Originally Posted by Scooper

According to THIS POST, here is the complete text of the March 29 post (since deleted), allegedly written by Chris Bucchere, the cyclist:

Wrecked

Dear Missionistas / Raiders of the Morning, Famiglia and Amigos,

I wrecked on the way home today from the bi-weekly Headlands Raid today. Short story: I’m fine. The pedestrian I clobbered? Not so much.

Around 8 a.m. I was descending Divisadero Street southbound and about to cross Market Street. The light turned yellow as I was approaching the intersection, but I was already way too committed to stop. The light turned red as I was cruising through the middle of the intersection and then, almost instantly, the southern crosswalk on Market and Castro filled up with people coming from both directions. The intersection very long and the width of Castro Street at that point is very short, so, in a nutshell, blammo.

The quote/unquote ‘scene of the crime’ was that intersection right by the landmark Castro Theatre – it leads from a really busy MUNI station to that little plaza where The Naked Guy always hangs out. It was commuter hour and it was crowded as all getup. I couldn’t see a line through the crowd and I couldn’t stop, so I laid it down and just plowed through the crowded crosswalk in the least-populated place I could find.

I don’t remember the next five minutes but when I came to, I was in a neck brace being loaded into an ambulance. I remember seeing a RIVER of blood on the asphalt, but it wasn’t mine. Apparently I hit a 71-year-old male pedestrian and he ended up in the ICU with pretty serious head injuries. I really hope he ends up OK.

They asked me a bunch of stupid easy questions that I couldn’t answer, so they kept me for a few hours for observation, gave me a tetanus shot and sent me on my way.

Anyway, other than a stiff neck, a sore jaw/TMJ, a few bruises and some raspberries, I’m totally fine. I got discharged from the hospital durning the lunch hour. The guy I hit was not as fortunate. I really hope he makes it.

The cops took my bike. Hopefully they’ll give it back.

In closing, I want to dedicate this story to my late helmet. She died in heroic fashion today as my head slammed into the tarmac. Like the Secret Service would do for a president, she took some serious pavement today, cracking through-and-through in five places and getting completely mauled by the ragged asphalt. May she die knowing that because she committed the ultimate sacrifice, her rider can live on and ride on. Can I get an amen?

Amen.

The moral of this little story is: WYFH

Hoping you’ll all keep the rubber side down,

Chris

Originally Posted by spunkyj

No matter how cringe-inducing the post is, and despite the fact that the cyclist showed extremely poor judgement the following remains:

1. If he entered on the yellow light then he was legally traversing the intersection.
2. At his high speed, he should have been able to clear the intersection before the pedestrians got a walk sign.

3. IF points #1 and #2 are true, THEN it follows that the pedestrians did not yet have a walk sign. (As an aside, I see this happen all the time so it sounds plausible to me).

4. Ultimately, being a good cyclist or driver means anticipating the mistakes of others. What this cyclist did was stupid beyond belief. However, if the pedestrians were truly not supposed to be in the intersection yet, then he is stupid and reckless, but not criminal. Pedestrians also have the responsibility to look for oncoming traffic -- especially traffic clearing a long intersection.


Maybe he was speeding. Maybe he ran the red. We really don't know yet, and as much as I am uncomfortable with the cyclist's actions, it may very well have been the pedestrians who blatantly flouted their signals without looking. It could be that both sides were legally in the wrong. IF points 1-4 hold, then the cyclist should be given a break (a reprimand about safe cycling practices for the future would be in order). Either way, I think the role of the pedestrians and their shared responsibility should not be ignored. This incident has (rightly so) elicited many angry feelings toward cyclists in general, but nothing productive has come of it in terms of greater pedestrian awareness of cyclists and the need to watch out for both motor and man-powered vehicles before stepping out on the street.

I'm sure many will disagree with me and I'd like to hear those opinions. I just I want to reiterate that I in no way condone the cyclist's behavior, I just want to look at the situation from all perspectives.