How do you drive 3 miles with a bike under your SUV and not know it???????

[emily_in_nc]

This is seriously disturbing and very tragic. I am baffled and greatly saddened by this senseless act. I wonder if the full story will ever come out?

[badgercat]

An updated story: http://www.wusa9.com/rss/local_artic...storyid=112106

Authorities are now saying that they're finding evidence of reflective gear at and around the scene.

Whether she was riding totally "in the dark" or was lit up like a Christmas tree, this is a terrible, terrible tragedy.

[Zen]

The accident occurred Sunday 5:25 AM

I seriously doubt the driver was on her way to church or work.
I think the driver was driving home. Maybe drunk, maybe sleep deprived.
Extenuating circumstances lean towards drunk.

There was a witness who stayed with Natasha. How hard that must have been for her.

[Selkie]

The world lost a very promising young woman.

Let's hope justice prevails and the truth comes out. It's beyond my comprehension why the driver didn't stop. Thank God that the cyclist didn't end up caught under the car with her bike and that she had someone there with her until help arrived.

[indigoiis]

This exact type of "accident" happened in Rhode Island in a residential / urban area of Providence last year. Very sad.

[XMcShiftersonX]

The accident occurred Sunday 5:25 AM

I seriously doubt the driver was on her way to church or work.
I think the driver was driving home. Maybe drunk, maybe sleep deprived.
Extenuating circumstances lean towards drunk.

If DC is anything like Washington State where 80% of serious injuries and fatalities involving motor vehicles also involve alcohol... Than that would be my guess as well.

[ChillyWilly]

That's messed up. No other words for it.

[Zen]

This doesn't have to be alcohol related ( I've been thinking about this a lot)
Alcohol and cell phone use have the same effect.
My point is, everyone's so quick to pin this on alcohol (yes, even me) while cell phone use is equally destructive.

[Cataboo]

It was 5:23 am on Sunday. She could have either come off a long shift or woken up early to start one (not everyone has the luxury of a 9 to 5 weekday job) She could have just been tired and dosed off or zoned out. Alcohol or cell phones don't have to be involved. Especially as, who do you text message or call at 5:23 am? There's also the chance that the cyclist was in the wrong, didn't stop for a light or stop whatever (I haven't checked if any other details have come out)

The whole not stopping thing is bizarre - but I guess there is a possibility that she knew she hit a cyclist and just plain freaked out and went home as soon as possible especially since she was so close.

[Bike Chick]

I've been thinking about this too. There is no way that you can drive 3 miles with a bike under your SUV and not know it. Heck, just a stick under the car makes a crazy noise and a bicycle under the car is a lot different than an animal carcass. I think she panicked and just kept driving not knowing what to do.

[pll]

This tragedy has been bugging me. I read the reports from links posted in this thread, heard the TV clips linked in a couple of those reports. The driver (Christy Littleford) did stop -- another driver behind her saw the SUV stopped on the side of the road, it's front end smoking. This bugs me even more: front end smoking, flat tire, bike lodged under the SUV -- it had to make noticeable noises when Littleford started driving away. The driver behind her stopped and remained with Pettigrew until help arrived.

That made me think what would I do. I know I'd be shaken and freaking out. I probably would hesitate to get off the car immediately. I think I would look around (depending on where I am), turn the emergency lights on, punch 911 on my cell and then get off the car, ready cell phone in hand, to see what happened. If I had a significant other at home, I would probably call home (perhaps Littleford's husband told her to go home and not get off the SUV?).

It sounds like Pettigrew did not have lights, so it is possible Littleford did not see her. Reflectors/reflective clothing require light in specific angles to be effective. So an accident is possible, but driving away is inexcusable.

[OakLeaf]

Some people could just care less about others. That's a given.

When the law makes it easy for those people, even validates their actions, that's the problem that needs to be corrected. IMHO.

[Cataboo]

I am sure I read something that she had reflective gear - sadly it was a reporter finding reflective gear at the seen of the crime.

I know the articles are reporting that she hit the girl somewhere around 5:30, and that she called police from her home before 6:30 - so she did report it in the first hour. The articles are saying that speed and alcohol don't seem to be an issue (I don't know if that's an answer that the police give stock no matter what happens). The police were still at the scene that was 4 miles away when she called a 6:30 - so it probably would have taken 5 minutes for one to get over there and give her a breathalyzer. If she was just barely over the limit of drinking, an hour might have given her time to get under the limit for drunk driving. But really drunk, an hour wasn't going to do anything. I'd assume she wouldn't sober up that much if she was high.

[pll]

When the law makes it easy for those people, even validates their actions,
that's the problem that needs to be corrected. IMHO.

Absolutely, +1.

[Bike Chick]

When the law makes it easy for those people, even validates their actions, that's the problem that needs to be corrected. IMHO.

So true! Even worse is that we have laws to protect cyclists but they are ignored or never enforced.