Car plows into cyclists - kills 8

[LegendRider]

Awful.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2010-12-05-italy-cyclists-killed_N.htm

[regularguy412]

Pretty sure this has been posted before, but for those who haven't seen it,, it's shocking -- at least it was to me -- to see a real-time photo taken of a drunk driver plowing into a group of cyclists at the time of impact. Warning-- it's as graphic as it gets.

http://old.culturegarage.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/0_21_060308_carcyclists.jpg

Mike in AR

[Dekonick]

Sad.

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . from all the readers who say bikes shouldn't even be on the roads. The typical bigoted litany I seem to see on every story like this. That's what sad to me--the intimation made over and over that somehow it was the cyclist's fault for being out on the road.

BBD

[Louis]

. . . from all the readers who say bikes shouldn't even be on the roads. The typical bigoted litany I seem to see on every story like this. That's what sad to me--the intimation made over and over that somehow it was the cyclist's fault for being out on the road.

Dave, everyone knows that dopers with revoked licenses have more right to the road than cyclists.

[FlashUNC]

Its the blame the victim mentality that drives me up a wall.

[avalonracing]

Dude was probably in a rush to get home and play video games before his high wore off.

[soulspinner]

Pretty sure this has been posted before, but for those who haven't seen it,, it's shocking -- at least it was to me -- to see a real-time photo taken of a drunk driver plowing into a group of cyclists at the time of impact. Warning-- it's as graphic as it gets.

http://old.culturegarage.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/0_21_060308_carcyclists.jpg

Mike in AR

Wow, that is rough

[drewski]

I am on a poetry kick. I feel like the world is going to hell
in a hand basket and poetry is what is helping me through.

Questionnaire”
(a poem by Wendell Berry)

1. How much poison are you willing
to eat for the success of the free
market and global trade? Please
name your preferred poisons.

2. For the sake of goodness, how much
evil are you willing to do?
Fill in the following blanks
with the names of your favorite
evils and acts of hatred.

3. What sacrifices are you prepared
to make for culture and civilization?
Please list the monuments, shrines,
and works of art you would
most willingly destroy.

4. In the name of patriotism and
the flag, how much of our beloved
land are you willing to desecrate?
List in the following spaces
the mountains, rivers, towns, farms
you could most readily do without.

5. State briefly the ideas, ideals, or hopes,
the energy sources, the kinds of security,
for which you would kill a child.
Name, please, the children whom
you would be willing to kill.

[rugbysecondrow]

Not sure how the poem is applicable here, but such is the interpretation of it.

Just a couple points:

1) I would doubt this was a purposeful act of violence, a wanting to hit cyclists. Even violent and vengeful people typically dont do this with kids in the car and he had a kid in the car.

2) He is under the influence, he was attempting to pass another car. Had it not been the cyclists, it could have just as easily been another passing car with deaths from that head on collision.

3)This is sad, this was painful to see, but I am not sure this falls under the typical cycling rant about rights. Just a guy high and under the influence being reckless on the road.

4) Through some of the bull crap written on the message board of the referenced article, I thought this was a well written, cogent articulation of many peoples opinions of cyclists.

I see far too many cyclist riding in such a way as to endanger themselves, other users of the road, and while making illegal movements in traffic that I do not consider bicyclists as a group to be equally valid users. I see no solution to the issue of bicyclists and motorized vehicles sharing roads, thus can only accept seperate facilities as a solution.

Frankly, the author is right in one respect (the crappy way many cyslist ride) and that is something we as a group need to work on. Understanding what we are up against and working towards that is a start. Also, arguing that people are crappy drivers is not a suitable answer. Cars are the default, we are an after-thought. We need to be responsible for how we ride and be examples of responsible riders. Few things aggravate me more than when I am on my bike sitting at a red light, and some douche blows past the cars and runs a red light. That one douche taints so many opinions of us, we are all brushed with the same broad stroke.

[Mike126]

My heart goes out to the families. The driver should be up for 1st degree murder.

No matter how safe we are in riding you always run the risk of some major a-hole running you down. I have known too many people to get hit by cars in the past several years. I use to ride in the rode but now I ride on bike paths as much as possible. It's just not worth the risk. Fortunately I have access to some pretty decent paths.

[spartacus]

Were the cyclists riding in a pace line wheel to wheel near the curb, or across the width of the lane?

[flydhest]

Cars are the default, we are an after-thought. We need to be responsible for how we ride and be examples of responsible riders.

This attitude is the problem. Cars are the default for many, perhaps, but why do people use the phrase "male nurse"?

Same mentality and it reveals, in my view, a similar type of mentality.

[rugbysecondrow]

This attitude is the problem. Cars are the default for many, perhaps, but why do people use the phrase "male nurse"?

Same mentality and it reveals, in my view, a similar type of mentality.
Note, I made no judgement abou whether I like that perspective or not, but let's not fool ourselves. The sheer number of cars on the roads, the effort of transportation planners, funding dollars etc etc reveals the truth that cars ARE the default. There are some places (dc, NYC) for instance where there is a bit more balance but nationwide, not even close. To pretend otherwise is to not accept the truth.

Also, the analogy is not close at all.

[dave thompson]

... this will be interesting to follow in the oncoming months/years that it may take. http://road.cc/content/news/28223-driver-involved-crash-killed-seven-cyclists-italy-sunday-may-face-murder-charges

[LegendRider]

I wonder if it will stoke anti-immigrant feelings. The driver is Moroccan.

My cousin and her infant son were killed in a traffic accident caused by an illegal immigrant so it's a subject that interests me.