Two more gone, in NH
#1
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#2
-
https://www.wcvb.com/news/local/bosto...l/-/index.html
It's hard to believe this could happen on such a short bridge with wide shoulders and a center passing lane:
https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=U...4715,-70.85239
It's hard to believe this could happen on such a short bridge with wide shoulders and a center passing lane:
https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=U...4715,-70.85239
#3
Senior Member
Report I read says driver crossed centerline and hit cyclists going the opposite direction. Hoping it was a mechanical failure, else it was one form or another murder. I am betting it was texting, but no proof as of yet.
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Darn....While driving to do some shopping I was beside Two different cars that had drivers texting, not looking at anything else.
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#6
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Holy Cow! This is the next town over from the bike shop where I work. This is the big ride of the year for the Seacoast. I'm volunteering tomorrow for one of the neutral support mechanic stations. This is horrible...
https://www.seacoastonline.com/articl...NEWS-130929956
https://www.seacoastonline.com/articl...NEWS-130929956
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A friend and his wife were on that ride today.. behind the accident so they weren't involved luckily.. makes me sad and angry that it hit that close to home. hopefully She is charged appropriately.
Last edited by Jakedatc; 09-21-13 at 06:56 PM.
#8
The Rock Cycle
Very sad. The riders involved are from the Massachusetts North Shore area, where I grew up.
Very sad bicycle week here as a touring cyclist passing through was hit from behind and died, by a DUI driver who was on her way to a hearing for her previous DUI arrest.
Very sad bicycle week here as a touring cyclist passing through was hit from behind and died, by a DUI driver who was on her way to a hearing for her previous DUI arrest.
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Wow that is very sad, and close to home too
I usually ride this event, I've got 20+ friends up there for the weekend right now. This is the first year in the last 8 or 9 we haven't gone. One reason we didn't go back is the traffic and the bad drivers we encountered the last few years. Some parts of the route the roads are narrow and Saturdays they can be busy when locals are trying to get out to do erands etc. We had a driver tormenting us on last years ride, he just about drove us and about 12 other riders off the road. There were many other drivers passing too close and honking horns etc. The locals don't seem to pleased to have 1600 riders on their roads. We elected to do a more rural western Massachusetts ride today instead.
It sounds like this driver lost control for some reason and the riders had no way to avoid a car heading straight at them.
Be safe out there everyone.
I usually ride this event, I've got 20+ friends up there for the weekend right now. This is the first year in the last 8 or 9 we haven't gone. One reason we didn't go back is the traffic and the bad drivers we encountered the last few years. Some parts of the route the roads are narrow and Saturdays they can be busy when locals are trying to get out to do erands etc. We had a driver tormenting us on last years ride, he just about drove us and about 12 other riders off the road. There were many other drivers passing too close and honking horns etc. The locals don't seem to pleased to have 1600 riders on their roads. We elected to do a more rural western Massachusetts ride today instead.
It sounds like this driver lost control for some reason and the riders had no way to avoid a car heading straight at them.
Be safe out there everyone.
#10
Senior Member
Wow that is very sad, and close to home too
I usually ride this event, I've got 20+ friends up there for the weekend right now. This is the first year in the last 8 or 9 we haven't gone. One reason we didn't go back is the traffic and the bad drivers we encountered the last few years. Some parts of the route the roads are narrow and Saturdays they can be busy when locals are trying to get out to do erands etc. We had a driver tormenting us on last years ride, he just about drove us and about 12 other riders off the road. There were many other drivers passing too close and honking horns etc. The locals don't seem to pleased to have 1600 riders on their roads. We elected to do a more rural western Massachusetts ride today instead.
It sounds like this driver lost control for some reason and the riders had no way to avoid a car heading straight at them.
Be safe out there everyone.
I usually ride this event, I've got 20+ friends up there for the weekend right now. This is the first year in the last 8 or 9 we haven't gone. One reason we didn't go back is the traffic and the bad drivers we encountered the last few years. Some parts of the route the roads are narrow and Saturdays they can be busy when locals are trying to get out to do erands etc. We had a driver tormenting us on last years ride, he just about drove us and about 12 other riders off the road. There were many other drivers passing too close and honking horns etc. The locals don't seem to pleased to have 1600 riders on their roads. We elected to do a more rural western Massachusetts ride today instead.
It sounds like this driver lost control for some reason and the riders had no way to avoid a car heading straight at them.
Be safe out there everyone.
#11
Senior Member
I was on the ride and arrived at the bridge just as the emergency vehicles were responding. The police had already closed the bridge by then, so I didn't see anything. I don't have much information to add, other than to contradict what a previous poster said about the bridge. It is not a wide bridge with shoulders and a center lane. It is extremely narrow, with no shoulders, and a grid deck in the center of the span (it is a drawbridge). Google Street View will give you a good idea what it's like. There is a narrow sidewalk on one side, which I often walk my bike across in the summer, because it is absolutely terrifying to cross this bridge with angry tourists packing the lanes in both directions. But the sidewalk is on the northbound side, so if you're heading south, good luck crossing the road to get to/from the walkway. That's probably more dangerous than riding across.
It is extremely sad that this happened on the 40th year of this very popular ride. What's especially puzzling is that there is a heavy police presence on the north side of the bridge, because the start of the ride is right there. There is a cop stationed there at all times, stopping traffic to let riders leave the parking lot and make the left onto the bridge. Since the reports say she crossed into the northbound lane, she would have been heading south, meaning she must have driven right by the police officer. At that time of the morning there would have been many bikes on the road. There's no way she could have been surprised by cyclists on the bridge.
It is extremely sad that this happened on the 40th year of this very popular ride. What's especially puzzling is that there is a heavy police presence on the north side of the bridge, because the start of the ride is right there. There is a cop stationed there at all times, stopping traffic to let riders leave the parking lot and make the left onto the bridge. Since the reports say she crossed into the northbound lane, she would have been heading south, meaning she must have driven right by the police officer. At that time of the morning there would have been many bikes on the road. There's no way she could have been surprised by cyclists on the bridge.
#12
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2 women cyclists killed during New Hampshire ride, 2 more injured Saturday
A car slammed into a group of bicyclists Saturday during an annual bicycling club ride along the New England coastline, killing two riders and injuring two others, police said.
https://www.wcvb.com/news/local/car-s...s/-/index.html
https://www.wcvb.com/news/local/car-s...s/-/index.html
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Quote: Investigators said [that the driver], was driving southbound and crossed into the northbound lane, hitting the riders. [he] was treated at a hospital for minor injuries and released."
He crossed over a lane during the day, killed two bike riders and injured others, and he was not immediately arrested. . . .
He crossed over a lane during the day, killed two bike riders and injured others, and he was not immediately arrested. . . .
Last edited by bikemig; 09-22-13 at 07:25 AM.
#14
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I saw this on the news last night. People on the ride were naturally quite shaken up. Condolences to the families.
#15
Banned
"This is an absolute tragedy that highlights that both drivers of cars and folks who are out riding bicycles need to be aware of one another, respectful of one another," said Hampton Chief James Sullivan.
With the motorist being clearly in the wrong, some LEOs just cannot let go of their bias towards cyclists. I don't know how more respectful and aware that the two women cyclist could have been, especially having a motorist crossover the roadway, and slamming hard into the adjacent guardrail.
With the motorist being clearly in the wrong, some LEOs just cannot let go of their bias towards cyclists. I don't know how more respectful and aware that the two women cyclist could have been, especially having a motorist crossover the roadway, and slamming hard into the adjacent guardrail.
Last edited by dynodonn; 09-22-13 at 10:35 AM.
#16
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(Shakes head). Deepest condolences to families. This is pathetic. I'm not sure what to say with things like this.
#17
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They didn't get out of his way.
(That's not my position, quite to the contrary. Just what the majority of motorists including LEOs would say.)
#18
Banned
I've noticed much to often on how a number of law enforcement officials use the word "tragedy" whenever a cyclist is killed by a motorist, especially when the blame for the cyclist's death is placed squarely on the motorist. Yet, whenever a cyclist makes a poor judgement call causing their own demise, law enforcement is generally not so kind to in their choice of words.
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My deepest condolences for all the bereaved and wishes for a speedy and full recovery for the injured.
#20
Junior Member
I am just dumbfounded. Sadly just yet another distracted driver event which turned deadly. Here is a quote from a local discussion.
"I was at the north end of the bridge when it happened. One of the SAG drivers was at the south end and witnessed the event. There was a guardrail that prevented the bikers from escaping. The driver was texting and drifted across the center line and hit the 4 cyclists head on. The first person to the car opened the driver’s door and found a cell phone in the drivers lap with a partially written text message on it. The girl driving looked up at him and said "my boyfriend is going to be really mad. I'm driving his car." This was after 4 cyclists went flying over the hood and windshield of her car. Your post speaks for itself."
The quote came from a discussion on the newspaper article. Of course it has been since removed. I note that the news video also states is was a 20 female driver. Not a "he". Not that it has any relevance. Maybe time for a gostbike.
https://ghostbikes.org/
"I was at the north end of the bridge when it happened. One of the SAG drivers was at the south end and witnessed the event. There was a guardrail that prevented the bikers from escaping. The driver was texting and drifted across the center line and hit the 4 cyclists head on. The first person to the car opened the driver’s door and found a cell phone in the drivers lap with a partially written text message on it. The girl driving looked up at him and said "my boyfriend is going to be really mad. I'm driving his car." This was after 4 cyclists went flying over the hood and windshield of her car. Your post speaks for itself."
The quote came from a discussion on the newspaper article. Of course it has been since removed. I note that the news video also states is was a 20 female driver. Not a "he". Not that it has any relevance. Maybe time for a gostbike.
https://ghostbikes.org/
#21
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Yet another tragic example of why handheld devices should be banned from use during driving. I wish peace for the families of the victims.
#22
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I am just dumbfounded. Sadly just yet another distracted driver event which turned deadly. Here is a quote from a local discussion.
"I was at the north end of the bridge when it happened. One of the SAG drivers was at the south end and witnessed the event. There was a guardrail that prevented the bikers from escaping. The driver was texting and drifted across the center line and hit the 4 cyclists head on. The first person to the car opened the driver’s door and found a cell phone in the drivers lap with a partially written text message on it. The girl driving looked up at him and said "my boyfriend is going to be really mad. I'm driving his car." This was after 4 cyclists went flying over the hood and windshield of her car. Your post speaks for itself."
"I was at the north end of the bridge when it happened. One of the SAG drivers was at the south end and witnessed the event. There was a guardrail that prevented the bikers from escaping. The driver was texting and drifted across the center line and hit the 4 cyclists head on. The first person to the car opened the driver’s door and found a cell phone in the drivers lap with a partially written text message on it. The girl driving looked up at him and said "my boyfriend is going to be really mad. I'm driving his car." This was after 4 cyclists went flying over the hood and windshield of her car. Your post speaks for itself."
Guess from now on I shall always ride with the assumption that all drivers are texting and therefore unpredictable.
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Justice would have been if it had been a tractor trailer instead of four law-abiding cyclists.
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I wonder what charges are pending? Here's an article from the UK showing photos of the knucklehead 20 yr old.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...mile-ride.html
Another sad part is that the group is from the Cape Ann area of Massachusetts. Danvers, Essex, Hamilton.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...mile-ride.html
Another sad part is that the group is from the Cape Ann area of Massachusetts. Danvers, Essex, Hamilton.
Last edited by Essex; 09-23-13 at 10:19 AM.