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Conference noted::bicycle

Title: Bicycling
Notice:Bicycling for Fun
Moderator:JAMIN::WASSER
Created:Mon Apr 14 1986
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:3214
Total number of notes:31946

2974.0. "BICYCLE TRADGEDY" by POLAR::WILSONC () Mon Jun 05 1995 07:19

    a cyclist was killed in ottawa this weekend. she was riding with 7
    other cyclists all experienced all belonged to the ottawa bike club.
    one other rider was injured. all the riders were between the curb and
    the white line where we all feel relatively safe. there is no word from
    the police about the driver of the car. i would suspect since there was
    7 cyclists and little traffic that the driver of the car was aware of
    the cyclist. how can this happen? if this person is not charged with
    murder i will be very angry. the message has to get out. cycling is a
    serious alternative to motoring and the HAS TO BE SHARED.
    
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
2974.1oops!POLAR::WILSONCMon Jun 05 1995 07:203
    the road has to be shared :)
    chris
    
2974.2WMOIS::GIROUARD_CMon Jun 05 1995 13:0623
    People on both sides of the equation continue to be ignorant, selfish,
    and deadly.
    
    I was scooting down Rte 12 through the center Ashburnham, Ma yesterday.
    
    Granted, I was running at about 35mph in a 30mph zone, but was dead
    center in the road and was highly visible. A car was turning across
    the road to go into a grocery store parking lot. No sweat. I'm a good
    100yds. from him. There is another car behind him wanting to do the
    same thing only now I'm 50yds. from this meatball. He decides he's
    going in too (the heck with me - believe me, he looked right at me).
    
    Well, you cover a lot of distance at 35mph on a bike. I stood on the
    brakes, locking up my rear and gradually but aggressively continued to
    squeeze the front. He scooted in, I fish-tailed around his rear (I
    could've slapped his rear end) and threw my hand in the air and shouted
    "COME ON WILL YA". He looked at me like I had two heads.
    
    I never wanted to ride back to an idiot sooooo bad as I did yesterday
    and deliver a beating. I didn't. The adrenalin was running so high I
    just took advantage of it and burned it off on the way home.
    
    Chip 
2974.3Take it easy...SALEM::SHAWMon Jun 05 1995 13:2012
    
    Hey Chip, becareful out there, we don't want to loose you ;-) 
             I for one enjoy your inputs here!
    
             I have one of those encounters almost everytime I take the 
             road bike out. I have learnt to assume the worst when it 
             comes to cars pulling infront of me. I hate to break up 
             my rythm when I am traveling at a good speed too, but I have
             also tasted the pains of getting hit by a chevy blazer while
             crossing the street and beleive me it is not worth it. 
    
    Shaw
2974.4WMOIS::GIROUARD_CTue Jun 06 1995 06:496
    -1 Thanks... Overall I'm pretty lucky. These things are rare for
       me. Maybe once a year but it sure scares the beejeebers (whatever
       those are) out of me. Putting in between 5k-6k miles a year I
       shouldn't complain too much. 
    
       Chip 
2974.5River Rd, Andover accidentSALEM::RYAN_JTue Jun 06 1995 11:138
    
    In the Lawrence Eagle-Tribune the other day there was an article about
    a 49-year old male cyclist who was hit from the rear on River Rd. in
    Andover.  He's in criticle condition after going through the car's
    windshield.  His helmet was on the fromt seat.  the 81-year old male
    driver "didn't see him" at 12:30 pm Sunday.  Ya never know...
    
    Jim
2974.6NOVA::FISHERnow |a|n|a|l|o|g|Tue Jun 06 1995 11:233
    did he have coke-bottle glasses?
    
    ed
2974.7CONSLT::MCBRIDEReformatted to fit your screenTue Jun 06 1995 12:228
    More like...... 
    
    CRASH! 
    
    "Oh dear, there is a bicyclist in the road in front of me, I had better
    slow down, swerve, move, brake etc."  
    	
    Brian
2974.8ODIXIE::CIAROCHIOne Less DogFri Jun 23 1995 13:1129
    Shoot, Chip, a couple of weeks ago I had a similar, except this guy
    pulled out directly in front of me from the right after making eye
    contact.  Then he proceeded to spray gravel as I'm standing on the
    brakes.
    
    He pulled into a store a ways up the road, and I yelled something like
    "Watch Out!" or something.  He said two words to me and turned away. 
    Well, I counted slowly to ten (it probably took about three seconds)
    before deciding that it had been way too long since I had the
    opportunity to bash somebody.  I hauled the bike around and rode right
    up behind him and very politely said,
    
    	"Excuse me, but what did you say?"
    
    He jumped half out of his skin and said "huh?"
    
    	"Excuse me, but what did you say? I didn't hear you back there."
    
    He said, "Oh, I said I'm sorry.  You came up on me a lot faster than I
    expected, and then I was just trying to get out of your way. I didn't
    mean to cut you off..."
    
    True story.  I mumbled something about no harm done and didn't hit him. 
    I'm sorta glad I used polite language, even if I was ready to ram a
    bike pump down his gullet.
    
    Live and learn...
    
                              
2974.9WMOIS::GIROUARD_CMon Jun 26 1995 07:076
    Lotsa fun, eh Mike??? It's also sad when cousins marry and they allow
    their offspring to drive a motor vehicle. :-)
    
    Good for for not letting the guy off the hook!
    
    Chip
2974.10NOVA::FISHERnow |a|n|a|l|o|g|Mon Jun 26 1995 07:4611
    John Lee Ellis used to stop and counsel people who did bonehead things.
    I, on the other hand have been known to get motorists to chase me when
    I say things about their driving habits, I just never mastered John's
    mild manner.  :-)
    
    Speaking of John, he rode a little bit with Linda this weekend.  They
    got snowed on on Trail Ridge Road.  The last 2 years, Linda and I
    did a tour in Colorado, this year I opted out.  It must have been the
    name of the tour this year, The Vertical.
    
    ed