Cyclist hit by driver texting about... drug deal
 

http://www.buffalonews.com/260/story/865856.html
I was just looking over the local news over lunch when I noted the following headline. "Driver texting about drug deal hit biker."

Thankfully the cyclists was not killed and is in stable condition. The moron driver was stupid enough to admit he was texting... and therefore swerved and hit the cyclist. The icing on the cake is that the text message was was regarding a drug deal. At least he'll get some serious time for the drug bust. Who knows if they would have even ticketed the driver if there wasn't any drug related issue... but at least he won't be walking away from this crash with just a light slap on the wrist:thumb:

Happy riding,
André

Cops were already looking for him after having received calls about an erratic driver. Unfortunately, the guy hit the cyclist before the cops could stop him.

As a side note, this took place on a very busy highway after dark. Speed limit 50mph. It's also a nice suburban area, not some inner city drug bazaar. While the cyclist did nothing wrong, wide shoulder, wearing a reflective vest, riding on this highway even in daylight is not a bright idea. Way too busy, way too many people swinging onto the shoulder to pass left turning cars. So, no doubt the driver in this situation was way out of line, for this rider, getting hit, was more a question of when not if.

Sadly, If the driver had not been doing a drug deal, the police would probably have blamed the cyclist, despite their injuries.

I guess I'd better stop riding altogether then, because that sounds safer than the roads that I have no choice but to ride on here. I should be dead by now.

Texting drivers really seem to drive as bad, if not worse, than drunk drivers.

I live in the area, a few miles from where this took place. While this is 100% on the driver as I read it i couldn't help thinking "What was the cyclist doing on that road?" obviously, she needed to use that road for some reason. My point, it's a dangerous road. Many pedestrians and cyclist have been killed on that road by drivers.

For the purposes of this thread, safety, my post is to point out that judgement plays an important role in our safety. In the case of this incident, while clearly the driver's fault, I question the judgement of the cyclist for being on that highway, and for being there after sunset. Two big mistakes. There are far less travelled, far safer, alternate routes in that area. I know, because i use them.

^^^
And most of us here, question your judgement tom cotter.

Nothing to do with pot at all. Sounds like a prescription narcotic junkie like Limbaugh. If the guy was on pot, he probably would've been driving so slowly he wouldn't have overtaken the bike.

+1 Who the frick cares if they're legal and safe? They are doing everyone a favor by increasing the awareness of cyclists.

Article doesn't mention where in Medford she was riding. Lots of group rides start in that area because of the lower amount of traffic. I came very close to being a statistic this past Sunday in Medford returning home solo after a Sunday morning group ride (Rt 70 & Hartford Rd).
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http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ble&highlight=
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While returning home (solo) from a group ride yesterday, I was almost hit even though I was on the inner half of the shoulder.

Without exaggerating, a bastard (with a wife(?) and two kids strapped in the back seat) couldn't have missed me by more than 2" AND possibly even less as my elbow went above his side view mirror. (I still don't know how I wasn't hit)
When I say close, I can vividly recall the kid's wide-eyed expression as he peered thru the window as they went by.

How it happened:
Car in front of him was stopped with blinking turn signal at an intersection (with a traffic light) and the driver figured he could squeeze by/between us (car and me) at speed rather than having to slow down. (for 6feet until I cleared the stopped car)

I read the posts here about these incidents. While I sympathize with those who get all worked-up, angry and looking for retribution, I typically tend to agree with the calmer voices that remind us to be thankful that you were not injured.

I knew that, but for about a minute, I was incensed. I began sprinting because if I could have caught that car at the next light (he got a green), I would have kicked out his side view mirror to get him to stop. Then called the cops on my cell and had us hash out the ramifications.

Below is a news story with video from a TV reporter who interviewed the local LBS owner- (Chris Rensman - BikeTek of NJ) about the accident. (Home of my Sunday group ride)
http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?se...cal&id=7124824

Only thing that is perplexing is that if hint of drugs were not involved, I wonder if this would have had any cachet. As if texting about meeting someone for dinner and causing the same accident wouldn't have been as bad.

I apologize. i keep forgeting how narrow the point of view is here.

I drive the road in question everyday, RT70, and sans drug texting driver, the big question for anyone from the area is : What was she doing on that road in the dark?

For those not familiar with the road, there are no group rides that use that highway.

The only thing that makes this story news worthy is the drug dealer driver. That's unfortunate. The fact is, becoming a static on RT 70 just isn't anything new.

yes this story is awful and it occured not too far from where I ride.

in other Philly local news. the Police are cracking down on scoff law bikers who ride on the sidewalk and swerve in and out of traffic. also there is talk of banning fixed gear bikes esp without brakes. also there is talk of a $20 a year registration fee.

Tom,

Why does she have to justify why she was on the road? Didn't you watch the video? She traveled that road everyday going to and from work. Why do cyclists in general have to justify why we ride the roads that we choose to ride?

If the driver hadn't been texting about his upcoming drug deal he wouldn't have hit the cyclist.

If this road is dangerous to cyclists, then isn't it also dangerous to other road users? If that is the case, what can the city, county or state do to make this road safe for all road users.

As for the texting driver, there needs to be a severe penalty for this, how about a hefty fine AND being ordered to pay all the medical expenses of the victim, plus any lost income and any other victim expenses related to the incident. Hey while we are at it, no driving until the victim has fully recovered and every last penny has been paid. I don't care if it costs this cheese head $5,000,000 and takes him 40 years to pay it.....

Tom is technically correct that group rides do not ride on 70. However the cyclists who bicycle to the group ride @BikeTek on Sunday morning use 70 for about 1mile to GET to there.
Also there is a PieRide on Friday mornings. A few riders are on 70 for a short bit to get to the Church off Hartford Rd.

This road - RT 70 (2lane Hwy 50mph speed limit I believe) does have a full width asphalt paved shoulder.

I think we're talking about two different things. You are talking about bicyclist rights and i'm talking about common sense. Certainly, this rider had every right to be where she was when she was. That said, we all know what roads in our area are safe and when it might not be a good idea to ride them. No different than surfing at New Smyna Beach Florida. Fun, but if you are attacked by one of the sharks waiting for dinner to be flushed out of the nearby river inlet, well, who's fault is that? Poor judgement on the surfer's part because they are putting themselves in a dangerous situation.

And that said, this accident is fully the fault of the driver whose behavior is indefensible. Unfortunately, even being totally in the right the bicyclist is still injured.

RT 70 along it's entire stretch from Pennsauken, to the west of this accident scene, to RT 206 to the east, is the scene of dozens of crashes every week. Most are fender benders with a few more serious accidents mixed in. There is nothing wrong with the highway. In fact it has a beautiful-wide shoulder. Still, the bent metal and broken glass is a constant. Sadly, there is no such thing as a fender bender with a car-bike crash.

To some degree I have to agree with Tom here. You have the right to ride on busy arteries. You don't, however, have to exercise all of your rights all the time. It may be prudent not to.

You have the right to walk through any neighborhood you wish at night, but you don't.

In a more ideal world, you could do whatever you wanted without being afraid of hatred or negligence. Riding on a highway does not it into that universe.

I am not against people choosing routes however they see fit, but some are obviously better than others. If safety and self-preservation don't cross your mind, you're an idiot.

This is not to say that if there is no other viable route, you shouldn't be allowed on the highway. It's just to say that if you have another viable route, why would you take the highway? It's childish not to acknowledge that bikes have certain shortcomings when compared with cars.

Tom,

The woman riding the bike that was hit worked at a farm that was just off that highway. And the route she took was probably the most direct route for her to take. Or it could have been the only route for her to take. And you were the one if I am not mistaken who was asking why she was on the road at the time that she on it.

I think that it is safe to say that all know all too well that in 9 out 10 auto v. bike crash that unless auto is driving VERY slowly that the cyclist comes out on the loosing end. It means if you ask me that ALL road users need to be more aware of what's going on around them. Sadly as we've seen time-and-time again that isn't the case.

I understand what you're saying, but where I live in St. Petersburg, if I want to go to Tampa my choices are:

Riding the Gandy Bridge
Riding the Howard Franklin Bridge
Riding the Courtney Campbell Bridge
Ride the Bayside Bridge
Or going north out through Clearwater, Dunedin, Palm Harbor, Tarpon Springs

The Howard Franklin Bridge is off limits as it's part of 275, so that leaves the Gandy Bridge, Courtney Campbell Bridge, the Bayside Bridge, or going north out Pinealls County into Hillsborough County. Most if not all of those bridges are at least 2 if not 3 lanes in each direction of travel. So if I am going to South Tampa/Downtown I'll ride the Gandy, if I am going to my friends in North Tampa then I'll take the Bayside Bridge.

So even though they may not be the "safest" routes for me to take they are the only ones that are realisticly open to me.

I am not familiar with the area, DC, but I know that you may have to ride on busy roads. When delivering for work, I have to do the same sometimes. Not highways, but I am familiar with having to ride on a road that wasn't necessarily designed with bikes in mind. I have ridden highways in more bike-friendly areas, though.

I'm not against riding on busy roads and highways, but I'll generally pick calmer, better route if a practical one exists. I am in no way blaming the victim, as drivers need to be treated much more harshly than they are. you do have a right to be on a highway on your bike, but I would guess it's generally going to be more dangerous than an alternate route. I could be wrong, but that's my perception.

I just think that some of our revolutionary VC friends need to be reminded that while we should fight for our rights and exercise them when appropriate, possessing rights and using them without considering potential consequences is silly.

Any of the routes that I choose to go from St. Pete into Tampa are going to involve riding on busy roads. And there really is no "safe" route for a person riding a bike to get from St. Pete to Tampa, with the exception of "throwing" one's bike onto the bike rack of one of the two express routes from St. Pete over to Tampa. But by doing that I miss out on the exercise and the scenery.

It kind of sounds that why when you ask why she was on that particular road. I think that we all can agree on that. And as long as drivers are allowed to get away with "I didn't see him/her" type of excuses they'll pretty much have a license to kill cyclists and pedestrians alike. I wish that there was a "safer" alternative route from St. Pete over to Tampa but unless I want to add a day's or better of riding to my trip one doesn't really exist. If someone could show me a safer, less dangerous route to go from St. Pete to Tampa without adding a day's or better riding or without having to take the bus, a taxi or even a boat I'll be happy to take it. But I truly do not think that one exists.

Which is also part of the reason that I have decided that IF an evacuation order is given for my neighborhood I am going to just ride out the storm instead of trying to buck the storm by riding my bike on the streets. As the motorists will have their hands full with driving and avoiding whatever debris that the winds will be scattering about.

And given the cost of gas these days I do not think that it is fair of me to expect my friends in Tampa to drive over to St. Pete pick me up, drive back to their house, and then drive back to over here to St. Pete and then back to their house one last time. When I can meet them "half-way" as it were by riding my bike over to their house. And then they drive me back home later at night.

Agreed, but sometimes we also have to make do with what we have. And fortunately riding in traffic on busy roads isn't something that I am afraid of. I do have a healthy respect for the injuries that cars can inflict on me, but I'm not going to allow that to "force" me to avoid certain roads. Especially when they are the only options that I really have.

Talk about a drug deal gone bad!!!