trifecta

I ride by here all the time. It really pisses me off how slack people are when driving a car.
https://laist.com/2011/08/15/san_bern..._bicycling.php

CaptJackSparrow

that's horrible..

Snydermann

That's the fourth report in the forums recently involving a woman in a SUV with a child/infant in the vehicle hitting a cyclist.

The Smokester

I am sitting at a stop sign waiting to turn left when an SUV comes right at me from the right. I manage to unclip and jump aside and stand fuming at the curb.

I am livid. A direct and deliberate assault with a deadly weapon. An almost hit and run.

Down the block the car u-turns and comes back. A second run to finish me off? This time I'm ready. But no. The car stops and out jumps an hysterical young mother. She thinks she has hit me. In the back seat are two toddlers in car seats. She only ever saw me in her mirrors as I jumped out of the way.

zigmeister

People should be charged with vehicular manslaughter and go to prison for this stuff. She will just walk away though with little penalty for 100% negligence sadly.

lhorn

I agree. "Accidents" are often a result of willfull negligence. Unfortunately there often isn't much of a penalty for this. Hopefully the burden of their deeds stay with them the rest of their lives. A wife is left without her husband and kids are left without their father...for what? It's sickening.

rooftest

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...rday-afternoon.

DropDeadFred

im going to guess a cell phone was involved....

Nils

I feel truly sorry for the families that have to wait many years for some kind of legal closure.

Take a look at this case: https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ght=bertonatti

The new hearing date is now 03/19/12.

bobbycorno

Americans are with out doubt the WORST drivers I have ever seen. But then what do you expect when people only have to EARN their licenses once and after that only have to prove they're not blind to get it renewed??

European drivers may be fast and aggressive, but when they're behind the wheel, they're DRIVING. They're not effing around talking on the phone, texting, eating, putting on makeup or whatever other "multitasking" BS. I've never felt safer in a car than when I was on the autoroutes in France driving 140kph and getting passed like I was standing still. Bring back mandatory driving tests for license renewal!

SP
Bend, OR

Jed19

I think the issue, if I recall, was that the young mother was not at fault. It was said that the cyclist just fell off his bike with the car then striking him. In other words, it was the cyclist's fault.

No cell phone or texting involved. Just plain mistake on the cyclist's part.

reggieray

Are you talking about the article linked by the original poster? It says the woman is 35...

Regardless, cyclists falling off bikes in the middle of the road and then being struck is uncommon. Far more common is cell phone involvement of some kind and/or generalized negligence.

I shudder in fear for the motorist who hits one of my loved ones as a result of negligence...they are unlikely to survive the night. Just saying.

mtalinm

one of the good ones. most would run away if they thought they'd hit you

Fogflip

Thats sad people need to pay attention it really isn't that hard and the 20 minutes your driving i think you can survive without your phone putting makeup on etc.

LOGICK ONE

I've had people in cars rush me, cut me off, and intentionally throw crap at me from their cars.

The city of Los Angeles made a law that makes it easier to sue a driver even if they don't make contact with you (swerving into you, reving up on you) as a way to force drivers to respect cyclists. Many cyclists (especially commuters) have been investing in Go-Pros to help them in any case lawsuit.

I believe more cities (if not all) need to imply this. Drivers may complain that it's unfair, but they need to realize that their 2,000 pound car will do more damage to a person on a 16 pound bike.

rooftest

I remember that. The cyclist was on a straight, clear section of road and the lady ran him over; claiming he had fallen in the road. (too much trouble to go around him.)

giantcfr1

My brother was riding along a bikeway this year on the Gold Coast in Australia, when a motorist drove onto the bikeway and followed him for about 500 metres blasting his horn. Eventually the car struck my brother and the driver got out of the car and laughed at him. Plenty of witnesses and police had the CCTV of the attack but unfortunately no-one wrote down the licence plates, nor could the police see the licence plates on the CCTV footage.
Of course my brother was unconscious at the time but survived. He had a broken collarbone, broken arm and broken wrist, lost his job because he lost full use of his arm for 7 months. The driver of course got away scott-free.

Unfortunately the Gold Coast would have to be one of the worst cyclist-friendly cities in Australia. Similar happened to me when I lived there but I managed to jump a curb as the driver swerved at me and on group rides I've witnessed drivers swerve and hit riders. Incidently, Luke Harrop a champion tri-athlete was killed by a driver there, as was Darren Smith, a professional road cyclist.

gerundium

I don't know what you are on about but this is not the case in europe as far as i know.

contango 

Don't know about continental Europe but here in the UK we see people driving using cellphones (despite it being illegal for many years now), people driving eating, putting on makeup and so on.

The only thing we have to do every 10 years to renew our license is send in a recent photo. Oh yes, and of course a fee.

jamesdak 

Having lived in Germany right across the border from France I have always felt differently. I thought the Germans were attentive drivers for the most part while the French were aggressive and rude. That's just based on my past experiences. Obviously it's wrong to group all people nationally and say they suck but the only driving problems I had in my years in Europe were in France. Just saying...

dalava

The a few times I had close calls were all with mini vans or large SUVs, and in my neck of the woods, they are the kids-hauler. Incidentally, Honda Odysseys are my mortal enemy, for whatever reason.

kimconyc

I ride there all the time when I'm out in California; however, I'm usually heading southbound on Sand Canyon and then go down to Laguna Canyon to loop onto PCH.

There is a dedicated MUP on Shady Canyon Rd. and no shoulder in the regular traffic lanes, where the accident occurred.

Very sad accident, especially considering that the detective leaves behind 3 children who now don't have a father.

Any updates to this case, since it's almost 6 months old?

Velo Vol 

You can sue someone who revs up their engine?

LOGICK ONE

If they're tailing you closely and reving up on you as to get you to move or scare you off. Police see it (or supposed to see it) as potential road rage and harassment.

Not sure if drivers do that out in Knoxville, but in LA drivers will suck your wheel and rev/honk to get you out of their way.

If brought to court, you can sue the driver in small claims for up to $1000 or the cost of repairs to your bike/cost for injuries. Like if a driver was angry and tried to swerve into you to scare you, but you didn't get hurt but there was a witness/evidence, you can sue that driver for upwards to $1000.

Velo Vol 

There's not anywhere for me to go--I'm already riding at the edge of the road.

I very rarely have someone revving behind me. Every now and then a truck guns it as it is passing by.