gregf83 

blah blah blah. It's very simple - don't pass on a corner when you can't see what's coming. The cyclists actions or where he was riding are not relevant here.

indyfabz

What article did you read that said he was hit intentionally? Certainly not the article in the OP. Here is how it went:

1. Cyclist waves SUV around.
2. SUV does not pass
3. Approaching curve, cyclist pulls out into the middle of the narrow, shoulderless lane (I looked at the road on Google Maps) thinking he's improving the situation
4. Collision with SUV ensues
5. Situation escalates and cyclist is assaulted by SUV driver.

You need to differentiate between 1-4 and 5. 5 is inexcusable. 4 could have happened for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is the fact that the cyclist waved the SUV around. It's quite conceivable that the SUV took the cyclist up on the offer and then the cyclist unexpectedly pulled out.

bakes1

According to the news story (and that is all the info we have here) there was nothing reported coming.
The accident did not stem from anything oncoming so really have no idea what your point is? Nowhere does it state that the car or rider was affected at all by any oncoming vehicle or pedestrian.
But the report does in fact state that the cyclist "traveled to the middle of the road in order to be visible to oncoming traffic"
Not visible to the car he waved through and knew was behind him in the lane he was moving into.
Makes no sense at all. If you cannot see the oncoming traffic and that traffic is in the other lane why would you move closer to it? Idiocy.

indyfabz

Without more, simply taking the lane is illegal in my state. The 4' law established/clarified responsibilities of motorists and cyclists alike. I always find it interesting when I am on a club ride and people complain about not getting 4' when they are not riding where they are supposed to be.

gregf83 

I wouldn't put much credence on the news story as it's clearly missing a few details.

On on a narrow two lane road with no shoulder it's not a bad idea to take the lane. If you don't drivers behind may attempt a pass on the corner which could result in a problem if there is an on coming vehicle. Not much fun trying to go through a corner 3-wide with a pair of 5000 lb vehicles.

bakes1

I agree that the news story leaves a lot to the imagination.
And I also agree that there are times when taking the lane is the safest course of action. It just doesn't seem like this was one of those times.

indyfabz

+1. I noted the same in a post of yesterday. Also, nothing was stated about the precise timing of the sequence of events. The cyclist did wave the SUV around. Maybe the SUV took the cyclist up on the offer and then then the cyclist unexpectedly pulled out.

gregf83 

Did you look at google streetview for this corner? Taking the lane there seems reasonable.

My guess is the rider waived the suv on during a straight section of road. The suv driver hesitated and then decided to pass on the corner when the cyclist was in the middle of the road. The cyclists actions pissed off the driver and he either clipped the rider going past him or the rider somehow drove into the side of the vehicle. Once they stopped, the driver, still frothing at the mouth, beat the **** out of the cyclist.

dnslater

This is my assumption as well. I have waved people by in the past as I was approaching a left turn - because I new I would block them while waiting to make the turn. Sometimes the pass, sometimes they hesitate - so I take the lane and turn.

wphamilton

I think that given his aberrant behavior it is likely that the driver was out of control and may have psychological issues. People like that don't always respond with reasonable or logical reactions, so all of the inferences about how the cyclist might have provoked him are no better than guesswork.

Based on the information here and the article we can't fault the cyclist at all. However, "After the crash, police alleged, the SUV driver beat the cyclist" skips over everything between the accident and the beating. We don't know what happened there. Maybe the motorist stormed up and attacked him. Maybe the cyclist instigated the confrontation.

cleansheet

Holy sh#t, I cannot believe how stubbornly stupid you are. And to claim a large portion of the cycling community as like minded. Good God.

RVARider

here are a few more articles that shed a little more light
https://patch.com/maryland/edgewater/suv-driver-cited-hitting-cyclist-road-rage-police
As the vehicle drew closer, the cyclist said he waved at Moody to pass him.Once they reached a curve in the road, police say the cyclist moved to the middle portion of the road to be visible to oncoming traffic and to block the SUV from passing on the curve.

The SUV driver -- Michael John Moody, 61, of Malvern Hill Court in Davidsonville -- reportedly left the scene, but was stopped by police nearby on Riva Road.


https://www.facebook.com/aacopd
#‎BicycleSafety‬ ‪#‎3Feet‬ Please remember to share the road with bicycles. Always give at least 3 feet when passing/overtaking a bicyclist. The following are a few reminders from Traffic Laws for Motorists from the State Highway Administration.
• The driver of a vehicle overtaking another vehicle, including a bicycle, which is going in the same direction, shall pass to the left of the overtaken vehicle at a safe distance.
• Drivers shall exercise due care to avoid colliding with any bicycle, EPAMD, or motor scooter being ridden by a person the driver of a vehicle must not pass any closer than three (3) feet to a bicycle or motor scooter if the bicycle is operated in a lawful manner. It is not lawful to ride against traffic.
• After passing you must make sure you are clear of the bicyclist before making any turns. The bike has the right of way, and you must yield to bike, when you are turning. Failing to yield right of way to a bicyclist, resulting in a crash in which the bicyclist is seriously injured can result in a $1,000 fine and three points on your driving record.
• Motorists must yield the right-of-way to bicyclists riding in bike lanes and shoulders when these vehicle operators are entering or crossing occupied bike lanes and shoulders.

KIND OF NEAR THE SAME PLACE
Bicyclist dies in Davidsonville crash | Anne Arundel County News - WBAL Home

Phil_gretz

Now, you're baiting...

Normal thinking cyclists do in fact take the lane when safety demands it. On one of my daily commute routes, the road crosses a narrow metal bridge after having gone through a security checkpoint. The vehicles are metered/timed/slowed as they go through the checkpoint. So, when I go through on my bike, I take the single lane in my direction that crosses the bridge. Just until I'm across and the shoulder resumes. Why take the lane? Because there's no way to share it with a passing car, and the drivers may not have the skill or awareness to figure this out before it's too late for me. Simple common sense applied here, by a thinking rider.

C'mon, bt, lighten up.

kc0bbq

Just ignore the troll, he'll go back to trolling about disc brakes and everyone will be happier.

popeye

qsl

bt

the bridge deal I can understand but these cyclists taking the lane in un-needed situations are doing nothing but pissing off drivers no matter what a law says.

I don't play that game and act like I'm a car.

2manybikes

It sounds like the cyclist waved the SUV to pass and then went to the middle of the lane. Sounds stupid. I can see why the driver would take it as a deliberate attempt by the cyclist to be a pain in the butt. Still no reason for a fight.

FBinNY 

I don't know why people here are trying to assess the cause and fault re the crash.

The crash happened, and no details about it were offered, but none of that matters. The issue here is an assault, and more serious, an assault on an injured person.

I'm glad to hear he's being charged with a felony level assault, and my feelings on the issue have nothing to do with a cyclist being involved, or what might have happened before.

eja_ bottecchia

A post that makes sense.

The assault on an injured individual is the real issue. It is evidence that the motorist has some serious anger issues. Over the years I have been involved in collisions with individuals who were clearly at fault. After making sure that my passengers and myself were OK, I then checked on the other driver and his/her passengers. It is all a matter of courtesy and basic humanity.

mlamb01

The cyclist in question here rides in a club that I ride with. Saturday afternoon he sent an email to our listserv, telling us what had happened to him. He saw the news story, and sent this reply to us:

One discrepancy. I did not flag the driver to pass me. I motioned him to back off when he aggressively tailgated me while repeatedly honking his horn. Shortly thereafter he clipped me as he attempted to pass causing the crash.

So to be clear, he did not wave for the motorist to pass him. Also, I think the driver picked up his whole bike and threw it into the woods, not just the tire.

bt

so he was taking the lane ?

mlamb01

Yes, due to the blind curve.

Here is the police report, which does have the discrepancy(needs to be corrected) about the wave:

Bicycle Accident/Road Rage Davidsonville
On August 22, 2015, at approximately 10:58 a.m., officers from the Southern District responded to St. George Barber Road and Governors Bridge Road, in Davidsonville, for a reported accident involving a bicycle and vehicle. Prior to the officers arrival, a witness advised after the collision, the operator of a tan SUV assaulted the victim that was riding the bicycle, picked up the victim’s bicycle tire and threw it into the nearby woods. The operator then left the scene.
Officers located the SUV a short distance away on Riva Road and conducted a traffic stop. The operator, a 61 year old, male from Davidsonville was subsequently detained. Officers then spoke with the cyclist/victim, a 59 year old male from Edgewater. The victim stated he was traveling south on St. George Barber Road approaching Governors Bridge Road at which time the above vehicle was traveling behind him. The vehicle drew closer at which time the cyclist waved the operator to pass him. Upon reaching a curve in the roadway the cyclist traveled to the middle portion of the road to be visible to oncoming traffic and to block the SUV from passing on this curve.
At this time the operator of the SUV attempted to pass the cyclist on the left side. During this time the vehicle and cyclist collided and the cyclist crashed to the ground. The suspect was arrested and charged with numerous traffic offenses to include leaving a scene of an accident, Reckless Driving and Negligent Driving. Additionally, the suspect was charged with 2nd degree assault for his actions following the collision. The victim was transported to Anne Arundel Medical Center with injuries to his leg, broken arm and a broken rib. The victim is listed in stable condition.

And here are the tickets/charges received:

1. DRIVING VEH IN EXCESS OF REASONABLE AND PRUDENT SPEED ON HWY
2. FAILURE TO CONTROL VEH. SPEED ON HWY. TO AVOID COLLISION
3. FAILURE TO DRIVE RIGHT OF CENTER
4. DRIVER FAILURE TO OBEY PROPERLY PLACED TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICE INSTRUCTIONS
5. NEGLIGENT DRIVING
6. FAILURE TO IMMEDIATELY RETURN AND REMAIN AT SCENE OF ACCIDENT INVOLVING BODILY INJURY
7. FAILURE TO RETURN TO & REMAIN AT SCENE OF ACCIDENT INVOLVING ATTENDED (VEH.DAMAGE,PROPERTY DAMAGE)
8. FAILURE OF VEH. DRIVER TO USE CARE TO AVOID COLLIS ION W/(BIKE,EPAMD,MOTOR SCOOTER) OPER. BY PERSON
9. FAILURE OF VEH DRIVER TO PASS SAFELY AT DIST OF AT LEAST 3FT WHEN PASSING (BIKE,EPAMD,MOTOR SCOOTER)
and one criminal charge
ASSAULT-SEC DEGREE Charge Class:Misdemeanor

I know the driver was arrested and posted his $25,000 bond shortly thereafter. That's all the info I know.

Number400

lately, I have stopped trying to control traffic while riding. I do put my hand out, palm back if I see an obstruction up ahead that I know a driver behind cannot see. I also wave some motorists past, especially if they have checked up behind me. I also give a nice wave to people that have slowed and passed safely. For the dangerous and impatient drivers who proceed by me without slowing, into blind corners and over blind rises, I prepare to brake and look for an escape route and they can deal with the mess that they are putting themselves into.

The absolute biggest lesson I have learned while is riding is that it's ok to have to slow and interrupt my pace and rhythm to keep myself safe in the crazy situations that come up on the road.

RJM

You can take the lane when riding...especially up a hill where it is not a good idea for a vehicle to pass there...as in, probably a double yellow line.

We had a rider get hit because of someone passing on a hill and then swerving to avoid a head on collision with a car he didn't (couldn't) see until the last moment. The cyclist suffered severely and the driver was at fault for all his bills and then some.

The driver of the Op's story needs to spend significant "cooling off" time in the pokey....and then get sued for every bill that cyclist has...and then some.

WalksOn2Wheels

Wow, lots of stuff going on here.

First off, both articles are "police say" or, at best, "Police say the cyclist said." So right off the bat we're getting his story through a filter that may or may not be slanted against him.

We don't know WHERE the cyclist waved him on, or how soon it was before the curve. I would think a cyclist interested in self preservation would not have done that so close to a blind, double yellow curve.

Another poster mentioned this, but on more than one occasion, I might be riding to the right of a 2-lane road when a car approaches from behind just as I'm about to crest a hill or enter a blind curve. If I feel like they're approaching too quickly, I will put my left down down, palm facing them, and then pull to the center lane to cause them to slow. This may seem crazy, but let's think about the alternative. A car is coming from the opposite direction, the car approaching from behind does not see it and decides to pass. Do you think the driver of the car now making the illegal pass is going to let the head on collision happen, or do you think they're going to cut back into your lane and clobber you?

This could have been exactly what happened. Imagine the police questioning a cyclist in immense pain. Police talk to the driver and he says "The cyclist waved for me to pass with his hand." Police ask, "The driver says you signaled him with your hand, did you?" The cyclist says "yes" thinking "I was trying to tell that idiot to slow down and wait to pass," but doesn't get that far because the paramedics are putting him on a stretcher and throwing him around with broken bones. Suddenly, every article says "Police say the cyclist waved for the driver to pass him."

Or, more simply, he just waved him on at an inopportune time, then took the middle of the lane thinking, "Why didn't this guy pass me earlier already?" and then gets creamed because the irrational driver, already angry because a cyclist is robing 10 precious seconds of his life, made a rash move.

In short, without more eyewitness accounts and the full story from both parties, it's kind of impossible to tell what happened.