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After reading the posts from drivers:
These drivers are insane. We need to do something about these people. They need to be off the road, or have some serious education.
Also, there is an attitude apparently that anyone who dies cycling is just like someone who died skydiving.
i.e. being a risk taker and they got what was coming to them. I really think that is a plausible explanation for why none of the drivers ever get charged.
Last edited by Adriel (2008-07-02 01:54:10)
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Tragic story, when a car rear ends another car because the sun was in their eyes there is less sympathy from the law enforcement personnel than when they kill a cyclist. they usually get a ticket for following too close.
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The traffic violation that should have been given to the motorist on site is, FTMACD, which stands for "Failure To Maintain Assured Clear Distance". The reason for the violation has been reported in the American-Statesman: "The driver said she did not see [the bicyclist] because the rising sun was in her eyes, DPS officials said."
If you can't see where you're going, slow down and/or pull over. It is your responsibility to see where you're going.
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Is there anything we can do to put pressure on the court to take action against the driver?
Are there any lawyers in this group?
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After reading the posts from drivers:
These drivers are insane. We need to do something about these people. They need to be off the road, or have some serious education.
Also, there is an attitude apparently that anyone who dies cycling is just like someone who died skydiving.
i.e. being a risk taker and they got what was coming to them. I really think that is a plausible explanation for why none of the drivers ever get charged.
I will say I like you idea about getting cyclists to band together to help "change the perceptions of these car drivers." I think it starts with helping them get a better view of cyclists. If you look at a lot of the comments they are of the 'cyclists break all sorts of law', 'cyclists are jerks', etc.
I don't say it is right, but at the same time, we need to do our part to make sure that those arguments are not available for drivers to use. If we can't say 'Hey, we DO follow the rules, we DO what we are supposed to' then drivers lose that argument, and our credibility goes up.
Of course, I am talking about addressing a vocal minority here. But when you get right down to it, they are the ones that raise the noise. When was the last time you heard a peep from someone that was a non-cyclist, but also pro-bicycles?
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Yes, I agree that cyclists should be educated to be safer and respect drivers. However I will never agree that this matters even a little bit when it comes to traffic laws and motorist safety.
What another cyclist does or does not do should have ZERO impact on the law. With the possible exception of ticketing those cyclists that break the laws. But when I hear a car driver say "If you cyclists want more respect, stop breaking the law." That just pisses me off. I mean let us invert that for just a second.
If car drivers stopped harrassing me, I would stop threatening their lives. (No I do not threaten anyone, but I need the inverse).
Or do I need to get more severe?
If mexicans would just (whatever people bitch about) then I would respect them.
If gay people want my respect they should stop flaunting their lifestyle in my face. (again, just an argument I do not really mean it).
I mean what the hell?
it is PREJUDICE. We need to stop catering to bigotry and prejudice. I am not the cyclist you saw running a red light last week, and the fact that you saw him run a red light does not excuse you coming 6" from me and laying on your horn. That is harassment based on prejudice and I thought we were working to stop that crap.
Last edited by Adriel (2008-07-03 19:05:47)
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If motorists want bicyclists to stop dying, then motorists need to stop breaking the law.
If bicyclists want motorists to stop breaking the law, then bicyclists need to stop dying.
If bicyclists want motorists to stop killing them, then bicyclists need to stop dying.
If bicyclists want motorists to stop killing them, then bicyclists need to stop breaking the law.
If motorists want bicyclists to stop breaking the law, then motorists need to stop breaking the law.
If motorists want bicyclists to stop breaking the law, then motorists need to stop killing bicyclists.
If bicyclists want motorists to stop breaking the law, then bicyclists need to stop breaking the law.
If motorists want bicyclists to stop dying, then motorists need to stop killing bicyclists.
Some permutations, for your enjoyment.
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A little more info here from the Fredericksburg Standard:
http://www.fredericksburgstandard.com/a … 04news.txt
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I posted a long article about this after following the blog thread again.
http://austincyclenews.com/?p=58
It outlines how I feel about this whole thing.
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...sounds like a complete accident.
It was quite negligent, not accidental. The driver said that she couldn't see in front of her because of the sun.
Perhaps one could say it was 'chance'. Frequent bad driving usually doesn't result in a collision. When it finally does, it is silly to call it an accident since the bad behavior was there all along.
Her bad driving finally caught up with her and it resulted in the death of a fellow human.
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