General Cycling Discussion - Tragedy in Louisiana

Yesterday evening (6/11/02) a group of cyclists up in Baton Rouge, the state capital about 80 miles up the Mississippi from here in New Orleans, were out for their regular Tuesday evening training race on River Road, a curvy, lightly travelled road that follows the Mississippi River levee south of town and is the most popular training area up there. A speeding pickup apparently could not hold its lane around a curve and plowed head on into the group. A promising 17-year-old junior and a popular 38-year-old veteran and LSU professor were killed and several riders were very critically injured. Isn't that about our worst nightmare? What can one say?

You can read the story here:
http://www.theadvocate.com/stories/061202/new_truck001.shtml

and here (click "Play Video"
http://www.wafb.com/Global/story.asp?S=816464

Raymond

Thanks for posting this Raymond.
This really IS a terrible tragedy! I hate reading stories like this. :cry:

...one count of negligent homicide, six counts of negligent injuring and one count of careless operation... :mad:
I wonder what this guys punishment will be? I hope the judge isn't easy on him. An example needs to be set. :irritated

Ray, my condolences to all involved and their families.

It sounds horrible- however, it doesn't seem like it was deliberate. The guy was obviously driving too fast and lost control but it doesn't sound like he rammed into them on purpose. In the end, though, result is the same.

It sounds horrible- however, it doesn't seem like it was deliberate. The guy was obviously driving too fast and lost control but it doesn't sound like he rammed into them on purpose. In the end, though, result is the same.

Recently, I saw a guy in the emergency room of a hospital where we were visiting someone. He was a cyclist and I heard him tell the doctor he'd been hit by a car. Fortunately, he was able to sit up and move but his face was a mass of bloody scrapes, because he'd landed on his face. I hear from people who know him that he was banged up but okay, but his bike was toast. That's about the worst accident I've ever seen around here.

"State Police planned to book the truck's driver, Stanley J. Williams, 58, 7622 Maribel Court , on one count of negligent homicide, six counts of negligent injuring and one count of careless operation, Cain said. He did not have the names of the other victims."

So tell us, Raymond, is 7622 Maribel Court a trailer park?

A tragedy. Some years ago an elderly woman hit the Washington State University cycling team. No one was killed but several of them were injured, one badly. She crossed the highway fog line to hit them, why does this happen so often? Are people staring at the cyclists and follow their line of sight? Cars should be allowed on the road for, like, two hours a day.

It hits you right on your heart, wish we can do something against the driver:crash: :crash: :crash:

I'm sick.

I read about this on another forum earlier today. The story both enrages and saddens at the same time. I'm the same age as the LSU prof. and as a high school teacher I deal with 17 year olds all the time. Both ages are way too young to die.

Sometimes accidents, even tragic accidents, happen. This however is inexcusable. A Ford F350 is a very large vehicle and was never designed to take fast corners. To push your vehicle beyond its design limits is irresponsible and to kill while committing an irresponsible act is, at the least, manslaughter.

This guy needs to go to jail and hopefully have such experiences that he would gladly change places with the 2 he killed.

Originally posted by Walter
To push your vehicle beyond its design limits is irresponsible and to kill while committing an irresponsible act is, at the least, manslaughter.

This guy needs to go to jail and hopefully have such experiences that he would gladly change places with the 2 he killed.

This guy needs to have his driving privilege revoked permanently. He also needs to donate one day per month as public service, giving lectures about the instabilities and other problems inherent in driving a truck or SUV, and about the responsibilities of motoring. He also needs to send a weekly restitution check to the family of each victim, more as a reminder than anything else. I doubt this offense will result in any hard time, although it should.

A promising 17 year old cyclist was shot yesterday in South Africa. His bike and all his clothing was stolen, he was left for dead lying naked by the side of the road. From what I have read he is fighting for his life. Read all about it at: http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/Gauteng/0,1113,2-7-829_1199190,00.html

Doesn't South Africa have the world's highest murder rate?

Tonight I am going to join my weekly club ride. We stick to back roads and often get quite fast.

This tragic story reminds me once again of just how vulnerable we are.

A promising 17 year old cyclist was shot yesterday in South Africa. His bike and all his clothing was stolen, he was left for dead lying naked by the side of the road.

That is absolutely sick. :mad: :mad: :mad:

Raymond,
Thanks for posting this, I wanted to but just didnt have the heart to do so. I knew the 2 killed (Steve and Tim) and the one that that just got out of ICU yesterday(Jerry).
Steve and Tim rode on teams sponsered by the shop I work for in BR. And Jerry is a regular customer.
Tim was the nicest, most positve kid you could meet.
Steve was a super nice, kind of quiet guy. His wife had a baby boy yesterday.
Jerry is from my home town but we hadnt met before I started working at the shop. He has a long hard recovery a head but they say he will make.

Please everyone include Jerry, Steves wife and baby boy, and Tims family in your prayers.

We are having a memorial ride this evening at 5:30 and a memorial service afterwards.
Thanks everyone and please be careful out there.
Kevin
PedalPlay Bikes

I also recently read of a story where a cyclist was attacked with a machete, i think it was in Calgary. However, it sounds like he wasn't targeted because he was a cyclist, it was a random attack by an unbalanced nut and he was just there- also, he wasn't a 'cyclist' as much as some poor guy on a bike who happened to be riding by. However, he survived.

Apparently South Africa does indeed have a high rate of violent crime- it has one of the world's highest murder rates and one of the highest rates for homicides involving weapons, and one of the highest rates of gun ownership in the world. There is very little gun control there, even less than in the U.S. I don't have stats handy, it's probably in one of my books somewhere. But yes, indeed, it's a country with a lot of violent crime. Stuff like that poor kid is pretty typical- Poverty is behind a lot of it I imagine, but it's no excuse of course, just an explanation.

Isn't there some old Southern tradition involving a tree and a rope?

What really gets me is this was a scheduled weekly
ride, they were there every week, and had been.
I would think this yahoo in the pickup would have known
that. I haven't heard anything about ETOH levels, any
news on that front?

About South Africa, Yes it is a very violent country.
The cyclist shot and stripped and left on the side
of the road is a common occurance (not only for cyclists).
Crime there tends to be brutal,and very violent, and the
rates are very high. Murder and **** statistics are horribly
understated by the media. The majority of citizens live in a
perpetual state of paranoia, and it is impossible to
not be affected by crime in some way. Aids rates
are skyrocketing (highest in world) and the President
has stated that he doesn't think HIV causes AIDs, and
will not authorize medications. In one study of women
going for prenatal care 1/3 were hiv positive.
estimates are that up to 40% of population is HIV positive.
I don't want to sound politically incorrect, but
uh, sorry for the rant but South Africa is near and dear
to me. For all of the above I really miss RSA,
its a beautiful country albeit with alot of problems.

Marty

Yes, crime rates are incredibly high in South Africa - but it depends entirely on what area of the city you live in.

In Johannesburg or Cape Town or any other city, a lot of the areas are slums and ridden with crime but in other parts, particularly the exclusive parts for the wealthy and the foreigners, it's a world of a difference.

Kenneth,

I beg to differ with you.
I lived north of Johannesburg for 5 years.
it was a wealthy, exclusive area, lots of expatriates,
and professionals. Problem is that the
crime comes to you.
Safe out in the country? I don't think so,
high incidence of crimes against white farmers
(although to be fair high incidence of crime against
the poor blacks as well).
The entire country has a seige mentality.
yes there are alot of guns, everyone lives
behind 3 metre walls with electric wire or
razor wire on top (in addition to the broken
glass imbedded in the wall). Everyone is wired
into private security agency since the local police
are pretty much helpless.
Have you been to South Africa?
Cape Town is better than most of the other cities
(durban, Pretoria, Johannesburg), but in the cape
you have to worry about being blown up by religious
fanatics (the same group in the spirit of vigilantism
caught a "gang leader" and know drug dealer, they
shot him a number of times, then lit him on fire
all in front of live TV coverage, he died maybe 10 minutes
after that), yeah nice place.
Ever seen necklacing? put a tire filled with gasoline around
somebody's neck then ignite it, happens alot down there.
Necklacing usually occurs after the victim is dead,
but not always. Another biggie is hacking someone to death
with a machete.
no matter where you go in South Africa there is
brutally violent crime, and not all of it is motivated by
poverty.
again sorry for the rant

Marty