Rogan

https://www.baynews9.com/content/news...ht_in_ove.html

spivonious

Awesome reaction by the police. “Turn yourself in before we track you down," Judd said. "You need to explain why you ran over and killed a man who was following all of the rules.”

rydabent

I wish I were there in Fla. I am retired and have nothing to do, so I would patrol body shop repair businesses, and junk yards. The reason for patrolling junk yards is that the driver may be smart enough not to take it to a body shop, and may try to repair the truck himself.

genec

Gee, 1:30 in the morning... gosh, I wonder if alcohol was involved?

howsteepisit

The part about "following all the rules" is a bit concerning to me, as its still not Ok to run over, kill, and flee the scene even if the cyclist/victim was not "following all the rules". While acknowledging that it may be a "turn of the phrase" by Judd, its still not the best way to say that the driver needs to turn himself in and tell his story, without regard to the cyclist following the rules. The implication is that if a cyclist doesn't follow the rules, then they can be run over, left for dead, and the driver is less culpable.

spivonious

@howsteepisit - While it's never okay to run over someone, you have to admit that the driver would have far less fault if the cyclist was riding at 1AM in the middle of the road wearing dark clothing with no lights or reflectors.

howsteepisit

But the run part of the incident has no bearing on the state of the cyclist, and thats the part of the description I find troubling. If a unlit cyclist drunk and weaving makes it OK to you to hit and run fine, it does not to me. Thus the "following the rules"part is troubling.

CB HI

Here we go again, with the BS that it is OK for drivers to over run their head lights and plow into anything in the road that does not have the brightest reflective vest, white pants and three blinky lights, because some want to claim there is less fault to the driver. The driver is fully at fault for hitting anything from behind.

OldTryGuy

Here is the latest......https://www.myfoxtampabay.com/video?c...autoStart=true

Dave Cutter

Same old stories.... just all way too predicable.

genec

And if you happen to work a shift that puts you on the road at that time... "way too predicable."

Dave Cutter

Yes. Not every child lives into adulthood... and not all adults live to old age. There is a luck-of-the-draw to life. Sometimes we get to pick and chose the risks we take. More often than not.. life... or the shortness of life just seems to happen.

There is an element of risk in cycling. There is risk when driving as well. There is risk in leaving the house.

I think my time left here will serve me better if fully lived. No one is getting out of here alive.

CenturionIM

Consolation to his family. Pope did nothing wrong, indeed he did everything right, but this shows it is just a bad idea to be riding at 1am.

genec

Certainly all true... would however be nice of some of those other folks didn't extend their risk factors to others, and then bail out of their responsibilities.

Dave Cutter

Where I live... we've forced everyone to adopt a name for themselves. That way accusations can [only] be made of the individuals... or to the individuals by there membership in groups. I am not exactly sure who you are referring to.

I think the "cycling community" of which I am a member (I even belong to the local cycling club) refuses to recognize the role of alcohol in cycling deaths. I think if we added up all traffic deaths... cyclist and motorist alike... we share the very same danger (impaired users). In other health related areas... I believe alcohol is 2nd only to cigarettes.

Booze is the biggest killer of cyclist... even when cyclists are part of the drinking. And... even when cyclist don't drink... alcohol is our likeliest killer.

rydabent

Its wonderful the police have caught the killer. I hope the city or county att follows through and throws the book at the killer.

Dave Cutter

So.... you think the man purposely hit and killed the cyclist.... using his truck as a weapon? That sounds odd. I got the impression he was merely a drunken motorist... trying to make it home from the bar(s).

Maybe... it's just obvious to me because I don't drink. MAYBE... those who do have a habit of drinking would prefer to cast blame to some other activity, habit, addiction... and away from themselves.

The fact is Americans drink (and do other drugs). As do much of the rest of the humans that we share this planet with. And those "habits" do tremendous amounts of damage to both the by-standers and the users. Alcohol is a big part of cycling deaths. If we aren't run-down by drunks... we get drunk and ride into cars. I myself.... have a hard time seeing the difference.

If you can't define a problem.... you will not likely be able to resolve it.

As long as cyclist blame motorists, cars, traffic engineers, and/or society for the alcohol related deaths and injuries. The problem will NOT be resolved. Drinkers.... alcoholics.. only kid themselves with diversion tactics.

TrailViewMount

Many people still might not realize that bad things usually happens late at night. Bike riding late at night is a recipe for disaster. Common sense.

prathmann

If he had acted with intent he would have been a murderer, not just a killer. Rydabent referred to him as a 'killer' i.e. someone who killed - which appears to be likely although we should wait for a judicial finding for more certainty.

And I didn't see anyone blaming the person's car, or traffic engineers, or society - just the individual motorist involved. Why should we not attach blame to the motorist who chooses to drive while in an impaired state due to alcohol or other reasons?

CB HI

Your common sense has very little common sense and I suspect you have very little night riding experience.

There are drunks on the road at all hours and there are even more distracted drivers during daylight. With the available lights these days, there is NO excuse for not seeing a well lighted cyclist at night. While commuting home between 3-5 am over an 11 month period, I only had one near miss with a motorist. During day commutes, I have had far more near misses for each 11 month period.

Dave Cutter

Haven't you read many of these types of posts? Or maybe I've read too many. I've read post after post... thread after thread... where alcohol is removed from the cause of drunk driving/cycling accidents.

I know... we all know... that alcohol is an addictive substance that affects the reasoning abilities of its users minds. I would guess that is why this topic can never actually be addressed on a public forum. I don't know if it is alcohol dependent users that rush in to distract and point fingers in other directions.... or merely people with dependent users in their lives. It could be [that] public opinion may actually have been altered by the large number of drinkers/druggies in society today.

But if you run down an innocent cyclist while drunk.... I'd say you have a drinking problem. Lots of drunks out on the roads late at night. That is the problem.

rydabent

Yes------------------that driver is a KILLER!!!!!! Killer infers that someone was killed. The cyclist was indeed killed, making that drunk driver a killer!!!!!

The police in this case said that the cyclist was doing EVERYTHING right. He had lights on his bike and he was wearing a vest. Trying to give some lame excuse about the driver being drunk in no way means anything.

As far as I am concerned if you dont like the word killer, call him a murderer!!!!

-=(8)=-

I prefer to ride at night and early in the morning. My senses of vison and hearing are more acute due to the quieter and less active nature of that time. Cars are easy to judge, lit up, and you can hear them coming a block away. That's the predictable ones though.
A drunk is not predictable. Driving drunk is a selfish action that should have harsh repercussions attached to it.

ragtoplvr

By running, the driver had time to sober up. In cases like that, when caught they should throw the book at him, let all the other drinkers know that running is FAR worse than staying there and facing the music.

Rod

dynodonn 

Alcohol may have been a factor, but another thing that I see contributing to this cyclist death is the autocentric nature of many US roadways. This roadway is no exception, being straight, two narrow lanes, no paved shoulder, and a 45 mph speed limit through the heart of a residential area.