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i hope he faces much more than "careless" driving
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http://www.9news.com/acm_news.aspx?OSGNAME=KUSA&IKOBJECTID=2e7641e3-0abe-421a-0040-3bc046a41aca&TEMPLATEID=0c76dce6-ac1f-02d8-0047-c589c01ca7bf
BOULDER - A cyclist was killed Monday after being hit by an SUV on Highway 36 in Boulder.
Police say a 17-year-old was driving the SUV when he fell asleep and veered into two cyclists near Highway 36 and Broadway.
One of the cyclists avoided the vehicle, but the other was killed.
The names of the people involved have not been released.
The driver may face charges of careless driving.
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I hope he gets charged just like a DUI driver. Deciding to drink, and deciding to drive while tired, or deciding to do something distracting while driving, is all the same.
I read somewhere that one state (NJ?) is belatedly enacting liability / accountability laws for falling asleep at the wheel. Several years ago, a graduating high school senior fell asleep while driving home from a school-sponsored non-alcoholic all-night grad party. Since he killed a popular deputy D.A. who was also the mother of two small children, I fervently hoped that we would get stricter laws in California, or at least in San Diego County, but no such luck.
Once again, a little strict accountability for individual decisions and actions could save more lives than all of the airbags, seat belts, and bike helmets* ever produced.
*[Don't misread my intent here; I strongly endorse safety technology.]
I've read that falling asleep at the wheel accounts for an equal amount of damage as drunk drivers do.
Terrible, just terrible. I live 15mins from Boulder and ride there myself. Very scary. Not real sure how I feel about the driver, need more info.
The problem to me seems to be that there are no real consequences for killing someone with an car. That's why it's called an accident. "Not my fault. I fell alseep, I was reaching for something, I looked away for just a moment." A lawyer plea bargins it down, someone loses their license, and is back on the road the next day driving anyway. How many times have you read that someone was arrested for drunk driving and had been arrested x number of times before? What is that all about? Take their car away. Don't let them register another car. If they borrow someone's car and get caught, take that car away.
Until there is a consequence to murder by car, it will keep happening over and over again.
My condolences to Scott's family. This is tragic.
Not to blame the cyclists, but, maybe they might practice defensive driving. It depends on the crash type. The cyclists might have prevented the crash. Of course, this shouldn't be taken as defending the sleepy motorist.
OK, now even I, who is always looking, and usually seeing, the lesson to be learned for cyclists by such tragic incidents, is stumped.
What could the cyclists have been doing to be defensive and prevented this crash, short of staying at home in the first place?
A sleeping, drunk or otherwise incapacitated driver probably poses the most significant risk to law abiding/defensive drivers of all types of vehicles, including bicycles.
Serge
Once again, a little strict accountability for individual decisions and actions could save more lives than all of the airbags, seat belts, and bike helmets* ever produced.
I'm not so sure.
So a guy is driving down the road, aware that he's sleepy. If the possibility of falling asleep and killing himself is not enough to get him to pull over for some shuteye, do you really think the threat of jail might do it?
Some how I don't think that would make a big difference.
Serge
there's a description of the incident written by the other rider on drunkcyclist.com - tough to read.
things like this suck.
and whether stricter punishments would have prevented this incident is immaterial - if you've proven yourself irresponsible enough to kill someone through a lapse in judgement, you should never be allowed the chance to repeat that lapse. ever.
whether jail time, license suspension, whatever, this young man should never be allowed behind the wheel of a car again. neither should drunk or intoxicated drivers who kill someone while behind the wheel.
Life is Fleeting.
I write this today because I need to write this. I
watched my friend die on his bike today.
We were riding side-by-side on an ample shoulder /
bike lane on Hwy 36 - a north / south corridor that
hugs the foothills of the Rockies and serves as the
gateway to any number of canyon roads climbing up into
the mountains. I rode near the white line and Scott
rode to my right, at the outside of the shoulder (near
the dirt / grass.
An Explorer driving southbound at around 60mph (the
posted speed limit) was driving toward us. It started
to veer across the road. At first, I thought it was
to pass traffic. When it then veered into the
northbound traffic lane, we knew something was up. We
both said some expletive as we realized what could
happen. Then it veered into our bike lane and was
speeding right for us. All of this and the following
details happened in 2-3 seconds tops.
I look at Scott, look at the Explorer and realize my
only way to live is to swerve my bike hard out into
the northbound traffic lane. As I swerve out, I look
back at Scott and pray that he was able to dive his
bike down into the grassy ditch. The Explorer was
heading straight down the bike lane, so the grass
would have been safe. As I look back at Scott, I see
the Explorer hit him head on. I feel the very close
rush of wind pass me by as the SUV narrowly misses me
as well.
I screech to a halt, screaming and crying. I throw my
bike down and run back to Scott's body. As I'm
running, his bike is still spinning cartwheels in the
air. I check for his pulse and touch his abdomen and
chest to feel for breathing. He's dead. I look up
and the Explorer is finally coming to a stop after
running through some farmer's fences and it hits a
ditch, a couple hundred yards away. Then I notice
that below the knee, Scott's left leg is missing.
I stayed with him for over 2 hours until the coroner
came and took him away. The accident happened at
around 7:50am today. It's not nearly 3:00pm. I've
grieved with many, many people. I'm about to go show
his widow as much strength and support as I possibly
can. The driver had fallen asleep at the wheel.
Unfortunately, whenever we head out the door, this is a stark,
horrific reminder of what can happen to each of us, no matter how
safely we ride. Please, please, please be safe out there.
Nate Llerandi
:(
What in the heck does the fact that it was an SUV have to do with it???
Anyway, automobile technology that will help to prevent this type of thing is in the works. In 20 or 30 years I expect the roads to be much safer than today.
A 17 year old doesn't have enough driving experience to know if he has had enough sleep to stay awake behind the wheel. A real tragedy.
I hope that Scott's family sues the heck out of the 17 year old and his family. I am tired of cyclists dying just because they like to ride.
If it was a sedan, the cyclist may have gone over the top and not been killed. Cars are actually designed so that to some degree a person hit will glance off or go over. I've gone over a car, injuries were minor (another scar on my "experienced" knees, and wrecked my fave pair of pants) if it was an SUV I may have been much more seriously injured or even killed.
The book about SUVs, "High and Mighty" talks about these aspects of design.
Unreal, that is just unreal. It really angers me to see "accidents" like these happen. And what bothers me the most is that, indeed, most deaths of these type involve SUVs. Like Hinault mentioned, it is the design of these vehicles which endangers us most.
Everytime I'm out riding, I keep a more careful eye out for the SUVs, because not only are they more dangerous, but for some reason the drivers think they are kings/queens of the road and don't give a damn about other drivers, cyclists, or pedestrians.
The problem to me seems to be that there are no real consequences for killing someone with an car. That's why it's called an accident. "Not my fault. I fell alseep, I was reaching for something, I looked away for just a moment." A lawyer plea bargins it down, someone loses their license, and is back on the road the next day driving anyway. How many times have you read that someone was arrested for drunk driving and had been arrested x number of times before? What is that all about? Take their car away. Don't let them register another car. If they borrow someone's car and get caught, take that car away.
Until there is a consequence to murder by car, it will keep happening over and over again.
Have you ever been in an accident? Have you ever been on both sides of an accident? It changes your perspective a whole lot. I've been hit by a car while bicycling. It was the driver's fault. He didn't see me and turned left in front of me. I was injured, my bike destroyed and I had to spend time recovering from the accident. Sure, I didn't want to let the guy get off. I wanted him to pay for my bike and my medical bills and for my pain. He did. I didn't get a lawyer and I didn't sue him but he did what was right.
Fast forward 20 years. I was making a left turn. I didn't see the lady. I wasn't going more than 5 mph (just about the same speed as the guy that turned left in front of me) but I couldn't stop before I bumped her and she fell to the ground, severly injured. I now understand how people can run away from accidents. Every fiber of my being was saying run. Hide. Get away. But that would have been wrong and bad, so I stayed. I helped the lady as much as I could. I stayed with her until the ambulance came. I stood there looking at another human that I may have just killed and I couldn't do anything. I couldn't take it back. I couldn't give her life back. Everyone who say the accident kept asking me if I were all right but I just wanted to crawl into a hole. It was an accident but I caused it. I was responsible.
I still live with the images. I can't go past a certain corner near my house. I did the right thing, just like the driver 20 years ago. I paid her bills. I paid money for her pain. I paid what I could and got a lawyer to keep from being homeless. The money I paid didn't make my pain any less. It wasn't supposed to because I know it was my fault, just as anyone involve in an accident knows.
Don't judge anyone too harshly for an accident. It's just that, an accident. No price exacted by society can compare with the price exacted by ourselves.
Accident my weenie. I continue to hope for the military defeat of the US in a Mideastern war as this seems like the only way we'll come to terms with the evils and stupidities of our transportation "system."
What in the heck does the fact that it was an SUV have to do with it???
Anyway, automobile technology that will help to prevent this type of thing is in the works. In 20 or 30 years I expect the roads to be much safer than today.
A 17 year old doesn't have enough driving experience to know if he has had enough sleep to stay awake behind the wheel. A real tragedy.
Think of the differences in shape and effect between a doorstop and the head of a mallet.
Agreed, SUV drivers pay less attention to driving because they think they are in a tank
and can't be hurt.
Sorry to hear about this accident. Maybe we need a sobriety check as well as a age check at liquor stores. Lots were stocking up monday at Liquor Barn, many with horribly bloodshot eyes and a wasted gait. Needless to say, they did not walk to the liquor store.
Powerful post cyccommute. Anyone that knows anything knows that people aren't perfect and will make mistakes. It's how we handle those mistakes that define who we are.
What in the heck does the fact that it was an SUV have to do with it???
Anyway, automobile technology that will help to prevent this type of thing is in the works. In 20 or 30 years I expect the roads to be much safer than today.
A 17 year old doesn't have enough driving experience to know if he has had enough sleep to stay awake behind the wheel. A real tragedy.
Sure they will be safer in 20 years, because the cars will mostly be parked with no fuel to run them.
http://peakoil.blogspot.com/
Cyccommute - nice post.
Question: was the woman you hit a ped or a cyclist?
I saw a cyclist almost get left hooked today - he was riding on the right edge of a narrow lane a half block in front of me - there was no reason for him to be so far to the right (no one behind him that needed to pass). As he entered the intersection, a motorist turn left almost right into him. The cyclist swerved right and the motorist left to avoid the collision. The cyclist yelled and made hand motions at the motorist as if it was the motorist's fault, totally obvlivious to his own complicity.
Come to think of it, he did exactly what Robert Hurst recommends in Urban Cycling, and this near collision exemplifies why I think Hurst is wrong.
I saw a cyclist almost get left hooked today - he was riding on the right edge of a narrow lane a half block in front of me - there was no reason for him to be so far to the right (no one behind him that needed to pass). As he entered the intersection, a motorist turn left almost right into him. The cyclist swerved right and the motorist left to avoid the collision. The cyclist yelled and made hand motions at the motorist as if it was the motorist's fault, totally obvlivious to his own complicity.
Come to think of it, he did exactly what Robert Hurst recommends in Urban Cycling, and this near collision exemplifies why I think Hurst is wrong.
where in Urban Cycling does Hurst recommend this kind of riding? I thought he recommended using the part of the lane that made the most sense for the environment: in this case, the middle or left.
MEMORIAL RIDE FOR SCOTT
:fight:
THURSDAY JUNE 16 6:30PM
easy 10 mile loop, details at
http://www.innervoiceartstudio.com/memorialridefors.html
Sounds like a worthy event for those who can ride. If you can't ride, information on donations for the family.
MORE INFO, blog setup
http://scottkornfield.blogspot.com/
MEMORIAL RIDE FOR SCOTT
:fight:
THURSDAY JUNE 16 6:30PM
easy 10 mile loop, details at
http://www.innervoiceartstudio.com/memorialridefors.html
Sounds like a worthy event for those who can ride. If you can't ride, information on donations for the family.
just bumping it to the end as this is more important than side discussions. Snowy and I were just talking about this and may attend.
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