Seattle lost a cyclist Friday

[Eden]

He was hit from behind by an 18yo driving a pickup truck, in the exact spot I was occupying, probably only some 15 to 30 min earlier. He had no ID (get your Road ID... or equivalent) and I haven't seen any updates to his story, so I fear he may still be unidentified.

The story of course has brought out all of the you all should just get off the roads folks. I'm so sick of it. 93% of all automobile collisions have human causes (so they are not because of equipment failure, road conditions or other outside factors) If you can't get into a car without paying attention, slowing down and staying calm, you shouldn't be permitted to drive....

It won't save my life, but I've been inspired to get a helmet cam (by this and a story of a Florida cyclist who was able to video tape a driver threaten him - and a cop actually paid attention to it and arrested the driver for assault YAY! - then a judge threw it out BOO.... but its a start at least.) I plan to mount it backwards, as I am really, really curious to see just how close folks are when I feel like they are passing too close... I had a bunch of REI gift cards from bike to work/fitness incentives at work so I ordered an Oregon Scientific ATC5K Waterproof Action Camera with Onboard LCD Screen today.

Oh - and the place the cyclist was killed was just a short distance away from where I was hit two years ago...... (but going in the opposite direction). It was up hill in a place where there is a wide shoulder so it seems a fairly unlikely spot for a fatal accident, but something was really going on - the truck hit not only the cyclist but continued on to hit a utility pole...

[indysteel]

How sad. I love that cyclists take the blame as a group for something that was clearly the fault of an inattentive driver. We can't win.

[hulagirl]

Poop. And Seattle is very bike friendly (compared to Hawaii). I feel so much safer riding there. Alas the kid was either drunk, high, on his cell phone or all of the above. Hope he gets it for manslaughter.

[Eden]

Those three things have actually been eliminated as causes - the driver wasn't impaired nor was he texting/talking on a phone. I can't imagine what he was doing though.... though the road is winding the section on which the cyclist was hit is not a sharp bend, it is uphill and has a pretty wide shoulder.... There are very, very few published details, which leads me to think that there may have been no witnesses.

[smilingcat]

An 18 YO.
Not too experienced in driving. Not enough time behind the wheel.

If the road, as you say, is bit winding but not terribly so, then he may have been paying attention and his gaze locked onto the cyclist.

Your car/bike do tend to go in the direction of your gaze and he may inadvertently drove the car into the cyclist then proceeded to smash into a utility pole.

But this is all conjecture and nothing will not bring back the cyclist. My condolence to the families who are affected by this tragedy.

There are obviously few nefarious reason for the cyclist's death. I just wish none of them are true.

I also wish the judicial system and police to treat all people the same way. Cyclists have have the same right as anyone else to "life and liberty".

Do maintain situational awareness at all times. Be safe, and ride safe!

[badger]

I drive along a long stretch of flat road that I share with traffic. I was so unnerved by all the trucks and speeding cars coming up from behind that I got a mirror. It's probably not going to save me if a car/truck was coming right up to hit me, but at least I can feel better that I can see behind me to see what's happening in general.

I know it's tragic that a cyclist lost his life, but I also feel bad for the driver; he has his whole life ahead of him knowing that he's killed someone due to inattention.

[Eden]

We've unfortunately had another death, this Thursday. This time it was a hit and run. It was in a heavily trafficked area, so this time exactly what happened is well known and was 100% the fault of the driver. S/he was turning left across traffic and failed to look for the cyclist who was in the bike lane. Apparently the SUV pretty much dove through a gap in traffic to make his/her left and hit the gas so hard they squealed the tires. The cyclist who was crossing the intersection didn't have a chance. The driver then chose to run, making it all the worse.

(and creepily I left a store about 2 blocks away about 5 min before this accident happened.... I'm feeling a little Johnny on the spot...)

[Groundhog]

And a third Puget Sound cyclist was hit Thursday and died Friday, with a fourth hit Friday morning (another hit/run). The one that died was not wearing a helmet (and was 70 years old) but still. The hit/run is expected to live. Three dead in two weeks. Yikes!

[KatzPajamas]

New to biking this spring, and amazed at what motorists do to cyclists! Why do they not pick up on the fact that we are not inclosed in our vehicle of choice, like they are? People in a hurry to get where they are going and everyone else means nothing. These same motorists would never consider hitting a pole or other inanimate object because it would dent their precious vehichle:(

[Sky King]

We, knock on the helmet, didn't have any issues on our recent trip but did have to ride the Mukilteo speedway and was super stressful. The next day we were at my family reunion and one of my cousins proceeded to tell my DH that he hates cyclists and dreams of running one over because "we don't pay road taxes" Needless to say the DH told him that was false, he continued to be a jerk so DH told him he was an ignorant *#@!, which wasn't new news to me :) I pray that the DH's willingness to educate helps any bike rider my cousins sees on the road in Washington.

[schwartzdeborah]

oh my. i must tell my friends to be careful then every going to that route.

[Eden]

Well - though it was one of those strange posters.... it is timely that this thread popped back up. Just yesterday it was announced that the driver in this case would not face any charges and that his entire punishment would be a $42 dollar ticket for an unsafe lane change....

Mind you this driver hit a cyclist on the shoulder of the road, in a place that has a wide shoulder, in conditions that were not even a little hazardous (it was mid afternoon on a nice day) *twice*... first striking him, then running him over, then hit a utility pole.... and the police say that it was just a tragic accident and that $42 ticket is all they can do.... sad commentary on the priorities of our society.

[TREKSTRONG]

Mind you this driver hit a cyclist on the shoulder of the road, in a place that has a wide shoulder, in conditions that were not even a little hazardous (it was mid afternoon on a nice day) *twice*... first striking him, then running him over, then hit a utility pole.... and the police say that it was just a tragic accident and that $42 ticket is all they can do.... sad commentary on the priorities of our society.

Where is the accountability!? The kid should get more that just a $42.00 ticket! At least get community service on how 'not' to hit a defenseless cyclist on the road. Besides, I'm sure he feels awful and this would also be therapy for him and dealing with the fact that he caused someone's death.

I'm still recovering from a cycling accident on Sept., 3rd and know how lucky I am. It could have been a lot worse. I had a fractured and very bruised right hand and a had a concussion (you should see my helmet!), however I think I'm ready for a trial run on the road again.

ACCOUNTABILITY people!

[OakLeaf]

You know we're the only ones who can demand accountability.

It's going to need a movement like MADD/SADD was in the '80s. Public shaming and all that (including the willingness to be publicly taunted ourselves, just as they often were).

I'd be delighted to be a warm body in a courtroom when needed, but I just don't have what it takes to be an organizer.

Some of us here must, though. Some of us already are.

[TREKSTRONG]

You know we're the only ones who can demand accountability.

It's going to need a movement like MADD/SADD was in the '80s. Public shaming and all that (including the willingness to be publicly taunted ourselves, just as they often were).

I'd be delighted to be a warm body in a courtroom when needed, but I just don't have what it takes to be an organizer.

Some of us here must, though. Some of us already are.

I agree totally. We need a movement, until then we are moving targets and have to leave for our ride knowing we may not make it back! I think cyclists have always known that, and that's what makes us a unique group of people. We'd rather take our chances to be free and enjoy this beautiful planet by experiencing it physically through sight, sound, sweat, and the agony of defeat. However, we will not let the fear of getting hit by a car, keep us off the road.

I don't have the time to organize and probably not the time to sit in the court room either. I'm taking time off the get my bachelors in engineering so I barely have time to get in 3-4 hours of sleep some nights. I just have to hope that there are people out there that have the time to start a movement. Hopefully I'll be one of them after I'm all set with my engineering degree and am able to participate. :D

[Eden]

We haven't been totally idle up here in WA... we did get the state to pass a Vulnerable User Bill, but it has not (or at least had not) gone into effect yet this July...

Still it seems like there are other things this driver could be charged with, even without invoking the Vulnerable User Bill.... how about reckless driving??

The family has a lawyer and they are fighting this.

[OakLeaf]

Oh, I didn't even slightly mean to suggest you and others in your area hadn't been activist! Obviously the PNW has a reputation of being more bike friendly than almost anywhere in the USA, and it didn't get that way by osmosis. I was just responding to TS. It's true that legislation and enforcement are two different things, and activists are needed in both spheres.

[rivergal]

Just was reading about this on road.cc. The family is pursuing a civil case so that they can subpoena the cell phone records (they suspect he was texting) and so that the kid has to testify under oath exactly what he was doing when he hit the cyclist.

It's sad that they have to do what the police should have done.