#1 2013-12-17 11:59:28

Donald Lewis
Member
Registered: 2009-07-11
Posts: 184

Sad news [Joe Holan killed while cycling]

http://www.kvue.com/news/Round-Rock-pol … 80361.html

It is a sad commentary on our state of affairs that I feel grateful the driver did not flee the scene.

No word as to whether lack of cyclist lighting was a factor.

No word re' texting, etc.

Don

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#2 2013-12-18 01:34:01

dougmc
Administrator
Registered: 2008-06-01
Posts: 631

Re: Sad news [Joe Holan killed while cycling]

The article does say

Officers said Holan was wearing a helmet and reflective vest, and his bike had lights attached. Investigators were still looking into whether the lights on the bike were working when the crash happened

so it sounds like he had lights and the idea that investigators were looking into if they were working sounds like the usual anti-bike bias.  (Were the investigators also looking into if the car's lights were working?  If they were, he should have been extremely visible with his reflective vest.)

I also note that the article says that riding a bike on the frontage roads is legal, but doesn't mention if driving on these frontage roads is legal ...

I must also admit, I'm amazed that the police were able to rule out speed, alcohol and drugs quite so quickly.  Usually it takes them weeks to do that sort of thing ...

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#3 2013-12-18 06:26:33

Donald Lewis
Member
Registered: 2009-07-11
Posts: 184

Re: Sad news [Joe Holan killed while cycling]

The article has been updated since I first posted the link.

Most reflective vests do a lot to  make a cyclist visible -- lights or not.

I agree that the police conclusions seems a little hasty.

Don

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#4 2013-12-18 10:29:35

btrettel
Member
Registered: 2013-10-01
Posts: 60

Re: Sad news [Joe Holan killed while cycling]

This is very unfortunate. Seems like the cyclist was a nice guy. He posted about bike tires on his blog just a few days before the crash: http://advantagebike.blogspot.com/2013/ … eview.html

I agree that reflective vests are extremely visible in car lights. I carry one with me at all times when I am biking places and put it on whenever visibility is even slightly compromised. Having tested their effectiveness, I find it to be very hard to believe that someone could miss one in their lights. These vests are engineered to be visible.

If the police can conclusively rule out speed, alcohol, and drugs, then the most likely course of events involves either the driver's lights not being on or the driver not paying attention, either from a distraction (cell phone, etc.), drowsiness, or because they were careless.

I'd be interested in seeing the results of the complete investigation.

Last edited by btrettel (2013-12-18 10:30:42)

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#5 2013-12-20 13:46:29

brianbikes
Member
Registered: 2013-12-20
Posts: 2

Re: Sad news [Joe Holan killed while cycling]

This is so sad.

The guy seems like a model cyclist, bikes 20 miles to work each way, has lights, a vest.

Just terrible news.

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