Had the displeasure of a court case Thursday...... Motor
Vehicle vs. Cyclist
= rider died.
Please tell the court what the driver of the vehicle told
you on the scene. She said "she didn't see him" At the
scene, did you notice anything in the area that would have
obstructed her vision? No. Was the cyclist traveling on the
right side of the road and as far to the right as
practicable. Based upon my observation of the skid marks,
debris field, damage to the vehicle, and position of rest of
the cyclist and cycle, I would conclude that indeed he was.
And was the bicycle properly equipped with the state
required safety equipment, reflectors bell, etc.? _Before_
the wreck, yes. Was the rider using any additional safety
gear? Yes, he was wearing a helmet, he had a blinking light
affixed to his back-pack, he also had a rear-viewing mirror
attached to his left handlebar end, also he was wearing a
very brightly colored riding shirt and short What were the
traffic conditions at the time of the crash. light traffic
flow, clear skies, good visibility, dry roads. Thank you, no
further questions.
<FFwd>
Judge: "I find you guilty of the charge of failure to
maintain safe lookout, Fifty dollar fine, plus court costs"
On the way out I hear the lawyer tell the widow: Okay, that
is done now we can go after them in the civil courts.
Lesson to learn here: Reflectors may be gay but if you get
squashed by a car and don't have them, it could be a way out
for the driver