Horrific crash

[Fitnerd]

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/americas/06/02/mexico.bikers.ap/index.html?eref=rss_topstories

I don't know any more details than the article includes.. A terrible reminder of how vulnerable we are on the roads.

Ride safe...[/url]

[toyota]

Im sure we have all had several close calls. Last Saturday out on a low traffic county road an asshole in an F250 truck missed by inches. I flipped him off and then he returned me the bird and pulled over.

He told me I had no right to be on the road and that he could get as close to me as he wanted. I pulled out my video phone and read off his tag number and he quickly drove off.

He was a big guy but I was about to beat his ass for sure. Im still thinking about filing a report since that is an area where many cyclists ride and I dont wont him saying it was an accident when he does hit somebody.

[theremery]

Bike vs car always ends badly for us. Caution advised. Despite it being very wrong....road-rage exists. Discussing how wrong a useless driver is with them is generally a waste of time. Take the pic and let the cops sort the rest out. If it was dangerous....always take the cop option. I failed to take this option last year....and it was expensive.

[TheBugMan]

That looks horrible.

The worst road rage experience I had was an angry red-neck in Puyallup, WA. pulled a gun on me then tried to run me over on the sidewalk. Some freaked out motorist saw the whole thing and called the police for me. It stated when dude got next to me revving his muscle cars engine telling me to get the F$%k off the road, so I told him to F*&k off. At the next light I pulled up next to him and said "Hello" with a shit eating grin on my face which really set him off. He reached under his seat as if to reach for a gun so I grabbed my water bottle ready to shoot back. Well, he actually had a pistol under there and pointed it at me so I took the heck off while he tried to run me over on the walk way. I'm lucky his car was lowered cause he couldn't get up to me.

[micky]

Crazy accident!


BugMan....where the heck do you live??? Is people all like that in there?? Kinda shocking experience I'd say!

[theremery]

That accident made it to TV news here tonight. In the same evening, Our national champ under 17 girl/woman is recovering in hospital. Hit by a truck not giving way when it/driver should have on a clear day while leading a race with a 20second break and about 7km to finish.

[racyrich]

That looks horrible.

The worst road rage experience I had was an angry red-neck in Puyallup, WA. pulled a gun on me then tried to run me over on the sidewalk. Some freaked out motorist saw the whole thing and called the police for me. It stated when dude got next to me revving his muscle cars engine telling me to get the F$%k off the road, so I told him to F*&k off. At the next light I pulled up next to him and said "Hello" with a shit eating grin on my face which really set him off. He reached under his seat as if to reach for a gun so I grabbed my water bottle ready to shoot back. Well, he actually had a pistol under there and pointed it at me so I took the heck off while he tried to run me over on the walk way. I'm lucky his car was lowered cause he couldn't get up to me.

So he has a car AND a gun. I'd have a gun too seeing as you're allowed.

[Kermithimself]

That accident has reached the danish papers as well. It looks horrible, and I'm glad that those things only happen rarely!

Last sunday I was out and took it around a round-about, while staying on the marked area for cyclists, and when I came around there was a big truck that nearly pulled out in front of me, only missing me because I pulled the bicycle the other way. Scary.

[RedKite]

This is terrible. IMO careless driving is unforgiveable. I've been taken out a couple of times by careless drivers and the fact that half don't even acknowledge what they've done is absurd. Motorists need to acknowledge cyclists as road users not just people on bikes.

Road rage wise just last weekend I was cycling alone and a man in a audi was driving so close to me in traffic he was pushing me into the gutter. I shouted at him and he stopped the car and started hurling abuse, 30seconds later I was on the floor after being beaten with a crook-lock. Bike helmets good for two things... it was the following driver who got out and chased him back into his car. unfortunately neither of us got his plate.

[bcheung]

It's been all over the news and listservs here. What a lucky shot by the photographer though, no?

[rustychain]

A few weeks back I had a car pass me by inches as I approached a stop sign. I had been doing 25 mph (the speed limit on that road) and do to poor road conditions I was riding about six feet from the edge. This is totaly legal were I live. The car when passing due to the narrow lane crossed a double yellow line, swerved in front of me and it the brakes hard. I could also hear a car behind me and had no option other then to come around the car on the drivers side. I was mad and was going to give the driver some suggestions but when I looked I saw it was an old lady. Then I made the mistake of doing a rolling stop (no traffic crossing at this time). Well that car that was behind me turned out to be a policeman and of that southern American rural type that is well known. He came out of his car swearing at me and all cyclists for that matter. It was to the point I was getting worried for my safety. As I had in fact done wrong by failing to come to a complete stop I did not argue with him even as he said I had no right to the road and he took my license and wrote me a ticket. I then asked if I could respectfull ask a question. I asked why he did not ticket the other driver for failure failure to keep the required 2 feet while passing, failure to fully pass before moving in front of me, crossing a double yellow line. In my state a charge of reckless driving could be prosicuted for the incedent. He infomed me that he rode motercycles so he understod my frustration but I should know that folks don't like cyclist and that seemed to justify his failure to apply the law in this case.
My point in this ramble is IMO we are on our own on the roads. Even in a race we must be looking out. In this tragic case I'm guessing it still would not have helped much but we have no other option. Every day, every single day I ride on the roads I get passed to close/cut off/swerved at and treated as if my life did not matter to the cars right to get to were they are going 10 seconds sooner. I have asked my representitive to pressue our division of motor vehicles to include more saftey information and legal requirments regarding cyclist be included in the driving tests. I have asked that training be givin to police regarding the laws to my local police. I don't expect any results soon but we can all work to put pressure on cars to follow the law. Perhaps that can save a few lives.

[Skillgannon]

Initial reports said that he was off his face on cocaine. Later reports have now said he'd had a few drinks.

[theremery]

..he had been drinking and fell asleep at the wheel (according to local TV)

[44x16]

man - that picture is nasty...

car vs bike; car ALWAYS wins

I hope that asshole gets charged with premeditated manslaughter at the least; if you get tanked-up, and get into a 3/4 tonne car then there is a 99.9999% chance that you're going to hit something/someone.

my thoughts go out to the families of anyone involved in that

[MrCurrieinahurry]

just absolutely shocking. thoughts to all invloved
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