Let's see. A cyclist plows into a runner, injuring him evidently quite seriously - perhaps imparing him for life - and you are surprised there is a lawsuit?

Those injuries may be devastating to the runner financially, he may have lost a lot of work time, and what else is not known unless you get more information.

And you call this a shark attack?

I've been through that - with my son paralyzed from the neck down due to the carelessness of others. You bet there was a lawsuit. It devaststed our family financially.

One of the viewpoints about carrying the proper insurance is to protect OTHERS from your own carelessness. That is, if I carelessly ruin someone elses life, I have a responsibility to be able to provide for and in a way correct my carelessness by being able to provide financially for the person whom I injure, and one of those ways is to carry a proper amount of insurance.

As to the degree of responsibility of the Velo club and school, that will be determined in court. For example, if it is found that the velo club had poorly or non-trained ride leaders who chose a route without due consideration of the safety of others, who provided no basic safety instructions to the riders, then they may indeed be liable. Why were a running event and a cycling event in the same space? They don't mix well together. Why didn't the bike leader detour when he found himself in the midst of a running activity? The liability of the school and velo club will be specific to the facts surrounding the injury - and will be properly determined in a court of law.

So don't be so quick to condemn. Our American society provides little or no safety net for those injured by someone else's carelessness. Currently, the only way to address those grievances and needs is through the court system.