Advocacy & Safety - Sad news about Bruce Rosar

Just saw this on the news. He was a member here on BF.

http://www.newsobserver.com/news/crime_safety/story/1604061.html

APEX -- A well-known biking enthusiast died Saturday after a collision with a car at the intersection of South Salem Street and Apex Peakway, Apex police said.

Bruce Rosar, 56, of Cary, has been bicycling in the Triangle area for years, serving as director of the N.C. Active Transportation Alliance and founding member of numerous other organizations, according to his Web site.

Rosar and a Honda passenger car were traveling along South Salem Street when the accident happened just before noon Saturday, said Capt. Ann Stephens of the Apex Police Department.


Rosar was transported to WakeMed in Raleigh, where he was pronounced dead.

The accident remains under investigation. Police aren't releasing the name of the driver of the car.

Stephens said several witnesses stayed behind, but about four or five other vehicles were also in the area when it happened.

"If anybody else, whether another cyclist or motorist that witnessed the accident, we would like to hear from them," Stephens said.

Anybody with information should call Apex police at 362-6661.

Stephens said that Rosar had been traveling with other bicyclists earlier in the day, but was riding on his own at the time of the accident.

Rest in peace Mr Rosar. You will be missed by many.

Thanks Eric.

Here's a link to the TV news story: http://www.wral.com/news/local/video/5554424/ (http://www.wral.com/news/local/video/5554424/)

Our thoughts all day have been with our colleague James Rosar, who is Bruce's brother, Bruce's wife Margaret, and all of their family and friends.

Bruce was an important voice in bike advocacy and had accomplished quite a lot.

Sad. Another story says Bruce made a left turn in front of the car (has link to a street view).

http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/5553372/

Sad. Another story says Bruce made a left turn in front of the car (has link to a street view).

http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/5553372/

Actually, the collision happened further northeast at the intersection with Apex Peakway (Google maps lists it as Cardinal Boulevard).

Witnesses say that Bruce was at the back of a pack of about 50 riders, some of whom turned left to split off the pack, the rest of whom proceeded straight. South Salem Street is two lanes with no left turn pocket. Some of the cyclists there speculate that a substantial volume of traffic overtaking on the left may have complicated turning left since it required monitoring both directions at once in case an overtaking driver ignored the cyclist's signal. Witnesses claim that he was scanning for traffic behind immediately before turning left. I personally believe that bike traffic ahead of him and the prior bend of the road to the right may have reduced the conspicuity of the oncoming car as well.

By showing what can happen to the very best of us, this event is especially unsettling. At the same time, it reinforces Bruce's own point that cyclists have a great deal of power and responsibility regarding their own safety on the road. I'm sure that Bruce would want us to keep that in mind when we cycle, but most of all, keep cycling.

Bruce has been a tremendous asset to the cycling community here in NC and had many friends. His bicycling advocacy biography may be found here: http://brucewr.home.mindspring.com/ec/biography.html
Bruce has also cycled across NC with Cycle North Carolina multiple times and frequently tandemed with his wife, Margaret. Bruce's other passion was paddling, both kayaking and canoeing. Bruce traveled through many of the state's most beautiful places under his own power.

Oh wow. RIP Bruce... my condolences to the family.

RIP Bruce.

Sad to hear of a death of any cyclist, even one working dilligently to reduce ridership in his community with his commitment to autocentric road designs and the wide lanes "still cause and can increase intersection conflicts" infrastructure he has helped push on unwitting bicyclists.

My condolences to the family and friends of the victim, but I wonder a few things about the accident -

was Bruce using a mirror? was he rightfully claiming the lane to make the left or was he feeling pressured by motorists behind him? Did he not want to stop in the middle of the road to let oncoming traffic pass before making the left?

the tenets of vehicular cycling obviously failed him. a tragedy of compounding circumstances.

RIP Bruce.

There's an updated story on the local newspaper's web site with some unsettling comments:
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/crime_safety/story/1604320.html

There's an updated story on the local newspaper's web site with some unsettling comments:
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/crime_safety/story/1604320.html

I didn't see any comments, perhaps they were edited out.

Though I often disagreed with Bruce's ideas on cycling advocacy I always admired his gentlemanly way of expressing them. He will be missed by all who knew him or of him.

I didn't see any comments, perhaps they were edited out.

Though I often disagreed with Bruce's ideas on cycling advocacy I always admired his gentlemanly way of expressing them. He will be missed by all who knew him or of him.

Roll down the page a bit more... there is an empty block just below the "Comments" title, but I believe that is the input area... a bit further down are the actual comments...

Below is just a "taste..." sigh... the usual nonsense...




UNCWprof wrote on July, 12 10:07 AM:

As usual, nobody mentions the trauma the car driver must be facing. Thanks to the illegal actions of a bicyclist, the driver must be suffering terrible mental anguish. Also, he now has to spend his own time to get his car fixed and then have to pay for it. And, he was probably late to wherever he had to be. This is not to mention the traffic tie up unit law enforcment cleared the scene. All this because of some bicycle rider.


Platowasright wrote on July, 12 10:02 AM:

Bicycles should be limited to roads in which they can meet the speed limit. They have no business on roads that exceed their ability to keep up with the traffic.

Sorry to hear this. He will be missed by many I am sure. Condolences to his family and friends.

I heard about this last night on TV, it truly is a sad thing. I never met Rosar, but I likely hold some of the very same feelings he himself did. This is a great loss, for everyone.
-Gene-

I didn't see any comments, perhaps they were edited out.


If you use one of the 'do not run scripts' add-ins on your browser, that may make the comments not show up.

10/4 on that young man resting in peace[Bruce Rosar] /Kenneth

If you use one of the 'do not run scripts' add-ins on your browser, that may make the comments not show up.

I already tried temporarily enabling all scripts on the newsobserver site and still no comments. Not a problem, I can guess the reactions from reader dimwits.

I am interested in an accurate description of the accident scenario and the actions preceding the collision if and when such information becomes available.

UNCWprof wrote on July, 12 10:07 AM:

As usual, nobody mentions the trauma the car driver must be facing. Thanks to the illegal actions of a bicyclist, the driver must be suffering terrible mental anguish. Also, he now has to spend his own time to get his car fixed and then have to pay for it. And, he was probably late to wherever he had to be. This is not to mention the traffic tie up unit law enforcment cleared the scene. All this because of some bicycle rider.

I did my undergrad and grad work at UNCW and have a 99.9% idea about who this is, unfortunately. He stirs the pot to make a name for himself as a controversial professor in the world of 'liberal' academia. It's a shame he can't show a little respect with his comments, really.

Rest in peace.

He will be missed. He advocated education for both cyclists and motorists, with a goal of both groups realizing the potential for disaster, and a new mindset about the paved routes we all need to operate on.

I did not know him, but knew of him. He was known as a very reasonable person with a pragmatic approach to riding safely. He left a pretty big hole in the cycling community there.

Unfortunately, most motorists will have no problem assigning blame to those darn bicycles who inconvenience them by actually using the roads.

It's a shame he can't show a little respect with his comments, really.

Bruce Rosar, rest in peace, your work for cycling advocacy will be missed.

jimlamb thanks for your replies on other newspaper article. Quite frankly, I wouldn't let the UNCWprof comments get to you too much. I find a few of his comments extremely crass at a time just after Bruce has been killed, and insensitive to family and friends that may be reading the same articles. However, I also think they speak for themselves in reflecting quite poorly on the UNCWprof.

I did my undergrad and grad work at UNCW and have a 99.9% idea about who this is, unfortunately.

Can't ya give us a clue who the jackazz is?

I didn't see any comments, perhaps they were edited out.



Why does this not surprise me?

There are several pages of comments, however UNCWProf gets the ball started with a post stating "The honda driver should get a medal".

UNCW must be proud. I expect that if/when this posters identity comes out, or becomes known to the UNCW administration - we'll see a heartfelt apology. Til then, here's another internet toughguy, on the sub-human scale.

Ride safe.

the tenets of vehicular cycling obviously failed him. a tragedy of compounding circumstances.

That's going a little far, don't you think? It's usually the VC people who are accused of taking one instance of personal tragedy and claiming that it proves their ideology. VC doesn't claim that it prevents 100% of collisions, or that people don't sometimes still make mistakes in judgment. In this case, it's still unclear who ultimately made the mistake, although it sounds like it may have been Bruce, or why he made it. We may never know. But if he made the mistake, it's not VC's fault, it's his, and it sounds like he's the type of person who would be the first to admit it, if he could.


RIP Bruce.

Agreed. I never met Bruce, but having seen his name here and there, and reading about everything he's done, this makes me very sad.

the tenets of vehicular cycling obviously failed him
That's going a little far, don't you think?

I don't think it's going too far to say that VC failed Bruce, or Bruce failed VC -

but out of respect for Bruce's friends and family will take it to another thread.

RIP fellow rider Bruce.

geez, this is sad. One of our own. condolences to Bruce's Friends and family.

RIP Bruce Rosar, you obviously had a big impact in bicycle advocacy.

As for some of those comments, just plain outrageous that all someone would think of this is that the driver was late for wherever they needed to be. Hopefully people see that there are SOME people with no regard for human life and only care about themselves.

Wow, I just saw this. RIP Bruce, you will be missed...and envied since all the roads in heaven are slight downhills with a tailwind in any direction and no traffic.

I've had only a few interactions with Bruce, but I can safely say that our local cycling community will be hard pressed to find such an advocate to fill his shoes ever again.

Bruce's Bio: http://brucewr.home.mindspring.com/ec/biography.html

Bruce's site: http://www.humantransport.org/bicycledriving/

There may be a tribute to Bruce at this Sunday's NCBC Summer Rally ride down at Shearon Harris visitor center in southern Wake County (NC 751 south of US 64 and US 1).
Go to NC Bicycling Club for details: http://www.ncbikeclub.org

http://www.bikeleague.org/about/images/bruce_rosar.jpg

People screw up.

Taking the lane, means changing the path you are in. When ever you change your riding it makes you unpredictable. The driver probably assumed the bicyclist would stay to the side.

The bicyclist either did not check behind him or did not do it effectively. Once detail in bicycling safety that is missed is it is very much of the wisdom is geared to the below 30 crowd. Once you are older particularly over 40 you really are less able to deal with high speed decisions like taking the lane in traffic. My guess is if he had done the exact same thing in his 20s he would seen the car and pulled back to the side. I also think a helmet is more useful if you are older as you are simply more likely to get into trouble.

Sad day for BF...

Was Bruce "The Human Car?"

Rest in peace (although I did not know him).

Ride safely, everyone. :)

Sad day for BF...

Was Bruce "The Human Car?"

No. "Bruce Rosar"

Rest in Peace.

Taking the lane, means changing the path you are in. When ever you change your riding it makes you unpredictable. The driver probably assumed the bicyclist would stay to the side.

The bicyclist either did not check behind him or did not do it effectively.

The motor vehicle driver was coming from the opposite direction, not overtaking.

People screw up.

Taking the lane, means changing the path you are in. When ever you change your riding it makes you unpredictable. The driver probably assumed the bicyclist would stay to the side.

The bicyclist either did not check behind him or did not do it effectively. Once detail in bicycling safety that is missed is it is very much of the wisdom is geared to the below 30 crowd. Once you are older particularly over 40 you really are less able to deal with high speed decisions like taking the lane in traffic. My guess is if he had done the exact same thing in his 20s he would seen the car and pulled back to the side. I also think a helmet is more useful if you are older as you are simply more likely to get into trouble.

This post is pathetic. I hope you read traffic better than you read words! :mad:

i like the comment about how cyclists shouldn't be on the road unless they can meet the speed limit, as if that's the primary reason for accidents. that's the good ol' d*ouchebag american driver.

People screw up.

You have the details of the accident wrong.

As I said on a different thread on the same subject, many of you are speculating, and that simply is not appropriate here. I have investigated many accidents (mostly industrial), and we don't know the details here. We cannot know everything necessary to make any reasonable conclusions concerning this accident, other than we suffered a fatality from a very productive member of our cycling community. I don't like saying "Rest in Peace," because it has become trite. I would rather say let's read more about Bruce, read what he has done, and in some small way seek to emulate his example for cycling advocacy in our own lives.

John