Another driver hits cyclist and drives around with bike still under vehicle

[zoom-zoom]

At least this driver appears to have been meted some punishment.

I still can't fathom these scenarios.

[badgercat]

Ridiculous. At least the victim of this incident survived.

The Natasha Pettigrew case had been weighing on my mind recently, and this weekend I pulled my car out of the yard (which is just "desert landscaping" [ie dirt], we'd been re-arranging vehicles in our single-car-width driveway) to go shopping and heard a faint scraping sound. I pulled over after about a quarter of a block, and found a small tree branch wedged under the car and scraping on the ground. Granted, my 1999 Civic is by no means soundproofed. But a freakin' twig was enough to make me stop the car and see what was wrong. Things just don't add up with these stories.

[zoom-zoom]

2x in the past month I have had TWIGS lodged under my car...the racket those cause is LOUD. I can't imagine what a metal bicycle would sound like, much less hitting something that causes body damage to my car. I vote intoxication for both of these vehicle operators.

[7rider]

2x in the past month I have had TWIGS lodged under my car...the racket those cause is LOUD. I can't imagine what a metal bicycle would sound like, much less hitting something that causes body damage to my car. I vote intoxication for both of these vehicle operators.

Well.
Obviously your car is no Lexus!
(said with great and exaggerated sarcasm!)

Revoke driving privileges. That's something that should be done more frequently around here. Drive like an idiot. Do something stupid. Don't get to drive anymore.

[zoom-zoom]

Well.
Obviously your car is no Lexus!
(said with great and exaggerated sarcasm!)

Revoke driving privileges. That's something that should be done more frequently around here. Drive like an idiot. Do something stupid. Don't get to drive anymore.

Ha, I drive a Mazda 3...FAR from a Lexus (or an Escalade or whatever beast of a luxury SUV that other woman was driving).

Yep, if people actually had their license revoked more often this might not be such an issue. Or go beyond that...impound their cars. I hear too many stories of people who drive under the influence and are caught repeatedly, but not having a physical license is no deterrent to driving for some. A runner buddy of mine was hit while running...by a drunk driver. Who had something like FOURTEEN convictions to his name (and lord only knows how many times he drove drunk and wasn't caught). But he still had his car.

[7rider]

Ha, I drive a Mazda 3...FAR from a Lexus (or an Escalade or whatever beast of a luxury SUV that other woman was driving).

Actually, the Lexus ES300 is a mid-sized sedan.
Which makes it all the more bizarre that she would think a body falling on the windshield was a rotting branch!
Where the heck were her eyes????

[zoom-zoom]

Actually, the Lexus ES300 is a mid-sized sedan.
Which makes it all the more bizarre that she would think a body falling on the windshield was a rotting branch!
Where the heck were her eyes????

I meant it's far from a Lexus in terms of any sort of sound-proofing (I'm thinking these 2 stories aren't really selling that feature for the luxury car manufacturers, anymore). But, yeah, the whole thing is so bizarre. Perhaps her eyes were looking at a cell phone screen.

[7rider]

I meant it's far from a Lexus in terms of any sort of sound-proofing (I'm thinking these 2 stories aren't really selling that feature for the luxury car manufacturers, anymore). But, yeah, the whole thing is so bizarre. Perhaps her eyes were looking at a cell phone screen.

Ohhh...you were talking about the Escalade of the woman who hit Pettigrew.
My mis-read about "other".....

[Crankin]

It all comes down to getting alcoholics off of the road. And admitting that we have a huge problem with substance abuse in this country. These people need to get help, but we need a better way to keep them off of the road. I don't have the answer, but there's more and more in the news bout repeat DUI offenders driving around, with no license. One just rammed into the back of the woman who is the commander of the MA state police.
And i get nervous just making a trip to the store without my license in my bag.

[Owlie]

It all comes down to getting alcoholics off of the road. And admitting that we have a huge problem with substance abuse in this country. These people need to get help, but we need a better way to keep them off of the road. I don't have the answer, but there's more and more in the news bout repeat DUI offenders driving around, with no license. One just rammed into the back of the woman who is the commander of the MA state police.
And i get nervous just making a trip to the store without my license in my bag.

I once drove home (no more than three miles) after a long, hot bike ride, having left my license (and my wallet) in another jersey. I was nervous the whole time.

The problem is that there's no way to get them off the road until they cause an accident. Ohio has (had?) the "scarlet letter" plates for repeat DUIs--yellow with red letters that has "DUI" in place of the county. Great. Doesn't help if they run someone over.