. I've been on that road too many times to count. Always figured its one of the safer places to ride around the city but this just confirms the ugly little truth that we all have to confront to justify being cyclists IMO. It can happen at any time, any place.

[gone]

We don't know the circumstances of this "accident" but it certainly seems that distracted driving (most likely texting) was part of it. I don't know how many people have seen the following video (http://www.youtube.com/verify_age?next_url=http%3A//www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3D-qvXbIenivk%26feature%3Dplayer_embedded) of red light runners but I'd be willing to bet large sums distracted driving was involved in many of these as well. Scary stuff even if you're in a car, even more so on a bike.

[rwsaunders]

One of the local TV stations is doing a good job keeping bike safety in the news.

http://kdka.com/video/?id=72749@kdka.dayport.com

[snah]

I apologize... but do be careful.

No need to apologize, your comments just mirror my thoughts on some days. Such an enjoyable activity can be awefully frightening at times.

[snah]

We don't know the circumstances of this "accident" but it certainly seems that distracted driving (most likely texting) was part of it. I don't know how many people have seen the following video (http://www.youtube.com/verify_age?next_url=http%3A//www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3D-qvXbIenivk%26feature%3Dplayer_embedded) of red light runners but I'd be willing to bet large sums distracted driving was involved in many of these as well. Scary stuff even if you're in a car, even more so on a bike.

That video was so disturbing I couldn't stop, wish I had after the last clip ran....

[Nil Else]

People have ginormous blind spots smack in the middle of their field of vision. It's all real.

[rwsaunders]

A ghost bike was placed in honor or Mr. Parker on Thursday and a memorial ride was scheduled for this morning. His death has raised quite a bit of concern in the area, as he was just a regular guy like so many of us, riding his bike on a common cycling route. As the gentleman said quite well in the video, all pedestrians, runners and cyclists have an expectation of being safe on the road.

I have been lobbying our borough for improved signage (Share the Road) and road maintenance for several years. Hopefully his memory will help raise the level of awareness of some of our local public officials in improving the pathways and signage in this area. I will be at the next borough meeting to gauge the response to this incident.

http://kdka.com/local/Don.Parker.memorial.2.1724167.html

[rwsaunders]

Update on the hearing involving the Mr. Parker's death...

By Bobby Kerlik
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Saturday, September 11, 2010

A teenage driver who police said struck and killed a Hampton bicyclist because he was distracted by his flip-flops will not face criminal charges, Allegheny County prosecutors said Friday.

The then-17-year-old, who was on his way to Fox Chapel High School, struck and killed Donald Parker, 52, with a pickup truck about 7 a.m. May 27 along Harts Run Road in Indiana Township. The crash occurred when the boy looked away because his flip-flop became tangled in the pedal, and he veered off the road, said police and prosecutors.

Parker died at UPMC Presbyterian in Oakland.

"We would not be able to sustain our burden based on the facts," said Mike Manko, a spokesman for District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr.

Prosecutors said the driver, now 18, could face a summary offense of careless driving with unintentional death.

Parker's parents agreed the teen should not face criminal charges that would result in jail time but said they thought he should be charged with reckless driving and should lose his license until he's 21.

"He didn't set out that morning to kill my son," said Parker's mother, Aleen Croyle, 72, of Mt. Lebanon. "It was an accident, but I don't think a $500 fine and points off his license is enough. There should be some sort of public service. He killed a person."

"Having a 17-year-old kid thrown in jail for an accident is not what we want. Don wouldn't want that either," said Parker's stepfather, Jack Croyle, 81. "But you have to acknowledge something was wrong."

Parker, who was married with three children, worked as a software-programming manager for Aptech Computer Systems Inc. in O'Hara. He was making the 8-mile ride from his house to work as preparation for a 140-mile Multiple Sclerosis Foundation benefit ride.

His mother said Parker was wearing a helmet and riding a bike with lights on it when he was hit.

[rugbysecondrow]

Sounds like Mr. Parker had good parents. Sad story all the way around.

[gauvink]

This topic really hits home tonight. Why? Because i just came from a wake of Brendan Mgee he worked for me for the past 5 years and was killed by a car/driver while on his bike last week.

I have not received the police report yet but it doesn't really matter he's gone and hundreds of lives are affected.

Our time here is quick and not guaranteed. Take an extra minute call your Mom , Dad , brother, sister , wife , kids & tell em that you love them.

[Matt-H]

Sounds like Mr. Parker had good parents. Sad story all the way around.

Agreed, Rugby. Not much more to say.

Gauvink - very sorry for the loss of your friend/coworker. Another sad day.