Oregon man faces manslaughter in bicyclist's death

[UnixFreak]

link

What do you think? Should he have swerved into oncoming traffic, killing himself and others, because the bicyclist didn't want to move?

 

[Viper GTS]

He had brakes, didn't he?

Viper GTS

 

[Gunbuster]

You slow down and wait for trafic in the other direction to clear then you pass

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

<< link

What do you think? Should he have swerved into oncoming traffic, killing himself and others, because the bicyclist didn't want to move? >>



It seems you are assuming things that do not appear in the article. I see no evidence that he would have had to "swerve into oncoming traffic, killing himself and others" to avoid hitting the cyclist. Presumably he could have slowed until it was safe to pass rather than killing an innocent person, which he did.

 

[ElFenix]

it says he faces reckless driving charges. the guilt is probably almost punishment enough for this guy.

 

[Fausto]

It's pretty cut and dried from a legal standpoint. The cyclist was occupying her "spot" on the road way, even riding single file so it was up to him to slow until it was safe to pass.



<< Should he have swerved into oncoming traffic, killing himself and others, because the bicyclist didn't want to move? >>


"move" where? The grass?

Fausto

 

[Optimus]

You brake - slow all the way down to following the bicyclists. You follow that slowly until its safe to overtake them.

It sucks to have to slow down - I find people behind me sometimes start honking and geting pissed, then they zoom right past the cyclists themselves only missing by about 2 inches! Sheesh - like 15 seconds of driver's time is worth more than a cyclists safety...

 

[Nitemare]

Wow the dude is over 70 years old. He could probably agrue senility, avoid jail time, and just surrender his license.

This is how I would do it if I was representing him

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

<< Wow the dude is over 70 years old. He could probably agrue senility, avoid jail time, and just surrender his license.

This is how I would do it if I was representing him >>



Hee hee - don't quit your day job to take up criminal defense!

 

[Capn]

Man I love ATOT, we're all experts and like crack judgements based on about 0.1% of all available information.

What was the speed limit on the road? Was there a shoulder? Was the road straight or was there a turn? Could anything be hindering the drivers vision of the cyclist? Was he trying to brake or slow down when he hit the cyclist?

Obviously, the easiest thing would be to slow down, but people seem to miss the corollary to that, perhaps he tried to slow down and still hit the cyclist. Or maybe he's blind as a bat and senile too, but since that's not mentioned in the article either I can't comment.

 

[Jzero]

<< Man I love ATOT, we're all experts and like crack judgements based on about 0.1% of all available information. >>



HE'S GUILTY AS SIN (based on the laws. I know ALL the laws)! JUST LOOK AT HIM!!!

<---***Official ATOT Armchair Attorney***

 

[Gaard]

<< HE'S GUILTY AS SIN...JUST LOOK AT HIM!!! >>



LMAO

 

[UnixFreak]

I just used that brash, generalized statement to get you guys fired up, and talking.

but think about it, he may not have had time to react. I don't think it is as cut and dry as people think.

I think most bicyclists are a danger to the road. I think people feel sorry for them too much, and are too quick to
blame the driver in cases like this.

of course I am biased, as I have seen first hand, a dead family, as a result of a bicycle rider refusing to pull to the side on a blind corner, on a road they shouldn't have been in the first place.

(Viper, you probably know the road, Germantown road, north of Hillsboro, I worked that bad head-on a couple years ago up there).

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

<< of course I am biased, as I have seen first hand, a dead family, as a result of a bicycle rider refusing to pull to the side on a blind corner, on a road they shouldn't have been in the first place. >>



I am having a tough time conceptualizing how such an accident would be solely the cyclist's fault. The scenario you describe sounds more like an unsafe pass. As far as I am concerned, any road that does not explicitly bar cyclists is fair game for riding, though as a prudential matter cyclists may avoid legal roads in the interest of their own safety. Notwithstanding your experience, I really resent the arrogance of drivers who default to blaming cyclists for their own carelessness.

 

[Gonad the Barbarian]

Damn bicyclists need to stay off the road. If you can't keep up with the flow of traffic you are just creating a hazard to yourself and everyone around you.

 

[Viper GTS]

<< I just used that brash, generalized statement to get you guys fired up, and talking.

but think about it, he may not have had time to react. I don't think it is as cut and dry as people think.

I think most bicyclists are a danger to the road. I think people feel sorry for them too much, and are too quick to
blame the driver in cases like this.

of course I am biased, as I have seen first hand, a dead family, as a result of a bicycle rider refusing to pull to the side on a blind corner, on a road they shouldn't have been in the first place.

(Viper, you probably know the road, Germantown road, north of Hillsboro, I worked that bad head-on a couple years ago up there). >>



Germantown road? Good Lord... :Q

For those of you who don't know, that is a steep, narrow, windy stretch of road. It's barely two lanes, no shoulder, & there are MANY blind corners/hairpin curves. It's bad enough when there are no bikes on the road.

I'm not saying he's blameless, but that's a really bad stretch of road to be riding a bike on.

Viper GTS

 

[joecool]

i've biked extensively in Oregon & I can say that there are a large number of drivers there who have no respect for cyclists. Despite the fact that I always rode on the shoulder, or, if there wasn't one, on the extreme edge of the road, I have been "buzzed" inumerable times, had people yell at me, honk at me (often when they are right next to me, which as you know if it's been done to you can scare the beejezus out of you!), and even had things thrown at me. My guess is the dude was just another redneck Oregonian & wanted to get him a biker.

 

[RossMAN]

<<

<< I just used that brash, generalized statement to get you guys fired up, and talking.

but think about it, he may not have had time to react. I don't think it is as cut and dry as people think.

I think most bicyclists are a danger to the road. I think people feel sorry for them too much, and are too quick to
blame the driver in cases like this.

of course I am biased, as I have seen first hand, a dead family, as a result of a bicycle rider refusing to pull to the side on a blind corner, on a road they shouldn't have been in the first place.

(Viper, you probably know the road, Germantown road, north of Hillsboro, I worked that bad head-on a couple years ago up there). >>



Germantown road? Good Lord... :Q

For those of you who don't know, that is a steep, narrow, windy stretch of road. It's barely two lanes, no shoulder, & there are MANY blind corners/hairpin curves. It's bad enough when there are no bikes on the road.

I'm not saying he's blameless, but that's a really bad stretch of road to be riding a bike on.

Viper GTS >>



I would never bike on that road.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

<< Damn bicyclists need to stay off the road. If you can't keep up with the flow of traffic you are just creating a hazard to yourself and everyone around you. >>



Boo friggin' hoo. The law permits cyclists to share the road, notwithstanding the attitude of drivers like you.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

<< I just used that brash, generalized statement to get you guys fired up, and talking. but think about it, he may not have had time to react. I don't think it is as cut and dry as people think. I think most bicyclists are a danger to the road. I think people feel sorry for them too much, and are too quick to blame the driver in cases like this. of course I am biased, as I have seen first hand, a dead family, as a result of a bicycle rider refusing to pull to the side on a blind corner, on a road they shouldn't have been in the first place. (Viper, you probably know the road, Germantown road, north of Hillsboro, I worked that bad head-on a couple years ago up there). >>




And I had a nice stay in a hospital when I was taken out by a car some years back.

For every accident caused by a bicyclist, I would there are literally hundreds of cyclists injured by drivers in too much of a hurry and with a F-em attitude.

As DonVito stated above, cyclists are entitled to use roads. I am sorry anyone gets killed in accidents, but this is really a David vs. Goliath situation and David gets flattened.

 

[Gaard]

<< Damn bicyclists need to stay off the road. If you can't keep up with the flow of traffic you are just creating a hazard to yourself and everyone around you. >>



How so? I'd bet a little more patience would eliminate a lot of car/bike accidents.

 

[Fausto]

<< but think about it, he may not have had time to react. I don't think it is as cut and dry as people think. >>


No, it is that cut and dried. That's like saying you didn't have time to react after you rear-end someone. If you rear-ended them it means you were following to closely, going to fast, or both. The bicyclist was occupying her legal spot on the road and the geezer nailed her anyway....it's his fault any way you cut it.



<< I think most bicyclists are a danger to the road. I think people feel sorry for them too much, and are too quick to
blame the driver in cases like this.

of course I am biased, as I have seen first hand, a dead family, as a result of a bicycle rider refusing to pull to the side on a blind corner, on a road they shouldn't have been in the first place. >>


Maybe the idiot driver should have slowed down until it was safe to pass instead of trying to scoot around him on a blind corner and killing his whole family? It's called judgement.....something many motorists seem to lack.



<< Damn bicyclists need to stay off the road. If you can't keep up with the flow of traffic you are just creating a hazard to yourself and everyone around you. >>


Show me how many car accidents were caused by bicycles last year and then show me how many cyclists got mashed by brain-dead cell-phone-yapping asshole motorists and then we'll talk. :|

Damn cyclists with their lack of emissions not contributing to smog, not tearing up roadways, not getting fat in their cars and having heart attacks and jacking up health insurance for all of us and not contributing to rush-hour traffic jams and parking problems. damn them all.

Fausto

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

I just now caught the fact that this thread's title is totally inaccurate - the story reports that the driver here will plead guilty to reckless driving, not manslaughter. I guess that would have been less inflammatory, though!

 

[Gonad the Barbarian]

And please tell me what makes bicyclists so special that they should be allowed on the road? Are skateboarders allowed on the road? Are gocarts allowed on the road? Hobbies have no business on public roads. Period. You take it there and something bad happens to you, well 'boo friggin hoo.'

 

[StageLeft]

Cyclist was in front legally and rightfully. This guy hit cyclist. His fault.