Pedestrian killed by cyclist

[SalsaMTB]

I saw this article posted on a couple other boards and didn't see it here (I apologize if it already has been). Make sure you watch the stop signs, we have the same responsibilities as a motorized vehicle!

Link to article: http://tinyurl.com/9vzpj


09-12) 09:21 PDT Corvallis, Ore. (AP) --

A bicyclist was charged with manslaughter after he ran through a stop sign and struck and killed a 71-year-old woman, police said Monday.

Jean Calder died at Good Samaritan Hospital after she was struck Friday night as she crossed a street at an unmarked crosswalk, Corvallis police Capt. Ron Noble said.

Christopher A. Lightning, 51, was charged with manslaughter and reckless driving.

"A car and a bicycle are both vehicles and if they are operated in a way that could be criminal, then charges are filed equally in both situations," Noble said. "He was going right through a stop sign."

Lightning was being housed in Benton County jail with bail set at $57,500. He will be given a court-appointed lawyer at his arraignment in Benton County.

[roughingit]

Oh my...that's where I live. Considering that most of the streets are wide and that your average little old lady doesn't just suddenly run in front of you (shuffle perhaps), that guy deserves some serious jailtime!

[SadieKate]

I'd like to know more details. Last week I was told about someone using aero bars who lacerated a "little old lady's" liver when she trotted out into the street to jaywalk. The cyclist was not held at fault but he sure felt horrible.

The "ran through a stop sign" sure sounds like damning evidence in this case, but what is an "unmarked crosswalk?" A 71-yr old can be pretty spry so I don't think we can assume the woman was shuffling long.

[drplasma64]

Wow, I hadn't heard about this, and I live there! I'll check the local paper, see if I can get more details.

EDIT: Here's the link to our local paper:

http://www.gtconnect.com/articles/2005/09/12/news/community/mon02.txt

[SalsaMTB]

Thanks for confirming the story. The local paper had a much more touching story about the deceased lady. Such a sad story, for both people. One person was out for a walk and one person for a bike ride, now both lives a ruined.

[snpdragn]

yes. I feel for her family. That would seem so pointless. At the same time, one little stupid moment on his part - and you know that's going to be so hard to live with, regardless of what they do legally.
That really hurts me for everyone!

[han-grrl]

my rant

Aero bars should be used for RACING ONLY! Personally i think they should be banned for non race use. People get pretty complacent when they are in the aero position and they can't quickly manoeuver if someone is in front of them.


I'd like to know more details. Last week I was told about someone using aero bars who lacerated a "little old lady's" liver when she trotted out into the street to jaywalk. The cyclist was not held at fault but he sure felt horrible.

The "ran through a stop sign" sure sounds like damning evidence in this case, but what is an "unmarked crosswalk?" A 71-yr old can be pretty spry so I don't think we can assume the woman was shuffling long.

[snpdragn]

I've searched a little bit. I don't know what aero bars are...

[madisongrrl]

http://www.cervelo.com/bikes/2005/dual.html

[snpdragn]

so not to speak overly blunt, but getting hit by those at a speed would be horrible - which... is what happened. oh my goodness.

[SadieKate]

my rant

Aero bars should be used for RACING ONLY! Personally i think they should be banned for non race use. People get pretty complacent when they are in the aero position and they can't quickly manoeuver if someone is in front of them.Han-grrl, feel free to rant against those that are known to be in the aero position in inappropriate situations and I’ll do it with you, but I was told that in the case I related above, the person was simply tooling through town on his way back from a training ride and did everything he was supposed to as a conscientious cyclist (with hands off the aero bars). One does need to train for races and would need the bars available once the rider is in the country. Also, people who ride ultra distances/randonneurs find these bars beneficial as do those with wrist/hand problems.

We don’t know about the Corvallis case but since the average cyclist doesn’t use aero bars, we can speculate that the pedestrian was killed by someone without them. Weight, speed, articles being carried on the bike plus the pedestrian’s lack of weight, speed, fragility to start with, etc. all go into play in such accidents. I can easily imagine a large rider slamming and knocking me to the ground hard enough to sustain severe head trauma or worse, all without aero bars involved.

This is the same argument that is used against SUVs. Defensive driving and riding when around others is always best. Otherwise we need to ban pick-up trucks, semi-trucks, buses, etc.

[chick on a bike]

Wow................I too live in Corvallis and I haven't seen any news at all lately so I'm glad I caught that here.......Man! :eek: I feel bad for both of them, but when you're a cyclist in town, you need to be more anal about the traffic laws more than anywhere else. I'd never dream of running a stop sign in town; too dangerous in a lot of ways. :p


~Liz :(

[drplasma64]

From today's corvallis gazette-times:

about the cyclist and charges:
http://www.gtconnect.com/articles/2005/09/14/news/community/tueloc02.txt

And the obituary for the victim:
http://www.gtconnect.com/articles/2005/09/14/news/obituaries/tueobi01.txt

[han-grrl]

I agree aerobars are very handy. But around here, i see way too many commuter bikes with them on as well. And people riding the paved bike paths using them. there are a lot of different users on the paths (walking, blading, running etc) and using the aerobars in that situation or anywhere within city limits (which is what i was commenting about) is a recipe for disaster.




Han-grrl, feel free to rant against those that are known to be in the aero position in inappropriate situations and I’ll do it with you, but I was told that in the case I related above, the person was simply tooling through town on his way back from a training ride and did everything he was supposed to as a conscientious cyclist (with hands off the aero bars). One does need to train for races and would need the bars available once the rider is in the country. Also, people who ride ultra distances/randonneurs find these bars beneficial as do those with wrist/hand problems.

We don’t know about the Corvallis case but since the average cyclist doesn’t use aero bars, we can speculate that the pedestrian was killed by someone without them. Weight, speed, articles being carried on the bike plus the pedestrian’s lack of weight, speed, fragility to start with, etc. all go into play in such accidents. I can easily imagine a large rider slamming and knocking me to the ground hard enough to sustain severe head trauma or worse, all without aero bars involved.

This is the same argument that is used against SUVs. Defensive driving and riding when around others is always best. Otherwise we need to ban pick-up trucks, semi-trucks, buses, etc.

[bikerchick68]

drplasma... those links won't work for me... would you be so kind as to copy and paste them for me? What a sad story all the way around... :(

Can any of you even imagine what it would be like to KILL someone with your bike??? Dang, I can't even fathom what everyone involved is going thru...

[chick on a bike]

Awe man, :eek: if I hit someone and actually killed them with my bike, it'd literaly scar me for life; probably traumatize me. I was traumatized the first time I saw dead body and still haven't gotten over it. >.< ~shudders~ After an accident like that...I don't know...It's possible that I'd end up never touching my bike again, for fear of hurting someone else...... All I know is that I'm glad I'm not in that guy's shoes. :p My feet are probably bigger than his anyways. :rolleyes:

~Liz :(

[drplasma64]

www.gazettetimes.com/articles/2005/09/13/news/community/tueloc02.txt

is the article about the cyclist being charged with homicide.

http://www.gtconnect.com/articles/2005/09/13/news/obituaries/tueobi01.txt

is the obit.

OK, I'm having trouble NOT making these links so I will type in the address without the www and with some spaces so you can see the pertinent info. It seems like the link I posted yesterday automatically updated to todays date which is why it doesn't work today, since it should still be 09/13 not 09/14 (if that makes any sense)

gazettetimes.com /articles/2005/09/13/news/community/tueloc02.txt

gtconnect.com /articles/2005/09/13/news/obituaries/tueobi01.txt

[bikerchick68]

cool thank you! Those ones work...

[SalsaMTB]

Wow...she accomplished quite a bit in her life.

The other article mentioned the cyclist claiming he was only going 5-6 mph. I'm not some super speed biker but that seems awful slow (I do not have a computer on my bike so I don't have THAT good of an idea of how fast/slow this is). Doesn't it seem unlikely you would hit someone at that speed? I can understand going on a new path, down a hill and all of a suddent here is a stop sign you didn't know was there and plowing through and hitting someone, but 5mph and hitting someone??

[KSH]

I feel so sorry for that lady. How horrible!

Now, I also feel sorry for the cyclist... because I know that people in cars who kill cyclists... get off easier.

Yes, we are vehicles of sorts...but we aren't as big or fast as cars (sometimes?)... and we aren't as protected.

[roughingit]

Okay, I ride by that intersection all the time. The visibility is good, there's no way you shouldn't have been able to see someone, especially if you were going as slowly as he claimed. For those without bike computers, 5 or 6 miles an hour something you can keep up to while *walking* (or at least I can, I do walk quickly, but still, ya get the point) In order to have not seen her, he had to have been a) hauling *** and b) completely ignoring the sidewalk/crosswalk.

As mentioned, there are many good reasons not to bike recklessly here, not the least of which is a bored police department with nothing better to do than harrass students and/or cyclists.