Northern California - Fatality at Stevens Creek Reservoir

Just came back from my recovery ride. My goal was to climb Mt. Eden and Pierce. However, on the way over, an accident scrapped my plans. Going southbound, right before the entrance to the reservoir area, the road was blocked by sherriff, and CHP. It turns out there was a bad accident, with one death, another with bad injuries. I'm not going to say much more than that, as I don't have the full details. It looks like a sheriff had accidentally mowed over a group of cyclists. From the description of one of the residents nearby, it might be a Webcor/Alto Velo rider.

Stevens Creek Dr as of 1:30 PM is closed to all traffic (meaning no Montebello Dr, no Mt. Eden). Reports say it would be closed for at least another 2 hours.

It looks like a sheriff had accidentally mowed over a group of cyclists. Holy ****! :eek:

Yikes, very sad. RIP rider, best wishes for full recovery for the others. :(

Be careful out there everyone.

... It looks like a sheriff had accidentally mowed over a group of cyclists. ...

Hmm, I'd like to see the spin on this one... I opened the thread expecting a gravel truck to have rolled over yet another rider. :(

A Sheriff? Ah great now even less then usual will be done. :rolleyes:

These are the details being reported so far:

http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_8513728

Here's a new article from the Mercury-News: http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_8513728
It says the sheriff was driving on the wrong side of the road and hit the cyclists head-on.



Two bicyclists struck and killed by sheriff's vehicle in Cupertino
By Leslie Griffy
Mercury News
Article Launched: 03/09/2008 12:21:11 PM PDT

Two bicyclists were killed when a Santa Clara County Sheriff's patrol car hit them on Stevens Canyon Road in Cupertino shortly before 10:30 a.m. today, authorities said.

A third cyclist was seriously injured and is being treated at Stanford Medical Center.

The identifies of the three cyclists and the deputy involved were not immediately released, but CHP officer Todd Thibodeau said a 29-year-old man died at the scene and a 30-year-old woman died as she was being flown to Stanford Medical Center. He said a 20-year-old man was injured.

The sheriff's office said in a statement that a deputy was driving north on Stevens Canyon Road near Montebello Road when his vehicle crossed the center line and hit the three cyclists, who were riding south.

The deputy immediately called for medial assistance and began administering medical aid. The deputy involved will be placed on routine administrative leave pending an investigation by the CHP, the department said.

CHP officer Tracey Hoover said the CHP has closed Stevens Canyon Road in both directions from Balboa Road to the entrance to the Stevens Creek Reservoir.

The CHP is asking anyone who witnessed the crash to contact the Officer Bowen at (408) 467-5354 ext.337.

Contact Leslie Griffy at lgriffy@mercurynews.com or (408) 920-5945.

grim details...

The sheriff's office said in a statement that a deputy was driving north on Stevens Canyon Road near Montebello Road when his vehicle crossed the center line and hit the three cyclists, who were riding south.

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_8513728

I had a ranger cross the center line in front of me on Metcalf last Thursday, although he was driving slowly and had his roof top emergency lights on. I was a bit confused at the time, and it is hard for me to stop on a 12-15% uphill grade. I went around his truck, and he jumped out with a can of spray paint. He was covering up some graffiti on a road side fence.

--
SharpT

Cripes, that's awful. :(

Best wishes to the injured.

Wow this shocking, RIP those involved,

I was nudged by a cop car in Daly City last week going up John Daly BLVD, Ahhhhhhrrrrr

I just saw the news on KRON 4. This is so sad! My prayers and thoughts go out to the victims and their families. Be care everyone!

What a horrible tragedy. Steven's canyon is such a busy cycling route with tons of riders out on a beautiful day like this. I am hoping but am not confident that justice will be served in this case. Condolences to the families of the victims.

I came southbound on stevens canyon around 12:30 and got stopped by a deputy. He directed me around the closed section via a trail that came back out on the road about 50 yards from the scene. Pretty grim and not something I want to see again. I feel very sad for the riders & their families. Great day for a ride up to that point...

There is video of the crash site on www.ktvu.com
The crash occurred near the picnic grounds in Stevens Creek County Park. The police car didn't just cross the center line. It crossed through the oncoming lane, then across the bike lane, and crashed into the ditch on the far side of the road. At the crash site, the road was wide with wide bike lanes on both sides. Doesn't make any sense to me.

There is video of the crash site on www.ktvu.com
The crash occurred near the picnic grounds in Stevens Creek County Park. The police car didn't just cross the center line. It crossed through the oncoming lane, then across the bike lane, and crashed into the ditch on the far side of the road. At the crash site, the road was wide with wide bike lanes on both sides. Doesn't make any sense to me.

It does if you ever seen what cops do in their cars: Talk on cellphones, fiddle with their radio, fiddle with their on board computer, eat. Cops car has more distractions inside then soccer moms minivan full of yapping kids.

Anyone had a chance to read latest SFGate article. PR BS already began: "officer offered CPR", "very distraught", "On leave", "windy (ha?) road".

If you really want to see a journalist doing backflips to portray the sheriff's department in a sympathetic light and cyclists in a they-were-asking-for-it one, read the latest version (http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_8513728) of the SJ Mercury article.

A tragedy.

Dude. I don't understand your point. You don't think that there's a possibility that the police officer could be "very distraught", or that he offered assistance, or that the road was windy, or that he has been placed on leave?Yes, it's important that we not jump too quickly into some kind of "****ing pigs, man!" mode. It's terrible to think of, but accidents do happen. Note that I'm not jumping in the opposite direction toward unwavering support of the police, either.

No matter what happens, the officer has to live the rest of his life knowing that he ended two lives, and likely changed another permanently. No matter what happens, two families are suddenly without a member. Assigning blame isn't going to change any of this.

Wow, this is really, really sad. I was riding toward there this afternoon when some people told me the road was closed, but I had no idea what had happened.

The last few lines of that Mercury News article are practically a non-sequitur. What does riding two-abreast, which the reporter points out "is not illegal but can be extremely dangerous," have to do with a car going across the center line and hitting cyclists in the other lane? It comes across a little bit like a cheap shot against cyclists, especially in light of the day's tragedy.

I hate to bring this up but this accident reminds me too much of that teen downloading a ring tone and unknowingly drifted to the other side of the road, into the bike lane and killing a cyclist. It just doesn't make sense why a car will drift so much without a driver reacting to the situation. Either the car completely lost its ability to steer or the driver is so distracted that he/she did not know what was going on.

Very sad. RIP cyclists. God Bless your souls.:(

I wonder if the cop was just cruising through the park where it was all nice and quiet, where nobody bothers anyone, and just kinda forgot to pay attention...I know some of the corners up there can sneak up on a driver if you're not paying attention. What a sad day for bay area cyclists. San Francisco, Oakland, and Santa Clara all caught up in this one incident. I really hope it was more than just driver distraction.

:(

I wonder if the cop was just cruising through the park where it was all nice and quiet, where nobody bothers anyone, and just kinda forgot to pay attention...I know some of the corners up there can sneak up on a driver if you're not paying attention. What a sad day for bay area cyclists. San Francisco, Oakland, and Santa Clara all caught up in this one incident. I really hope it was more than just driver distraction.

Rumor has it that he fell asleep. If ya watch the video, that makes alot of sense.:mad:

My letter to the reporter and the editors of the Merc News


"Two bicyclists struck and killed by sheriff's vehicle in Cupertino" had a tone that made me very uncomfortable. The picture painted by the reporter was so one sided I was shocked. If this had been a van of children would the article have taken the same tack?

"The group collided with the deputy's car while the deputy was on a routine patrol in the area,"

What? He crossed the road into another lane. They didn't collided, he hit them. You make the cyclists seem somehow at least partly at fault. Why not say "he ran into a group of cyclists."

Even if it's a quote a reporter shouldn't let your source get away with spinning them like that.

" Local cyclists noted that riders in large groups will sometimes ride two-abreast. The practice is not illegal but can be extremely dangerous on narrow, winding roads with a large amount of traffic."

This matters how? It reads as though you are attempting to shift possible blame. Why would you include this in your short article? How does it in any way make what happened more clear?

If the sheriff had hit a van of kids would you point out some parents turn and yell at their kids, which can be dangerous, though not illegal?

Just because the sheriff has a spokesman and the dead cyclists don't doesn't mean you should just regurgitate what the official spokesperson says.

I expect more form the Merc.

This article is much better than the Mercury-News article:
http://cbs5.com/local/bicyclists.crash.sheriff.2.673306.html

The deceased were named as Kristy Gough, who was training for the Olympics and Matt Peterson of the Roaring Mouse racing team.

Witnesses say the deputy admitted falling asleep at the wheel.

Rumor has it that he fell asleep. If ya watch the video, that makes alot of sense.:mad:

I did notice a few things in the video, including the lack of skid marks. You may be right, as unfortunate as that is.

This matters how? It reads as though you are attempting to shift possible blame. Why would you include this in your short article? How does it in any way make what happened more clear? If the sheriff had hit a van of kids would you point out some parents turn and yell at their kids, which can be dangerous, though not illegal?

Nice job of calling out the bias that's rife in a supposedly objective piece of reporting, CcCorlew.

The other part of the article that gets me is this passage: "The opportunities for hill climbing and downhill coasting along Stevens Canyon make the road tempting for cyclists. So on Sunday morning four cyclists training for an event decided to give the hills a shot."

It makes it sound like the cyclists were borderline trespassing just being there -- they knew they really shouldn't be traveling on, you know, roads, but it was so gosh-darn tempting they couldn't help themselves. And they knew it was risky, but so what? A couple of them might end up dead, but what the heck, they'll give the hills a shot.

Possibly I am reading too much into this, but as CcCorlew has illustrated with his example, would you really see this kind of editorializing in a theoretically objective piece of reporting if the accident involved only cars?

A terrible tragedy for all involved, including the author and editors at the Merc, who get paid to publish such biased rubbish.

The other part of the article that gets me is this passage: "The opportunities for hill climbing and downhill coasting along Stevens Canyon make the road tempting for cyclists. So on Sunday morning four cyclists training for an event decided to give the hills a shot."

It makes it sound like the cyclists were borderline trespassing just being there -- they knew they really shouldn't be traveling on, you know, roads, but it was so gosh-darn tempting they couldn't help themselves. And they knew it was risky, but so what? A couple of them might end up dead, but what the heck, they'll give the hills a shot.

Exactly! It isn't "wrong" but there is a tone that strikes me a a subtle indictment of cyclists. I wish I'd pointed that out in my letter as well.

My letter to the reporter and the editors of the Merc News


"Two bicyclists struck and killed by sheriff's vehicle in Cupertino" had a tone that made me very uncomfortable. The picture painted by the reporter was so one sided I was shocked. If this had been a van of children would the article have taken the same tack?

"The group collided with the deputy's car while the deputy was on a routine patrol in the area,"

What? He crossed the road into another lane. They didn't collided, he hit them. You make the cyclists seem somehow at least partly at fault. Why not say "he ran into a group of cyclists."

Even if it's a quote a reporter shouldn't let your source get away with spinning them like that.

" Local cyclists noted that riders in large groups will sometimes ride two-abreast. The practice is not illegal but can be extremely dangerous on narrow, winding roads with a large amount of traffic."

This matters how? It reads as though you are attempting to shift possible blame. Why would you include this in your short article? How does it in any way make what happened more clear?

If the sheriff had hit a van of kids would you point out some parents turn and yell at their kids, which can be dangerous, though not illegal?

Just because the sheriff has a spokesman and the dead cyclists don't doesn't mean you should just regurgitate what the official spokesperson says.

I expect more form the Merc.


Well said - that SJMN piece was a ridiculous piece of writing.

A true tragedy for the cyclists, I pray justice is served. Being new to the team, I only met Matt a few times, but he always had a smile on his face and was genuinely a nice guy. He was one of those people whose energy was blatantly obvious and contagious. As a racer/cyclist, this was his breakout year. I don't think anybody could ever win a race better than he did at the Merco crit this year.

RIP Matt & Kristy

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/03/09/BAEMVH0TO.DTL

Santa Clara deputy sheriff veers into cyclists killing 2
Demian Bulwa, Delfin Vigil, Tyche Hendricks, Cecilia M. Vega, Chronicle Staff Writers
Sunday, March 9, 2008

(03-09) 20:10 PDT CUPERTINO -- A rookie Santa Clara County deputy sheriff patrolling a winding Cupertino road today veered into the opposite lane of traffic and struck a trio of bicyclists, killing two people, including a rising star in the Bay Area cycling community, authorities said.

Authorities did not release the name of the victims, but friends identified one of the riders as 31-year-old Kristy Gough of Oakland and another as Matt Peterson, 30, of San Francisco. Both were killed. The third cyclist, whose name was not released, was listed in critical condition Sunday night at Stanford University Medical Center.

Gough was a professional tri-athlete who recently took up road racing and who friends said won every race she entered this year. Peterson, an active road racing cyclist, finished in first place in a race in Merced on March 1.

Gough, Peterson and the third cyclist were on a training ride on Stevens Canyon Road and had broken away from a group of eight other riders when they were struck by the on-duty deputy at about 10:25 a.m., friends of the riders said.

The unidentified deputy was northbound when his white cruiser accidentally crossed over the double yellow line near Montebello Road and hit the cyclists, according to Sgt. Don Morrissey, a spokesman for the sheriff's department.

The deputy, who has worked for the sheriff's department for about 18 months, immediately began to offer assistance to the bicyclists and called for medical aide, Morrissey said.

"The deputy is very distraught over this right now," Morrissey said. "It's devastating for everybody involved." Morrissey did not know whether Stevens Canyon Road is a route the deputy normally patrols.

As is customary when a local law enforcement officer is involved in a fatal crash, the deputy was placed on paid administrative leave and the California Highway Patrol is conducting the investigation.

Friends said Peterson, a member of the Roaring Mouse Cycles racing team, was dead at the scene. Gough died a couple hours later at Stanford University Medical Center, where the third rider, a 20-year-old, was admitted with major injuries, according to CHP Officer Todd Thibodeau said.

Roaring Mouse Cycles on Irving Street in San Francisco, a bicycle shop that sponsored the team Peterson belonged to, posted word of his death on its Web site. His death was confirmed by David Parrish, president of the Roaring Mouse racing team.

Two of Gough's friends, Dave Mayer and Anthony Borba, rode with Gough on the Third Pillar Amateur Road Racing team but were not present on Sunday's ride. They spoke with her family and were authorized to release her name, noting she died as a result of head injuries and internal bleeding and that she also suffered a severed leg.

Mayer, 30 of Portola Valley, and Borba, 32 of Campbell, stood outside the hospital Sunday afternoon and recalled a talented athlete who excelled at cycling, even though road racing was a relatively new sport for her.

"She's the strongest rider I ever rode with," Borba said. "The next level for her would have been the Olympic trials and she had no ego about it."

According to Clas Björling, a champion Swedish triathlete who was Gough's sweetheart for several years, she ran cross-country and did a bit swimming in high school. But she didn't get serious about athletics until she was an adult and some friends introduced her to bicycling and competing in triathlons, Björling said.

Once she caught the athletic bug, though, she devoted herself completely to training and competing as a triathlete. She worked as a waitress for a while, he said, but in recent years supported herself entirely on what she earned from her sports.

"She never really liked the idea of competing against others; she wanted to compete with herself," said Björling by telephone from his home in Mockfjärd, Sweden. "She was a really talented athlete, especially on the bike. She was so strong physically and mentally."

The group of riders hit by the deputy on Sunday were on a stretch of road frequently used by cyclists, but also heavily traveled by trucks on route to a nearby quarry. In 1996, a 46-year-old Cupertino man was struck and killed by a tractor-trailer rig while riding a bicycle near the scene of Sunday's tragedy.

Borba said his racing team regularly uses the road for training rides because it is considered to be a safe route.

"It has a large bicycle lane that is safe," he said. "That's why we ride that route every weekend."

Chris Wendt, 53, who lives near the scene of the crash called the incident "a tragedy."

"I don't want to say it was inevitable," he said. "But you do get a lot of (vehicles) and bikes up here. What was surprising is that it was a sheriff's deputy."

Anyone with information about the incident should call the CHP at (408) 467-5354 ext.337.

http://cbs5.com/local/bicyclists.crash.sheriff.2.673306.html

Mar 9, 2008 6:39 pm
2 Cyclists Killed In S.Bay Crash With Deputy's Car

CUPERTINO (CBS 5 / KCBS / BCN) ― Two bicyclists were killed and another suffered critical injuries after being struck by a Santa Clara Sheriff's patrol car that crossed the center line along a roadway in Cupertino on Sunday, according to authorities.

The Sheriff's Department said a deputy was traveling northbound on Stevens Creek Road near Montobello Road around 10:30 a.m., when his vehicle crossed the centerline and struck the bicyclists who were traveling southbound.

Immediately following the crash, the deputy exited his vehicle, rendered aid and requested emergency medical assistance, officials said.

A 29-year-old San Francisco man was pronounced dead at the scene, Sheriff's Sgt. Don Morrissey said. A second bicyclist was airlifted to Stanford Medical Center and later pronounced dead by doctors.

A third cyclist was taken by ground ambulance to Stanford and was listed in critical but stable condition.

"The entire agency is deeply saddened by this tragic incident,'' said Morrissey. "Our thoughts and prayers are with family of the victim and everyone involved.''

"We just lost a couple of phenomenal human beings. The fact that they were tremendous athletes is really beyond the point as well, although they both were. Christy was on her way to the Olympic trials, and Matt was a phenomenal rider. It's very distressing," said Gebhart Evanhook, who was riding just behind the two cyclists who died.

The California Highway Patrol is investigating the crash and the deputy was placed on paid administrative leave pending the results of that probe.

Witnesses said they overheard the deputy say he may have fallen asleep at the wheel. While the deputy was on patrol, he was not responding to a call, or speeding at the time of the crash, authorities said.

:(

Very unfortunate.. Sad day. Not really much you can say other then wishing the best for the families of all those involved.

Hopefully I can get up to the city this week and drop by the shop that sponsored the rider and see if there is any sort of donation that can be made to the family of the rider(s).

If anybody has info on something like that, and gets there before I get a chance, please post it up.

RIP Matt & Kristy

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/03/09/MNE8VH1CV.DTL

Kristy Gough's trainers had Olympic dreams

Tyche Hendricks, Chronicle Staff Writer

Sunday, March 9, 2008

(03-09) 22:23 PDT San Leandro -- Kristy Gough was a champion triathlete who had been training exclusively as a bicyclist in recent months and, according to her friends, winning just about every road race she entered. When she was fatally struck today, she and two companions were at the front of a pack of cyclists on a training ride in preparation for another race next weekend.

"I've never seen her so enthusiastic as in the last couple of months," said Clas Björling, a champion Swedish triathlete who was Gough's longtime sweetheart. "She was a really talented athlete, especially on the bike. She was so strong physically and mentally."

A friend and fellow cyclist, Matt Willinger, said Gough had hit her stride as a cyclist and was working with a pair of trainers from Belarus.

"They were ecstatic about her progress and what they thought she would do in cycling," said Willinger, who works with the same trainers. "She wanted to pursue Ironman triathlons. They had different plans for her. They wanted her to go to the Olympics and to world championships for cycling.... She was on her way to something great."

Gough, who grew up in San Leandro, had been a swimmer and ran cross-country at the Madeira School, a boarding school in Virginia, friends said. But it wasn't until she got to Chabot College in Hayward, where she and Willinger met, that she became passionate about triathlons.

"She just felt free," said Willinger. "When you're working at your peak, you don't have to think about anything else. It's very liberating."

As an amateur triathlete, Gough won in her age group in the 2004 Ironman Hawaii triathlon.

"That's the world championship; the biggest you can win as an amateur," said Björling by telephone from his home in Sweden.

Her biggest achievement as a professional triathlete was finishing third in the Ironman in the United Kingdom in 2006.

Friends described Gough as quiet and introspective, even a bit tough on the outside, but full of warmth and with a wicked sense of humor she shared with those who got to know her.

Tanya Grossman, another longtime friend, met Gough almost dozen years ago when Gough started training with a group of athletes connected with a triathlon shop owned by Grossman's husband.

"She was just this young girl who was fast and kicked everyone's butt," said Grossman. "The guys didn't like it. She was faster than most of them."

Grossman persuaded Gough to join her at a training camp in New Zealand in 2004, and the two biked and ran and swam and traveled around the country.

"You know you're good friends with someone when you can share a room and sometimes a bed with them for three months and still like them at the end," said Grossman.

Then, choking up, she added: "She has grown into a woman with such depth. I wasn't done with her yet as a friend."

It was in New Zealand that Gough met Björling. The couple trained together and divided their time between the Bay Area and Sweden, where they cycled almost 250 miles across the country.

The couple last saw each other a year ago, before Björling returned home to Sweden to take care of a serious health problem, but their relationship had only deepened over the telephone in recent months, he said.

Gough's outlook on life was shaped in part by a childhood that included divorced parents and a lot of moving around, said Björling.

"When I met her, she already knew what was important in life: take it day by day. Don't spend too much energy on details, but try to see the big picture," he said. "As we see today, life can change in a second, so why make long term plans?"

Willinger had intended to be on the same training ride with Gough in Cupertino today, he said, but he overslept so he went cycling by himself.

"I would have been right there with her," he said by telephone this evening. "When you're on your bicycle, you're very vulnerable. You have a lot of close calls.... Everyone's in a rush, but you've got to chill out and be careful."

E-mail Tyche Hendricks at thendricks@sfchronicle.com.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/03/09/MN6QVH1LD.DTL

Matt Peterson dropped from 250-plus lbs and became a cycling champ
Demian Bulwa, Chronicle Staff Writer
Sunday, March 9, 2008

(03-09) 22:28 PDT San Francisco -- After competing in a bicycle race in Menlo Park on Saturday morning, Matt Peterson and his teammates went on a leisurely ride through Woodside.

"But you couldn't have a leisurely ride with Matt," said Seth Berling, a fellow rider for Team Roaring Mouse of San Francisco. "It turned into what we call a 'hammer fest.' Matt's driving the pace and everyone else is just hanging on."

Added Berling: "Matt basically ended up breaking us."

That was the way Matt Peterson approached life, his friends said after the 29-year-old San Franciscan was fatally struck by a Santa Clara County sheriff's deputy on Sunday morning during a training ride in Cupertino.

The deputy veered across the center line, agency officials said. Peterson was pronounced dead at the scene.

"He's one of those dudes that is always trying to do the hardest thing out there," said David Parrish, the president of Peterson's cycling team. "One of those adrenaline junkies."

According to friends who gathered Sunday night for a candlelight vigil at Ocean Beach, Peterson grew up in Arizona before moving north, was unmarried, lived on Potrero Hill and worked as a senior buyer for Wal-Mart's Web site.

Peterson was once well over 250 pounds, said cycling team member Larry Rosa. But that was before he started punishing himself.

He did a 24-hour endurance mountain biking race in the pouring rain in Whistler, British Columbia, and an Ironman triathlon - swimming, biking and a marathon - in Lake Placid, N.Y.

"Each year it was a new thing," Rosa said.

Parrish said Peterson had done competitive road racing for four or five years and knew the other cyclist killed on Sunday, Kristy Gough of San Leandro, from a San Mateo County gym where they were training mates.

Peterson's goal in road racing, for at least two years, was to win the Merco Credit Union Cycling Classic in downtown Merced. So focused was he that he kept a picture of the race trophy - a river rock - as a screen saver on his computer.

"I want the rock," Peterson would say, according to his friends.

On March 1, Peterson won his division. A photo taken by Rosa shows Peterson crossing the finish line, his arms raised and his mouth agape.

"That was a pretty incredible moment," Parrish said. "It felt a little bit like a movie or a fairy tale."

Less well-scripted was Peterson's epic wreck last year on San Pablo Dam Road in Orinda. He hit a crack in the road, flipped over and landed on his face, breaking his nose and several teeth, and had to have surgery.

"We were scrounging around, looking for his teeth. It was pretty gnarly," Parrish said. "Matt didn't let that stop him. He was back on his bike the next weekend."

E-mail Demian Bulwa at dbulwa@sfchronicle.com.

So sad. Rest in Peace Matt and Kristy.
Prayers to the third cyclist.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/03/09/MN6QVH1LD.DTL



"I want the rock," Peterson would say, according to his friends.



http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa292/taxi777/rock.jpg

What a helpless feeling it is to see this...

I think all of us with the Norcal group will do anything and be available to the family and friends of these cyclists. What ever we can do to support and help. I know that everyone is devestated.

What a tragedy. My prayers go out to the deceased + injured cyclists families and friends. Let's hope this opens some motorists eyes to how dangerous it is out there for cyclists (and peds).

What a tragedy. My prayers go out to the deceased + injured cyclists families and friends. Let's hope this opens some motorists eyes to how dangerous it is out there for cyclists (and peds).

I am not sure we really want to say "cycling is dangerous". Because for one, statistically, it isn't nearly as dangerous as driving. For two, the modern-day reaction to dangerous things is to ban or limit them.

What we need to do is open ALL motorists' eyes to the fact that they assume a great responsibility when they get behind the wheel, and impatience or self-importance NEVER EVER trump someone's LIFE.

I am not sure we really want to say "cycling is dangerous". Because for one, statistically, it isn't nearly as dangerous as driving. For two, the modern-day reaction to dangerous things is to ban or limit them.

Here is a good article (http://www.cicle.org/cicle_content/pivot/entry.php?id=1511) on the subject of the fatality rates of driving and cycling. The gist: cycling has a higher fatality rate per mile traveled. Driving has a higher fatality per hour traveled. So ultimately, driving is a riskier activity.

Very unfortunate.. Sad day. Not really much you can say other then wishing the best for the families of all those involved.

Hopefully I can get up to the city this week and drop by the shop that sponsored the rider and see if there is any sort of donation that can be made to the family of the rider(s).

If anybody has info on something like that, and gets there before I get a chance, please post it up.

At the team meeting last night everybody was still in shock, but I am sure something will be announced. As soon as it is I will post it up here as well.

There are better race reports about Merco, but final lap he took a flyer and held a gap over the pack to the finish. He really earned the rock and you can see how much it meant to him in the pictures.

Too tragic. This is such a hard hit to everyone in the close knit nor-cal cycling community.
My heartfelt condolences go out to Matt & Kristy's families and to everyone in the Roaring Mouse & Third Pillar families.

CP

My condolences as well to those surviving and the families of the deceased. A freak accident; the road there is still safe to ride, and bicycling is a very safe activity to do.

I hate freak accidents because there isn't anything you can do about them other than being lucky to not be in the wrong place at the wrong time. My condolences to the families.

I notice there are a lot more people viewing the Northern California forum this morning. Great to have more users viewing though I have to think it's due to the accidents.

Horrible, horrible news. I was told about this tragedy this morning from a running friend. I couldn’t shake the notion that there was a glint of “I told you road cycling is dangerous” in her tone, and here she is a very active marathon runner who runs on the open road all over the hills in the East Bay all the time. The sad fact is that the idea that cyclists somehow ask for it is pervasive throughout the general public. I hope I’m wrong, but I doubt that much punishment will be metered out to the sheriff officer, because after all, he’s devastated and he did stop and help. Isn’t that punishment enough?

Agreed, not much more you could do as a cyclist (except, and realize I'm saying this in extreme sarcastic response to the Mercury News article, not be "tempted" by those hills :rolleyes:).

However I think a *LOT* more could be done in terms of advocacy and awareness of drivers:
- Don't drink and drive
- Don't drive while distracted
- Don't drive if you're tired
- Have some FREAKING PATIENCE...is it worth someone's life to get there 30 seconds faster?
- etc.

Sorry for the rant, but this + the other incident yesterday (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=395985) + daily annoyances while riding just got a little further under my skin today.