Ipswich, MA driver charged

[pooneej]

Originally Posted by carpediemracing

I quickly Googled and I think MA doesn't have a 3 foot passing law, still. Might take a few more deaths, or maybe a cyclist getting elected into some position where they could propose a law, etc.

This is from a ride 10 years ago in MA - we were going about 20 mph, truck maybe 35-40. What you don't see is that my friend is rolling his shoulders to the right, he was dodging because it felt really close. Police said there was nothing to do (showed them the clip). My friend next to truck is a legislative lawyer and understood there was nothing to do, except to make a report.

This to me just looks like aggression from that truck. I know everyone has diff perspective, but to me - how hard is it to move over into other lane for 10 seconds at most. Yes I see a car approaching but looks like enough room to give some room.

Inconsiderate 100%. That kind of driver just sets me off.

[mulp]

Why do people who are driving feel justified no matter how egregious their actions are...can't say i feel bad for the lady who got manslaughter

[Bruce K]

We actually do have a 3ft law now here in MA and this road is a major cycling route for roadies and MTB at Willowdale and Bradley Palmer State Park.

This woman was on a fairly straight, wide open stretch of that road when she crossed into the marked shoulder/breakdown lane and hit the family.

There is a movement growing amongst the local cycling community with calls and emails asking the DA to send a strong message with this one.

We’ll see.....

BK

[merlinmurph]

Originally Posted by Bruce K

We actually do have a 3ft law now here in MA and this road is a major cycling route for roadies and MTB at Willowdale and Bradley Palmer State Park.

No kidding? I didn't know that.

I was talking with my wife about this crash. We both believe that this should not be treated any differently than if a drunk driver were involved. The driver was driving irresponsibly and killed someone - end of story.

[Bruce K]

Pretty sure MassBike got it pushed through with the last transportation bill a tear or so ago.

Richard Freis was a HUGE proponent.

BK

[OldCrank]

I was told one reason the 3'* rule finally passed (37th time's a charm?) is that it included pedestrians, including state police who were being rear-ended or mowed down in the breakdown lane of the Mass Pike. Lots of blue&red lights, even more stupidity. ANYway, the hope was / is that LEOs would actually recognize the law. Not so far, AFAIK.
Here's hopin'.

*3' at 30mph, 4' at 40, 5' at 50, etc.

[Mark McM]

Originally Posted by Bruce K

We actually do have a 3ft law now here in MA and this road is a major cycling route for roadies and MTB at Willowdale and Bradley Palmer State Park.

I don't think that Massachusetts has a 3 ft law. Or at least none that I could find reference to that calls out a specific distance when passing. The closest we have is this sentence from General Laws/ Part i/ Title XIV/Chapter 90/ Section 14:

In approaching or passing a person on a bicycle the operator of a motor vehicle shall slow down and pass at a safe distance and at a reasonable and proper speed.

[carpediemracing]

Originally Posted by pooneej

This to me just looks like aggression from that truck. I know everyone has diff perspective, but to me - how hard is it to move over into other lane for 10 seconds at most. Yes I see a car approaching but looks like enough room to give some room.

Inconsiderate 100%. That kind of driver just sets me off.

tbh both of us had the adrenaline reaction. He definitely could have moved away a little. Driver was paying attention based on cam footage so it was carefully deliberate.

MA has narrow (none-existent) shoulders. I live near the CT/MA line and you can tell immediately when you roll into MA because if you're not in the travel lane you might end up in dirt next to the pavement. State roads aren't quite as bad but they still lose most of their shoulder, even on posted 50 mph roads. I avoided going into MA for that reason, and for the last 5-8 years I've avoided riding out on the roads in general.

On the carefully deliberate... I was riding on the PCH in Carlsbad, CA area, in the bike lane, when a pick up truck passed so close that the mirror passed ABOVE my head. I was wondering if that was even possible when I saw the truck to the same thing to another (shorter in height like me) cyclist about 100m in front of me. I knew the PCH devolved into a traffic light infected mess in about half a mile so I gave chase. I caught the truck a short time later at a major intersection / lights (google Starbucks, Carlsbad, CA, it's the one by the beach). 2 lanes to go straight, 1 turning lane, huge. He had seen me coming through other lights, and I almost caught him at that intersection. Driver blew a red light and drove away. It was a black Ram. My camera had died so I had no footage of the truck, and I never got a plate because it drove way through the red light. The other rider caught up to me shortly after, some serious looking racer (he'd blown by me shortly before the truck thing). I asked him about the mirror over his head and he shrugged and said it's happened before.

A year or two later a rider was killed in Encinitas (close enough to Oceanside that I rode through there all the time when I rode in SoCal) - the rider was riding properly in the bike lane when struck from behind. A black Ram was reported to have fled the scene. I always wondered if it was the same truck. Of course there are bazillions of people in SoCal but still.

[cinema]

Originally Posted by carpediemracing

tbh both of us had the adrenaline reaction. He definitely could have moved away a little. Driver was paying attention based on cam footage so it was carefully deliberate.

this picture is getting my blood boiling. if you feel like dropping the license plate, despite the time that has passed, I'll have no trouble getting you whatever you need, even if it's a number to crank call.

[djg21]

Originally Posted by pooneej

This to me just looks like aggression from that truck. I know everyone has diff perspective, but to me - how hard is it to move over into other lane for 10 seconds at most. Yes I see a car approaching but looks like enough room to give some room.

Inconsiderate 100%. That kind of driver just sets me off.

I would never recommend this, or any self help. But a friend of my dad’s took up cycling in the 80s. A very respected member of the medical community who is genuinely one of the nicest persons you would ever meet. And this was totally out of character. But someone threw an apple from a car and hit him in the head while he was riding, and he apparently fell off his bike. He later came across the car parked in a driveway. The next morning, the owner found a brick and a Bicycling Magazine on his car seat and had to have his windshield replaced.

[merlinmurph]

Originally Posted by Bruce K

We actually do have a 3ft law now here in MA ...

I just checked the massbike.org website and they say this:

Motorists must pass at a safe distance. If the lane is too narrow to pass safely, the motorist must use another lane to pass, or, if that is also unsafe, the motorist must wait until it is safe to pass.

No mention of 3 ft.