Texas - Lost a cyclist today

10 miles into a solo ride today I came across an accident scene; the police were already there but it appeared to be too late. I do not know who it was, but I said a prayer for him before heading back in and ending my ride early.

This was on what I thought was some of the best bicycling roads near Houston - the ride out of Zube park. The accident was at the intersection of Stokes and Waller-Spring Creek.

Stokes does not have a stop sign, but Waller-Spring Creek does. I can only assume the car driver ran the stop sign.

Please be careful. Ride with blinkies. Make eye contact with cars at intersections. This has really shooken me up.

I roadraced motorcycles for 12 years and saw two riders pass away during that time, but it was always considered dangerous even as a sanctioned event on closed tracks, but we accepted the risks. I knew cycling could also be dangerous, but thought riding in daylight and on roads often biked that the risks would be low.

Godspeed

:(

It is a sad day when a cyclist dies. When you venture out in a car or the bike you have to be drive/ride defensively. On the road you may have the right of way, but it is given not taken. Please be cafeful out there.

Wide Open View if this is the intersection.

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=wl&q=Stokes%20and%20Waller-Spring%20Creek%20Roads%20Texas

Article just published on Chron.com

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6743533.html

Seemed to be a class A citizen and will be missed.

All my thoughts and prayers go out to his family.

I hate to see this. Rest in peace. Prayer offered up.

That is such a tragedy. From the description in the article, it sounds like an open an shut case. The cyclists had the right of way if they were on stokes, and the motorist on Waller Spring Creek had a stop sign. If he hit the cyclist, I can't see what there is to be "under investigation". The driver should have at the very least gotten a ticket, and realistically should be under arrest for vehicular manslaughter.

My understanding is that blinkies, etc would not have made a difference in this case.

The murderist was speeding and ran the stop sign.
I would not even reduce this to vehicular manslaughter. It should be out and out murder 1.
It may not have been premeditated, but speed and ignoring the traffic devices combined should make it and open and shut case.

Just like the recent case of the driver charged for an auto accident while talking on her cell phone, I wish the laws on the books were enforced. It sounds like this senseless death could have been avoided if the driver had followed the laws.

AG

The article has been updated to say that the case is expected to be referred to a grand jury. Lets hope the DA doesn't stock his grand jury with a bunch of cyclist haters who think we don't belong on the road...

In related news, the Sheriff in Bexar County sent the Bruehler case to the DA without a recommendation for charges. The DA is reportedly planning to hire an outside expert to investigate and determine if or how the driver was distracted.

Can you imagine watching your friend being run over and killed?
You would never be able to get that image out of your head.
That is just brutally devastating. Thoughts and prayers.

We are trying to get together a cyclist honor guard ride (like the one they did in San Antonio for the Bruehlers) to stand outside his memorial service on Saturday. I will post more details when they start to come together in case anybody is interested in participating.

His OB:


http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/houstonchronicle/obituary.aspx?n=frank-stafford-campbell&pid=136810068

Sad