Warning, a little gory. LA Dr. uses road rage vs. Cyclists

[Trek420]

I hope this guy looses his license to drive, and to practice medicine :mad:

http://laist.com/2008/07/07/road_rage_motorist_vs_cyclists_on_m.php

[crazycanuck]

Yikes!

I sure hope the "doctor" or medical practitioner feels some guilt for not helping the guys!

What a **$*&$^$^..:mad:

[bmccasland]

There's a link at the bottom to an update: LA's finest has arrested the driver, and charged him with felony criminal assault.

[Trek420]

Go cops!! :D

[Blueberry]

How 'bout attempted murder. Geez. Some people. Those guys are lucky to be breathing at this point. Oh people make me so mad:mad::mad::mad::mad:

[mimitabby]

a doctor!! good grief

[Bluetree]

The two cyclists are well-known and well-connected within the cycling/racing community. The driver was also involved in a similar incident with several members of my club earlier this year.

Within two days of the incident, I got this message:


A team of experienced criminal, civil/personal injury and law enforcement LGrs has been assembled to address this case. If this man is INDEED the same man -- this team will be working directly within the ranks of law enforcement, the criminal justice system and civil justice system to see that this party will be made the poster board example in educating the public that there will be direct consequences if people use the road to intentionally endanger cyclists.

If this driver thought he could get away with it, he messed with the WRONG people! :mad:

[Trek420]

I was thinking if he thought cyclist made him late for whatever errand .... he is now very much delayed for the rest of his life.

Hopes of a swift recovery for the injured riders. :o

[sgtiger]

That makes me sick. I would think that most people who go into medicine do it because they value life. His actions say he does not. I can't even imagine why anyone, no matter how much of a bad day/life they were having, would do a thing like that.:(

I'm glad he was charged, but I agree that it should have been for attempted manslaughter or murder.

Hopefully the cyclists will recover quickly.

[Bluetree]

I'm glad he was charged, but I agree that it should have been for attempted manslaughter or murder.

The charges may be changed. At the time of his arrest on Friday, the police did not know of the prior incident. My club has documents regarding his attempt at forcing two of our members off the road in March, and the sudden braking in front of them was a shockingly similar m.o. There was an investigation and police did visit his home, but lack of evidence made it impossible for an arrest at the time. All documentation has been retained, however, and many riders have been keeping an eye out for this individual since.

That said, the prior may or may not be admissible in court.

[ladyicon]

Geez, that kind of thing sure scares me :eek:.
I hope this Dr. pays heavy for his actions. Sounds like a very deranged person for sure.
Let's all be careful out there.

[Iris616]

The photo of the car is terrifying!

Any update on how the guys are doing? Are they still in the hospital?

[Bluetree]

They're being interviewed right now

http://www.kfi640.com/main.html

One of the largest radio stations in L.A.

[Bluetree]

Here is the interview. It's about half an hour long.

Podcast (http://a1135.g.akamai.net/f/1135/18227/1h/cchannel.download.akamai.com/18227/podcast/LOSANGELES-CA/KFI-AM/JK0708083P.mp3)

[xeney]

Unfortunately an attempted murder charge in California requires that he actually intended for somebody to die (not just be horribly injured -- he has to have intended to kill somebody). It's easier to prove murder than attempted murder, ironically. If someone had died, he could be convicted of murder just for trying to hurt someone or for being grossly reckless. If nobody dies, you can't get to attempted murder unless you can prove that he was trying to kill them, which is harder than it sounds.

It sure sounds like assault with a deadly weapon or by means likely to produce great bodily injury, though, with a couple of great bodily injury enhancements for the two victims. This guy needs to go to prison.

[Aggie_Ama]

The articles say he is being charged with a felony. If he is convicted he will have to answer yes on every job application that asks if he has been convicted of a felony. I wonder what the laws on practicing medicine with a violent felony conviction are? I believe you cannot practice law if you have been convicted of a felony, am I right lawyers? Let's hope the charges stick, although he will probably try to plea bargain out right?

Blue- How are the guys recovering?

[Fujichants]

You can also read about it here:

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-bike9-2008jul09,0,6023414.story

I do hill training in Palos Verdes and cars there love to speed down the hills leaving little room for cyclists. We have to share the road because there is no bike lane going down. BF always has to ride a little to the left of me going down hills to make sure that drivers don't try to come too close to us (like that Infiniti who came within a foot of their handlebars), because they will if you don't motion to them not to come too close.

On top of that, I keep getting emails from the Los Angeles County Bike Coalition that the city wants to close part of a beloved cycling path, which in turn forces cyclists to go on highly traffic, dangerous roads.

I hate sh*t like this. I am so upset. This just hits a little close to home.

[Fujichants]

Peter Swarth, Thompson's attorney, denied that his client had done anything wrong and said the cyclists' account was inaccurate. "This isn't an incident of road rage," Swarth said. "It is a very unfortunate accident. Dr. Thompson hopes for the injured cyclists' recovery."

I don't even want to comment on this!

[Aggie_Ama]

Fuji- I don't either but BULLS**T!! If he was a concerned medical doctor he would have rendered aid. This is absolutely sickening and in reason months the second story of this, same motorist behavior happened in Australia.

[lovelylibrarian]

Some of the comments from the LA Times article are so angry and ignorant. I just don't understand the way some people think. I don't think they even read the article. The moronic doctor slammed on his brakes right in front of the cyclists. How could they possibly stop? UGH, I should stop reading because it's just making me angry.

[Fujichants]

Yeah, the comments are horrible...

I am sticking to the paths for now...if these are the type of people I have to deal with...my goodness.

[smilingcat]

One thing I've noticed over the years.

From my personal experience, the faster you ride and descend at posted speed limit or above the speed limit, car drivers behind you get more hostile.

If you ride at slower pace like 10-15MPH they seemed to be less annoyed. They may be stuck behind you but still not as annoyed then if you were going down at posted speed limit.

I've come down on PV Drive West, heading back toward Malga Cove at 35-38MPH and had cars screeching their tires trying to pass me around some of the bends. No shoulder. This is in Palos Verdes. And the fact they can't pass even if the tires are screeching makes them more angry.

Fujichan, if you need an alternate route back to Malga Cove from Portugese Bend just ask. Alternate route is fun. And you get a nice fun descent back to Malga cove. You can easily hit 30+MPH. (posted speed limit on the alternate route is 25MPH though).

Bluetree, which club do you ride with?? And are you going to show up at Aliso Viejo Grand Prix this weekend? Checked the course. turn #3 is bit scary. from Pacific Park Drive to light?? street. The way the street is paved and on a downhill, the banking on #3 turn is to the OUTSIDE. It's a gonna be a one hot ride!! (temperature wise)

Smilingcat

[OakLeaf]

I believe you cannot practice law if you have been convicted of a felony, am I right lawyers?

In Ohio and Florida, it's pretty subjective on the part of the disciplinary panel and it depends on what you actually did. Could be anything from a reprimand to probation to suspension. I think for a first offense, it would have to be a lot worse than this one before someone would be permanently disbarred.

Lawyers are a lot better at policing their own than doctors are, though. My money says he doesn't get any disciplinary consequences at all. This wasn't something he did in his office to a patient, so they'll probably ignore it.

Plus, even in the rare instances where they do get disciplined, doctors just move to another state and continue to practice - supposedly the state medical boards are getting better about it, but there've been several highly publicized scandals where doctors had lost their licenses in two or three different states and just kept moving and getting re-licensed.

/thread drift off

[Bluetree]

I'm with LaGrange, 'Cat. No racing for me til next season (have some "stuff" I need to get cleaned out of my knee) but I will be working at the Brentwood Grand Prix in August. Hope you can make it!

BTW, updates about the Mandeville case is here (http://www.socalbikeforums.com/showthread.php?t=2107). I'm going to try and make the Council meeting on Monday.

[BlueVet11]

Saw this on velonews just now. This guy sounds like a total jackass. His attorney says it "was jsut an unfortunate accident". Its not an accident when you intentionally brake check someone... car, bicycle, horse and buggy.

http://www.velonews.com/article/80021/doctor-charged-in-one-road-rage-case-linked-to-another

[ny biker]

They have filed felony charges against the driver.

http://www.velonews.com/article/80021/doctor-charged-in-one-road-rage-case-linked-to-another

[SheFly]

I just heard about this yesterday from my DH. Unfortunately, the context in which he was telling me about it was eerily similar...

He and two riding pals went out yesterday morning and were riding along a road in single file. A car was behind them, with another driver behind that car. The first car swung a bit wide and stopped to take a left hand turn. The trailing driver decided to pass on the right, where the cyclists were, missing them by only 6 inches or so.

Angered, DH shouted at the driver, who then did the same thing - pulled in front and slammed on the brakes. DH and his friends were able to stop, but barely. In their minds, this drive had just intentionally tried to kill them - TWICE!

Unfortunately, DH has a bit of a temper in situations like this. He chased down the driver who was stopped in traffic, kicked his car and reached through his open window and grabbed him by his shirt. He recognizes now that this was wrong (and dangerous), but said he wasn't thinking clearly given the adrenaline from the close calls.

I am just grateful that all worked out well, and that I am not visiting him in hospital today, or worse. Drivrs need to realize that as inconvenienced as they may feel, using their 3000+ lb vehicles against a biker is a losing proposition.

Ride safe out there everyone. And keep the anger in check too.

SheFly

[ny biker]

The trial has begun in this case. velonews.com is following it:

http://www.velonews.com/article/99398#

http://www.velonews.com/article/99475/defense-attorney-cross-examines-cyclists-in-la-road-rage#

[MM_QFC!]

http://www.velonews.com/article/99800/dr-thompson-is-found-guilty-of-all-counts-in-la-road-rage

Glad to see that a jury found him guilty on all counts; at least this sends a strong message to all the other psycho drivers out there while also getting him off the road and headed for some jail time.

[redrhodie]

Good. That guy is a menace.

[staceysue]

This is so scary. This particular case is really awful, and we've had people on here who were hit by cars. Last week I had two people, in two different locations, deliberately run me off the road.

Shefly, I sympathize with your husband's temper. When the second person ran me off the road (after honking and glaring), I caught up with him at a stoplight and banged on his window until he got out of the car and had it out with him right there at a 4-way stop on a busy road. I'm ashamed of my behavior, but Jeez! Do they think we're wearing armor or something? Don't they know how easy it is to seriously injure or kill a person with a vehicle?

I'm scared to ride in traffic anymoe.

[ginny]

I used to ride my horse up Mandeville cnyn and the cars weren't even very nice to horses! Man, people in LA are just... horrible! I am SO glad to have left that place behind. No amount of money could lure me back :mad:

[redrhodie]

Sentenced today--5 Years!

http://www.fresnobee.com/state/story/1774035.html

[salsabike]

Ah...good outcome.