Bike Commuters, Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid...

Quoted message said:

I know the Freak beat the reaper recently, but unfortunately, this
dear woman didn't. Hit by some gal driving a Hummer on the SIDEWALK!

You won't believe this story: and it happened about 2 miles from my
house where I occasionally ride when bike commuting:

http://voices.idahostatesman.com/idaho_story_188765?page=1

CDB

How the heck was the driver not arrested for murder or at least
manslaughter?
--
Slack

Slack said:

Quoted message said:

I know the Freak beat the reaper recently, but unfortunately, this
dear woman didn't. Hit by some gal driving a Hummer on the SIDEWALK!

Quoted message said:

You won't believe this story: and it happened about 2 miles from my
house where I occasionally ride when bike commuting:

Quoted message said:

http://voices.idahostatesman.com/idaho_story_188765?page=1

Quoted message said:

CDB

How the heck was the driver not arrested for murder or at least
manslaughter?
--
Slack

I've been assured she will be once they've finished their
investigation. She wasn't arrested on the spot because she wasn't
considered a flight risk. I went 'round n 'round with the cops on
that one, and they assured me that she will be prosecuted, they're
just not sure yet if its vehicular manslaughter, negligent homicide,
or what.

If she walks, our justice system will sure hear of it. I guarantee
it.

CDB

Quoted message said:

I know the Freak beat the reaper recently, but unfortunately, this
dear woman didn't. Hit by some gal driving a Hummer on the SIDEWALK!

You won't believe this story: and it happened about 2 miles from my
house where I occasionally ride when bike commuting:

http://voices.idahostatesman.com/idaho_story_188765?page=1

Absolutely tragic and unquestionably criminal.

RIP.

Bill S.

Quoted message said:

Hit by some gal driving a Hummer on the SIDEWALK!

Hmmm! What do you think, Mike? Is killing mountain bikers a valid
reason to own a Hummer? Or is running them over with more
fuel-efficient vehicles the preferred solution?

-Beej

Quoted message said:

I know the Freak beat the reaper recently, but unfortunately, this
dear woman didn't. Hit by some gal driving a Hummer on the SIDEWALK!

You won't believe this story: and it happened about 2 miles from my
house where I occasionally ride when bike commuting:

http://voices.idahostatesman.com/idaho_story_188765?page=1

CDB

Ugh. Chalk up another victory for the stupid.

You know, if this was a kid on the bike, it would have been national
news. As it is, it's packaged as another idealistic do-gooder who was
in the wrong place at the wrong time. Some birthday present.

Every day I'm more convinced that cycling to gain any credibility it
really needs is a militaristic arm, especially against the armored
transports clogging the road these days. Peaceful resistance is
futile.

/s

Quoted message said:

I know the Freak beat the reaper recently, but unfortunately, this
dear woman didn't. Hit by some gal driving a Hummer on the SIDEWALK!

You won't believe this story: and it happened about 2 miles from my
house where I occasionally ride when bike commuting:

http://voices.idahostatesman.com/idaho_story_188765?page=1

CDB

Horrible. So sad. I hope the driver gets what is coming to her.

Matt

MattB said:

Quoted message said:

I know the Freak beat the reaper recently, but unfortunately, this
dear woman didn't. Hit by some gal driving a Hummer on the SIDEWALK!

You won't believe this story: and it happened about 2 miles from my
house where I occasionally ride when bike commuting:

http://voices.idahostatesman.com/idaho_story_188765?page=1

CDB

Horrible. So sad. I hope the driver gets what is coming to her.

It is sad. Cars are so ingrained in our culture that most people don't
realize how much damage they can do when they're behind the wheel if
they're not paying attention. Driving cars has become so routine that
people don't treat them any more serious than when they rode their
tricycles in their own driveways when they were 3 years old.

Greg
--
Ticketmaster and Ticketweb suck, but everyone knows that:
http://www.ticketmastersucks.org

Dethink to survive - Mclusky

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I know the Freak beat the reaper recently, but unfortunately, this
dear woman didn't. Hit by some gal driving a Hummer on the SIDEWALK!

You won't believe this story: and it happened about 2 miles from my
house where I occasionally ride when bike commuting:

http://voices.idahostatesman.com/idaho_story_188765?page=1

CDB

Not to OT this thread more than necessary, but I commute via bike at least a
couple of days per week (and this is my fav peeve). I'm at the point where
if I am stopped at a red (in bike lane) I try to be next to a big light
standard or telelphone pole, etc. I figure I can at least get behind that
if some a@@hole runs a car at me.

<Rant>
It's majorly distressing to watch drivers as they come through the
intersecion. Watch for a few minutes, and I've seen up to 30% of folks who
seem to be talking on the phone or otherwise distracted from actually
looking at the road and pointing ("driving" is too kind a term) their
vehicles. This is at intersections, during rush hour, in a major city.
Also, these are also folks who are obviously using handsets, can't tell the
ones using earpods or bluetooth. And finally, what's with the overwheleming
urge some drivers have to engage in a phone conversation while backing out
of parking spaces in a parking lot. WTF?

Seems the likely solution is reactive punishment, like adding a criminal
charge onto any traffic violation that includes a phone distraction. Like
DUI, I think this is going to get to a zero-tolerance policy in many states.
Personally, I can't wait.
</Rant>

Now I need to go for a ride where there are no big metal things. At least
if I get hurt, it's my own fault.
Happy trails

Per Mamba:

Quoted message said:

It's majorly distressing to watch drivers as they come through the
intersecion. Watch for a few minutes, and I've seen up to 30% of folks who
seem to be talking on the phone or otherwise distracted from actually
looking at the road.....

The ones doing text messaging and email are the ones that
*really* bug me.

Quoted message said:

Seems the likely solution is reactive punishment, like adding a criminal
charge...

Somebody somewhere came up with the idea of virtual "[censored]"
darts. Everybody with a driver's license gets allotted a
certain number of them to throw at whoever they see fit. You
see somebody who needs one, you take down their license number
and enter it into the DB. Your account gets debited one dart and
their account accrues a dart. No reasons, no limits - only you
allocation.

Once somebody accrues a certain number of virtual darts (like 200
or something...), they have to present themselves to somebody
somewhere and jump through some hoops. No appeals, no
reasons.......

It'll never be possible, but I bet it would work.

In a more realistic vein, I believe that drivers should be
encouraged to honk their horns at people doing dumb things - like
cruising the hammer lane or going through red lights... or
slaloming through traffic at high speed. Peer pressure and all
that.
--
PeteCresswell

"(PeteCresswell)" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Per Mamba:
In a more realistic vein, I believe that drivers should be
encouraged to honk their horns at people doing dumb things - like
cruising the hammer lane or going through red lights... or
slaloming through traffic at high speed. Peer pressure and all
that.
--
PeteCresswell

I don't disagree, but I know you're from around these parts. Do you recall
about a month ago the guy that pulled a sidearm and fired at some lady on
I-5 for not letting him merge or something? Instant road rage. Just my
luck he's a tool driver and I honk at him...

I also heard a news snippet the other day where a kid was [censored] when he
failed his driving test. Reason: the instructor asked him to turn off his
cell phone during the exam, and the kid couldn't do so without saying a long
goodbye to his gal - while driving.

FWIW :
a.. Five states (Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, California and
Washington) and the District of Columbia have enacted jurisdiction-wide cell
phone laws prohibiting driving while talking on handheld cell phones. Many
other states ban cell phone use in specific situations.
a.. Seventeen states and the District of Columbia have special cell phone
driving laws for novice drivers.
a.. In May of 2007, Washington became the first state to ban driving while
texting for all drivers. A few other states are considering similar
measures.

Wonder what the penalties are? I'm sure nobody drives and talks on a
handset in Seattle of San Jose.

Per Mamba:

Quoted message said:

Instant road rage. Just my
luck he's a tool driver and I honk at him...

I'm with you in not wanting to agitate some wacko... but if six
people are honking at simultaneously I'd hope it becomes
something else besides a personal challenge.

FWIW, as treasurer of a 1,200 member civic association for over
seven years I've come around to believing that out of every 1,000
people at any given moment three of them are, to use a
highly-technical medical term, stone crazy.

One of them is probably Mrs B from over on Kenwood Street - who
is paranoid schizophrenic and is irrational 24-7-52.. but the
other two positions are constantly rotating.... and I think I've
occupied one of them once or twice myself.

I'm *very* careful with strangers - especially those wielding
4,000 lbs of steel.
--
PeteCresswell

(PeteCresswell) said:

Per Mamba:

Quoted message said:

Instant road rage. Just my
luck he's a tool driver and I honk at him...

I'm with you in not wanting to agitate some wacko... but if six
people are honking at simultaneously I'd hope it becomes
something else besides a personal challenge.

IIRC Glocks hold 13 rounds, I don't beep much any more.

Quoted message said:

FWIW, as treasurer of a 1,200 member civic association for over
seven years I've come around to believing that out of every 1,000
people at any given moment three of them are, to use a
highly-technical medical term, stone crazy.

One of them is probably Mrs B from over on Kenwood Street - who
is paranoid schizophrenic and is irrational 24-7-52.. but the
other two positions are constantly rotating.... and I think I've
occupied one of them once or twice myself.

No, Miss C, my Aunt, and she's being taken care of now.
To quote a JK Rowling character "Nuttier than squirrel poo."

Quoted message said:

I'm *very* careful with strangers - especially those wielding
4,000 lbs of steel.

Too true.

Shawn

"shawn" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I'm loud and in driver's faces when I need to be. I don't stick my neck
out just to risk it, but I don't quietly hide on the sidewalk with a
stupid sign on my bike when the street is where I want to ride.

I recall a video clip years ago where a biker approaches an intersection in
the cycling lane (on green) and a dipshit driver pulls forward from the
intersecting street, stopping after cutting off the crosswalk as well as the
cycling lane. The cyclist skids to a stop to avoid hitting him, then in one
motion shoulders his bike, steps onto the hood of the guy's car and walks
across it. Gets off the other side, shoots the guy a "don't even think
about it" look, and rides off. After a few seconds, the driver jumps out
looking all aggro...

Anybody got a copy of this somewhere?

Mamba said:

"shawn" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I'm loud and in driver's faces when I need to be. I don't stick my neck
out just to risk it, but I don't quietly hide on the sidewalk with a
stupid sign on my bike when the street is where I want to ride.

I recall a video clip years ago where a biker approaches an intersection in
the cycling lane (on green) and a dipshit driver pulls forward from the
intersecting street, stopping after cutting off the crosswalk as well as the
cycling lane. The cyclist skids to a stop to avoid hitting him, then in one
motion shoulders his bike, steps onto the hood of the guy's car and walks
across it. Gets off the other side, shoots the guy a "don't even think
about it" look, and rides off. After a few seconds, the driver jumps out
looking all aggro...

Anybody got a copy of this somewhere?

No, but I now look forward to the next time I get cut off like that!!

Scott Gordo said:

Every day I'm more convinced that cycling to gain any credibility it
really needs is a militaristic arm, especially against the armored
transports clogging the road these days. Peaceful resistance is
futile.

If nothing else, think of the marketing possibilities: there is
nothing that hard-core
gear geeks would get into more than weapons systems. Think carbon
fiber RPGs.

It could revolutionize the bike industry, so to speak.

CC

Corvus Corvax said:

Scott Gordo said:

Every day I'm more convinced that cycling to gain any credibility it
really needs is a militaristic arm, especially against the armored
transports clogging the road these days. Peaceful resistance is
futile.

If nothing else, think of the marketing possibilities: there is
nothing that hard-core
gear geeks would get into more than weapons systems. Think carbon
fiber RPGs.

It could revolutionize the bike industry, so to speak.

CC

Hmm... anyone have one of those Klein Mantra boom-tube full sus frames
gathering dust?

/s
http://www2.bsn.de/Cycling/articles/browning.html

Per Corvus Corvax:

Quoted message said:

If nothing else, think of the marketing possibilities: there is
nothing that hard-core gear geeks would get into more than weapons
systems. Think carbon >fiber RPGs.

Seems like a couple of Hobie sailors have layed some preliminary
groundwork vis-a-vis jet skis: http://tinyurl.com/ejy3
--
PeteCresswell

Quoted message said:

I know the Freak beat the reaper recently, but unfortunately, this
dear woman didn't. Hit by some gal driving a Hummer on the SIDEWALK!

You won't believe this story: and it happened about 2 miles from my
house where I occasionally ride when bike commuting:

http://voices.idahostatesman.com/idaho_story_188765?page=1

CDB

Some people should be euthanized. My tolerance for inattentive
drivers is below zero.

JD

"JD" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I know the Freak beat the reaper recently, but unfortunately, this
dear woman didn't. Hit by some gal driving a Hummer on the SIDEWALK!

You won't believe this story: and it happened about 2 miles from my
house where I occasionally ride when bike commuting:

http://voices.idahostatesman.com/idaho_story_188765?page=1

CDB

Some people should be euthanized. My tolerance for inattentive
drivers is below zero.

JD

Euthanized? By definition that'll be too merciful.

-Zilla