WOW let's be careful out there!

Hmmmm...really, I can see both sides of this issue. Initially I agreed about the Darwinism thing. If you go out of your way to disregard so MANY safety precautions, then it was unfortunately an eventuality not an accident.

On the other hand, I can think of so many times when I've left a candle burning or moved a pot off a burner thinking I'd turned it off, but left it on. It's so very easy to do that, and that makes me think the person gathering cans probably WAS homeless and tired and trying to get some money together. Gathering cans, bending over all the time like that, wandering around on your feet all day, that's not easy. That's a hard way to earn five cents. So yes, I felt the comment about that person's death was a bit too cynical.

Overall, I agree with the original sentiment. Especially for bike commuting; it's so easy to be tired at the end of the day, riding home, assuming that the car turning right actually sees you and won't turn in front of you. We need to be careful and I would hope none of us are eventualities rather than accidents waiting to happen.

Lately it seems that any news report on cycleist death or injury has somewhere in it what they were doing wrong. Here in the Bay Area recently a teenager was killed and all the reports seemed to lean on that he was stopped to put out a cigarette.

So he was a teenager who smoked, does not make it any less tragic.

We all think this, see someone ride without a helmet, wrong way, dark clothes at night "idiot, hope he's signed his organ donor card" But we also read about cyclists doing everything right, signaling, riding correctly and get hurt or worse.

and once again I am humbled and honoured to be a part of this board. There were several different viewpoints offered over Queens news flash. There was even some disagreement but no one got out of hand, no one became vicious or ugly. We just agreed to disagree or to offer compromising viewpoints. It is the people here that keep me coming back. Thank you again ladies for voicing your opinions while still keeping the peace!

:( An update to the story from the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation:

Oak Park teacher killed by Metra train
Aug 23, 2005

By DAN HALEY

Patricia Quane, a veteran Oak Park elementary school teacher, and president of the Oak Park Cycle Club, was killed early Tuesday morning when the bicycle she was riding was struck by a Metra train in Riverside.

Quane is an Oak Park resident. She has three daughters, Abigail, 17; Amelia, 21; and Allegra, 23.

Quane has taught in Oak Park District 97 schools since 1989 and was currently speech and language teacher at Holmes School, 508 N. Kenilworth Ave., said Gail Krantz, district spokeswoman.

"This is just devastating. She was a very safe biker. She is the last person you'd expect to be in an accident," said Brain Crawford, spokesperson for the Oak Park Cycle Club.

The accident occurred Tuesday morning about 7:45 at the Riverside station, according to a report on the Chicago Tribune's web site. Quane was struck by an inbound express train on the Burlington Northern Santa Fe line.

According to a Metra spokesperson a minor freight train derailment earlier Tuesday had the commuter train running on a different track than normal. It is not clear if that change had any impact on the accident. According to the Metra spokesperson, a local train was stopped to take on passengers at the Riverside station. Quane allegedly rode around the stopped train and was struck by the express.

Quane was not carrying identification and her body was not identified for several hours. District 97 said it received word of the accident on Tuesday afternoon.

Queen
Thanks for the reminder and sticking with this point. It is ok to disagree in this forum. In fact it makes it lively and interesting and good. A horrible mistake is when we make one that gets us or any one killed. It is a loss. Another mistake is to judge especially without alot of information. Your article speaks volumes. Compassion begins with forgiving ourselves and then extends to others. I like what you said alot Queen. Honor and Compassion is an awesome combination. Even more awesome is the daily practice to do just that. Glad you're here.
Suzanne

First of all my heart goes out to those young women who lost there mother and the train engineer who wished he could have stopped in time (i am sure he had those thoughts or similar) it is a fatal reminder to all of us who have made mistakes and have forgotten them only to make more...i have always lived and learned by my own mistakes but have also learned to see the reality in others unfortunate behaviors and chose to learn from that too...in this case...do not cross a railroad track without looking!!!! i always ride with the thought in mind that NO ONE sees me...i am my only defense in safety!!! never assume...expecially when it is between me and a car (vehicle) the car always wins ;)

second...has anyone noticed that news reports always seem to blame the vehicle???

"bicycle she was riding was struck"

was her bike in control??? did the bike MAKE her cross the track at the wrong time??? we always see this with car accidents..."the suv she was driving ran the red light" is it me or are we eliminating blame on the rightful person?

I speak of this from personal experience...I have struck a cyclist with my car (let's not mention he was a homeless man wearing only an speedo in a part of town where there is nothing or nowhere for him to be...it was a shipping port...and he was riding in the MIDDLE of the road going the WRONG direction) many workers in that area actually ride thier bikes FOLLOWING THE RULES...not only did i not expect a cyclist to be there I would not have expected another vehicle...it was a ONE WAY!!!! if i had killed him I would have had to live with that for the rest of my life...Thank God he survived but i ask myself all the time "is it fair that I have to live with that pain because of his mistake???" i think of this every time i go out for a road ride...

BTW: i was following the rules of the road...he came out of nowhere!