Cross-Country Cyclist Killed

[Norse]

I am so sorry to be posting this: http://www.startribune.com/local/98931319.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUycaEacyU.

She was riding across country to raise money for affordable housing. The paper makes it sound like it was her fault "stopped to check her cell phone messages" and semi-truck driver "will not be charged" and claims he could not avoid her, but it states she was pulled over on the freakin shoulder! What a tragic loss, and apparently with no consequences whatsoever for Mr. Semi-truck driver.

[Tri Girl]

Oh, that makes me sooo very sad. :( I'm so sorry for her and her family.

[indysteel]

That is very sad.

There was a young woman who posted a couple of threads about this ride. Her screen name is choltz, do I don't think it's the same person. Still, I'm sure she was emotionally impacted by it.

[indysteel]

I don't disagree that we could use better laws (or better enforcement of current law), but based on the article, it sounds like that wasn't the issue here. If the riders stopped on a blind hill, the driver may not have seen them. Obviously, I don't know the full story and am not trying to lay blame on anybody, but the best laws don't always prevent accidents from happening. I feel sorry for all involved here.

[uforgot]

What a tragic loss, and apparently with no consequences whatsoever for Mr. Semi-truck driver.

Apparently he did everything right for oversized equipment, and when you text message, well, you aren't looking up. Not sure if many of you are ever around farm equipment, but it's wide and it takes up a lot of road. If he was coming over a hill, this may have truly been just a tragic accident.

[tzvia]

:( terrible and tragic.

I get off the road if I have to make a call or receive one. When I stop at lights and stop signs, I always look around and behind and make sure I am in a very visible place and look into the cars along side me and make eye contact with the drivers. Now if that truck driver was doing everything right and this is a case of, 'she was in the wrong place at the wrong time', it's tragic for him too.

Be safe everyone.

[brianne]

I actually did the Bike and Build Providence to Seattle ride in 2007, and the news of this accident is truly devastating. It sounds to me like it was a "wrong place, wrong time" type of accident, which is so much more scary in my mind. This could happen to anyone, even the most careful of cyclists. And to imagine being Brittany, the other rider, and witnessing your new friend die.

Just horrible.

All of us in the Bike and Build community are waiting to find out if the trip for these riders is going to continue, and if they do, we'll be sending them letters of support to previously designated mail drops.

[Deborajen]

Very sad indeed.

I, too, am all for better bicycling laws and better enforcement. But as stated in some of the above posts, you do have to watch out for wide farm equipment in some parts of the country. They cover the full lane plus extend onto the shoulder. If she stopped in a place where the truck driver couldn't see her, it was totally an accident on the driver's part. Very unfortunate, but it doesn't sound like the driver could've prevented this.

She'll be in my prayers. My heart goes out to this young lady and her family. Stay safe, everyone.

[PamNY]

So very sad, regardless of why it happened.

[Norse]

They have posted more details and it does sound like a "wrong place wrong time" tragic accident. If there's any lesson we can take from it, I think it's that if you need to stop to attend to something, don't do it at the top of a blind hill, corner, ... or if you do, either get off the shoulder or be attentative to approaching traffic. How horribly sad for everyone, and all the families and friends, affected by this.

[denda]

Another sad story: We had a woman cyclist killed last week in my area. She was riding with 2 other cyclist. She was hit by a pick-up. The 24 year old driver said he dropped his cell phone and bent down to pick it up.
I don't think he will be charged with anything, because the cyclist were riding 3 abreast when it happened.

[channlluv]

That is very sad.

There was a young woman who posted a couple of threads about this ride. Her screen name is choltz, do I don't think it's the same person. Still, I'm sure she was emotionally impacted by it.

Oh my stars, was that the young woman who came on here all gung ho about leading this cross-country ride and she'd never really ridden before? I hope it wasn't her.

How tragic. Did the article say what time of day this happened? I missed it if it did.

Roxy

[Charlotte Berry]

This accident involved 10 women cyclists...
http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=11578756

[Tri Girl]

This accident involved 10 women cyclists...
http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=11578756

oh no! :( That is so tragic. A 3 year old and a 3 month old? Oh my goodness. How incredibly horrific. :(

[redrhodie]

Oh my stars, was that the young woman who came on here all gung ho about leading this cross-country ride and she'd never really ridden before? I hope it wasn't her.

Roxy

No, it wasn't her. That girl hadn't ridden cross-country before, and Paige had. But still, she was one of us.

She had so much ahead of her. It's just so sad.

[trista]

That is so horrible. I'm so sorry for her family and friends.

I'm sorry for the driver too. His equipment spanned the road, and he didn't see her. It wasn't like he was being reckless or drunk or something. Can you imagine living your life knowing you ended a human life. I think that is punishment enough :(