Sad Story

[nonsmoker3]

I don't usually post, am mostly a lurker, but I wanted/needed to share this. This has touched my family and the cycling community deeply.

A 17 year old girl driving a Ford Explorer struck 2 cyclists yesterday at 12:30, killing one instantly and severly injuring the other.

This happened about 1 mile from our house, on a road DH and I ride all the time. The weather was perfect, around 70, CLEAR and sunny. Although it is a highway they were riding on, it has no blind curves or hills and traffic is quite light.They were riding single file and had bright colored cycling gear on. There was no reason for this to happen!

We had taken our Granddaughter to the park, and saw the two cyclists climbing the last hill before they turn onto the highway that the 'accident' happened on. We commented on them (as we do whenever we pass cyclists) and didn't think anything else about it until we heard the news.

I am having a hard time digesting this. I am so ANGRY at the driver. I know it isn't right because I don't know the story, but I am convinced she was talking on her cell phone or something and that she was a spoiled rich kid because of where she lived. I have this feeling that she is going to get sympathy. You know, poor girl, she is so young and has to live with this for the rest of her life, yadda yadda yadda and that the cyclists will be forgotten. No charges have been filed at this time.

Sorry this is so long. I just needed to vent to folks who would understand. Please keep the families of the victims in your thoughts and prayers today.

Julie

[short cut sally]

this is so sad..i think its tragic for everyone involved.

[Tuckervill]

What a tragedy.

Let us know if it gets in the paper, so we can help with the comments.

Karen

[missymaya]

I'm sorry nonsmoker that that happened in your community, so close to your home. You should vocalize your sadness and frustration to a local paper or group and try to let people know the responsibilities of driving and the consequences of not paying attention. It doesn't have to be angry and it doesn't have to be right now, but let the community know. The whole community is going through this terrible incident, especially you since you ride that area often and saw the two right before it happened. Healing thoughts to you and your community.

[nonsmoker3]

Here is the article in the paper. Some of the comments are brutal, others so ignorant it is frightening. There are, however, some comments by cyclists that are very well written. Let's just hope those are the ones that sink in.

And then there are the comments that defend the 'poor' driver........

http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/news/story/238948.html

[silver]

Nonsmoker, I haven't yet read the article and will wait til I think that I have time to process it.

I know what you are going through.

On October 1, 2006, I was riding with a man who was hit and killed in VERY similar circumstances. My life has been permanently altered.

Coming to this board and reaching out to the folks here was part of the process that helped me.

I don't have time right now to go into everything, I'm trying to be concise.

First I encourage you to write, for yourself, everything that you remember about the day and seeing the cyclists.

click on the share the road link and then on the link for the memorial article that I wrote.

http://www.etsterling.com/

Secondly, I encourage you to follow the legal process and show up to every hearing for the young woman. I'm not encouraging you to vilify her, but, even though she will grieve too, she needs to have consequences. She needs to be ticketed, lose her license for a period, be on probation, etc. find out what the law is in your area.

Then I encourage you to begin or join a Share the Road campaign in your area. You can have a Share the Road sign installed at the site of the tragedy.

Go to the Yield to Life site http://www.yieldtolife.org/ to read about tips for both cyclists and motorists. Maybe even contact your local paper and see if they will do something to write up about these issues.

Don't call it an accident. It was a wreck, someone (the driver) is at fault or a tragedy.

Organize or join a Ride of Silence in the area. The date is May 21, 2008.

http://www.rideofsilence.org/main.php


And this was the short version.

Nonsmoker, I really do understand.

[Geonz]

What she said.

You might look into putting a ghost bike up near there.

This is not an accident and it is accepted too easily. I wish I couldn't give you too many other examples. Just as drunk driving used to be considered a non-issue ... **except** for the many people scarred forever by it until they gathered to gether... people killed by distracted and careless drivers will be "just a shame" unless we do something. It's time that driver's license was not considered an inalienable right and people had to take responsibility for their carnage.

[Velobambina]

I'm sorry, but I lack tolerance for stupid behavior that results in another person's injury or death. I hope that girl is haunted by this so she will forever behave responsibly behind the wheel of a car/SUV/whatever.

Perhaps she will learn from it and do something positive as a result.

My sympathy goes to the family, friends, and loved ones of the victim.

[nonsmoker3]

Thanks all.

This has been really difficult for the community and seems to have stirred up some really hard feelings toward cyclists. Frightening how some of these folks hate us so vehemently.

There is a fair amount of support for the cyclists and the crash site is filling with flowers and crosses. But, on the same token, there is a tremendous outpouring of sympathy for the driver who took the lives and many are blaming the cyclists for 'being on the road' instead of a sidewalk or bikepath

I hope to be a part of a ghost bike or share the road sign at the site. Thanks Silver and Geonz for the suggestions.

Julie

[RoadRaven]

Ah… tragic… this happened to members in our club last year – no fatalities like your story or Silver’s but 3 cyclists down…
I posted the story here.
http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=17092

Like your story it was a young driver, a clear stretch of road, no other traffic about… they were in the cycle lane, he knocked two sideways and ran into one – she went into his windscreen and her bike went under the car..
I was just so VERY angry.

Our three cyclists are all back on their bikes and have been coming back to races and riding with close friends. Softly, gently, back to their passion.

I don’t know what I can say that will help – and the truth is probably nothing will. But my thoughts are with yours and your community’s… the shock, the disbelief, the anger, the frustration, the grief…

[KSH]

I'm sorry, but I lack tolerance for stupid behavior that results in another person's injury or death. I hope that girl is haunted by this so she will forever behave responsibly behind the wheel of a car/SUV/whatever.

Perhaps she will learn from it and do something positive as a result.

My sympathy goes to the family, friends, and loved ones of the victim.

I came up with the perfect punishment for drivers who kill cyclists... make that driver ride a bike everywhere.

Honestly, I have to wonder if the cyclists had been riding 2 across, if the driver would have been more likely to see them. Then again, how do you miss seeing a cyclist on the road if you are watching the road?

I liked how some of those responders mention that the cyclists "hog the road and won't let cars around". Well you know what, those drivers SAW those cyclists and they are still alive to talk.

[Running Mommy]

UGH!
So sad! It just sickens me to hear such things.
But another thing that sickens me is reading the comments.
No it's not an "accident", but slinging mud is not going to do any good either.
I have to wonder what Mr. matty is thinking as he looks down on all of this...
sigh...
I think helping the yield to life campaign is a good way to honor all our fallen comrades.