Southern California - Local Rider Killed

I just heard about this. Scares the heck out of me as I ride these areas. Westlake Blvd, where this occured, has a good size bike lane. Note that there is no word on whether the driver is being cited.

As I was out on Saturday, this could just have easily been me.

From the Thousand Oaks Star:

Glenn Garvin, a 49-year-old Thousand Oaks man, was killed Saturday when his bicycle was hit by a car on Westlake Boulevard.

Garvin was riding in the northbound bicycle lane about noon when he was hit from behind by a car driven by Norma Seigel, 82, of Thousand Oaks, according to a statement from the Ventura County Sheriff's Department. An ambulance took Garvin to Los Robles Hospital & Medical Center, where he died about two hours later from head injuries, the Sheriff's Department said.

Seigel hit Garvin after her car drifted to the right and into the bike lane, according to the Sheriff's Department, which is still investigating the accident.

:( That's so sad. My condolences to his family and friends.

my condolences to his family as well. It is truly very scary how quickly something like that can happen.

t~

Scary how one moment you can be doing waht you enjoy (cycling), and the next a life is lost. Condolences to those who he was dear to.

Rip

Maybe this isn't politically correct but did the "82" jump out at anyone else? Makes you wonder if it was another case of someone driving when they shouldn't have been.

Very sad.

Best wishes.

Maybe this isn't politically correct but did the "82" jump out at anyone else? Makes you wonder if it was another case of someone driving when they shouldn't have been.

Very sad.


PC issues notwithstanding, the age factor did jump out at me also. It also reminded me of that time a few years back where the old gentleman mowed down the Farmers Market in Santa Monica. The age itself, while questionable, is not indicative of the stereotypes as it depends on the certain individual. I've seen 80 year-olds that were active and acted/appeared/function in a manner younger than their years, yet I've also seen 80 year-olds that appeared/functioned to be pushing 100.

It is especially unfortunate as the rider was in his bike lane and hit from behind - and not at a higher risk location such as a busy environment, etc.

My condolences to his family, both blood and cycling.

That sucks. I've ridden there many times and there's no reason for a driver to even get close to a cyclist. I also am wondering about the "head injuries" part. Was he wearing a helmet? The article doesn't say.

Regardless, I doubt the driver will even have to pay a fine or lose her license. It will be considered one big "oops". Sux.

My thoughts go out to his family.

I always feel sick to my stomach hearing these stories. I feel so badly for that rider and his family. :(

Not necessarily the age itself but it does incidate a much higher chance of medical conditions that could have contributed. Imagine a seizure, heart attack or similar condition behind the wheel at any age could result in inocent deaths.
The most common impairment today is the cell phone.

I am always so sorry to hear this happening to a fellow rider....
My sympathy to his family!

This is such a scary situation - one I know all too well - although I was lucky to not be killed. It is a dangerous sport and we need to remember that each time we are on the bike, pedal stroke to pedal stroke.

Rest in Peace

Mandy

Maybe this isn't politically correct but did the "82" jump out at anyone else? Makes you wonder if it was another case of someone driving when they shouldn't have been.

Very sad.


::waving:: Me!

Very sad. :(

i realize that every time i throw a leg over a motorcycle it could be the last ride. i take some solace in the fact that it will most likely be my fault. thats not true on a bicycle.

I first got word on this story from a riding friend of mine, who came upon the scene just minutes after this occurred. An except from his e-mail:

"Honestly, he was already dead when we were there.
The lady that hit him was standing behind her car with her arms crossed.
His bike partner was crying, balling, Oh My God! Oh My God!

It really was bad! They moved him into the curb. It was something I will never forget.

We all really need to be careful on our rides.

It's one thing to crash offroad, and another to get hit from behind by an idiot and die.

Please, please be careful on your rides."

I first got word on this story from a riding friend of mine, who came upon the scene just minutes after this occurred. An except from his e-mail:

"Honestly, he was already dead when we were there.
The lady that hit him was standing behind her car with her arms crossed.
His bike partner was crying, balling, Oh My God! Oh My God!

It really was bad! They moved him into the curb. It was something I will never forget.

We all really need to be careful on our rides.

It's one thing to crash offroad, and another to get hit from behind by an idiot and die.

Please, please be careful on your rides."


Very sad....
I have ridden over there as well....
very scary also!

The arms crossed bit makes me wonder if she was annoyed that her time was being wasted and that the guy put a dent in her car.

In what way can you exercise care to prevent getting run over from behind?

The arms crossed bit makes me wonder if she was annoyed that her time was being wasted and that the guy put a dent in her car.

I cryed for along time after I killed a cat with my car, I can not imagine a person :eek: ! That b***h should be thrown in the back of a cop car, roughed up a bit and thrown in a cell - what are they calling this, an accident? :mad:

If I was the riding partner I would have put a dent in her head - and you all know it takes alot for me to get angry - no forgivness for drivers who hit cyclists!

In what way can you exercise care to prevent getting run over from behind?

If possible, you need to pick a 20+ mile scenic stretch where cars are not--even if you have to drive to the jump-off; otherwise, it's a gamble.

I ride there too, and know how wide the bike lane there is. Sad and a shame. My prayers are with him and his family.

Sad story. Not that I'm a big fan of them (or placing the fault on the cyclist) but I wonder if a mirror could have prevented this.

Sad story. Not that I'm a big fan of them (or placing the fault on the cyclist) but I wonder if a mirror could have prevented this.

"Oh, look. I see a car going seve........."

Very sad story :( RIP Glenn Garvin

Glen was a fellow Dentist and a friend of mine, and yes he was wearing a helmet. He passed away 2 hrs later at the hospital, not at the accident site. The bike lane is very wide there, about 9 feet. The speed limit is 50, but traffic frequently flows 55 and faster. He will be missed by all. Be careful out there,Steve

Sad story. Not that I'm a big fan of them (or placing the fault on the cyclist) but I wonder if a mirror could have prevented this.
I ride with a mirror, and I even wonder. I can tell if a car is about to pass me, but I don't think I could tell if it was going to drift into me.

Very sad news. :(

I don't understand how a cyclist gets rear ended with that wide a bike lane. (I can better understand it, though not excuse it, on a narrow mountain road with no shoulders.) But then, many motorists tend to hit non-moving or slow-moving objects because they end up fixating on things with their eyes.

Glen was a fellow Dentist and a friend of mine, and yes he was wearing a helmet. He passed away 2 hrs later at the hospital, not at the accident site. The bike lane is very wide there, about 9 feet. The speed limit is 50, but traffic frequently flows 55 and faster. He will be missed by all. Be careful out there,Steve

I am so sorry about your friend. I've heard several stories about him, via CVC groupmail. Deepest condolences to his family and friends.

Sheldon

i have spent many many hours on a research paper about elderly drivers. Definately a case where the driver shouldnt have been on the road.

Horrible, horrible news. Too many reports on the forums about cyclist fatalities due to collisions with cars. This is usually the time of year when I start getting very paranoid (after a long cycling season). My sincere condolences to his family and friends.

I know there is just so much that one can do but please, everyone, be careful out there.

The City Of Thousand Oaks provides a service to seniors and handicapped people where they can get a cab for 50 cents to a dollar, each way. Had she been enrolled in this program, perhaps Garvin would still be alive today.

i have spent many many hours on a research paper about elderly drivers. Definately a case where the driver shouldnt have been on the road.

Really, I have spent many hours worried about eldery drivers , mainly my 81 year old mother. My father died last year , but he had many small driving mishaps. Have you come up with any conclusions.

Really, I have spent many hours worried about eldery drivers , mainly my 81 year old mother. My father died last year , but he had many small driving mishaps. Have you come up with any conclusions.

vg, a friend of mine contacted the DMV and they called in his father for a driving test. His father just relinquished his license rather than taking the test, The DMV kept my friend’s name confidential so no family strife would result. It all worked out very well.

PC be damned. I'm older than most people who post to this forum (67), and my very first thought was that either the woman's vision was faulty, or her attention is wandering at that age, or something. . . .

Mind, some of the sharpest people I ride with are retirees from Cal Tech in their 80's, so let's not be ageist. But It's 50/50 whether this woman should've been driving at all, and meanwhile a life is lost.