I am sick 😢😢😢.

Sad to read this. Condolences to her family and friends.

Condolences to her family.

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Next races on the schedule: none at the moment

Horrible news, sorry and sad for you Lew.

this is a low, low blow. she was my friend.
peggy

That's 3 in the last week or two in MI off the top of my head. The gentleman who was hit on Cannonsburg road in GR passed away today as well.


Condolences to both of their families.

I just saw on the news that accidents have gone way up, and they do not know why. Cyclists are up 13%. Pedestrians up 10%. Can we say cell phones and or drugs?

Everytime I say I want to go ride on the road, I see one of these. I might go out Sunday in the hills for the first time in like a year. But, ...

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Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

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Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

My condolences to Lew and to Karen's family and friends. A shocking loss.

Makes me sick. Bridget Dawson right before Nationals and now Karen. Out best triathletes are being taken away. I am so sorry Lew.

Oh no. Such a great competitor and person. Sad....

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Gary Geiger
http://www.geigerphoto.com Professional photographer

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I haven't posted here for years, but this is a sad day for Michigan triathlon community. Thanks to Tom Demerley for writing this up.

Kyle Handley

Oh wow, what a terrible tragedy. As a fellow Midwesterner, I remember Karen and Lew from races back in the mid 80s. Karen was a true pioneer of women sports in the days before Title IX and a huge force in the triathlon world - as a competitor, organizer, and promoter of the sport. I'm so sorry, Lew. Such a huge loss. I'm at a loss for words.

Condolences to family and friends. Her and Lew were huge here in Michigan in the 80's and beyond.

So sorry to hear this and so upsetting. She was my age and I was well aware of her accomplishments over the 30 yrs I've been doing triathlons. "Raced" against her in events but she was a level above me even at my best.

Still upset over the death of Bridget Dawson, 58 another super athlete who just won her age group Duathlon Champs killed hit from behind while riding on the road shoulder by a drifting driver. I remember racing against her locally in beginning in 1986.

These are long time skilled bicyclists who know how to handle themselves safely on the road getting wiped out by vehicles. How long can we continue to just allow this to go on? The roads it seems have gotten so dangerous. But just so accepted. I know my riding has decreased a lot. I keep telling myself to just get out there but then having 2 superstar athletics killed in 6 wksjust seem to support my hesitation to ride. Certainly don't want to be next.
Barb L

Karen was a race friend and mentor. Really sorry to hear.
Was just thinking about her yesterday. She liked to have a Hershey bar before a race and I was craving one after a row.
I use to warm up with her before races and ask her what her strategy was going to be and tell her how I was going to kick her ass ....HAH!
She empowered women... I liked that ....I have three daughters. To Lew and everybody ....PEACE
Greg Upshur

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sometimes

Only a few miles from home. I didn't know her but knew of her and have seen her at more than one race.

Most definitely a sad day.

I will always remember her tranquil and peaceful nature. May we never forget her unassuming conversation, and her quiet giggle. We have lost a graceful and wonderful spirit.

May the Peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you Lew,

Thom

They are talking about trying to legalize rec pot in Michigan. Lately I have been thinking we already have so many bad drivers, drunk or sober, we don't need to add any more imparing substances to the mix.

Just sick over another amazing person gone way too soon. Peace to Lew and family.

I am done with the road. Putting the bike in the back of the truck and driving to the greenway 100% off the time. Same with my sons. After 100,000 miles+ my number has to be nearly up.

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STIndiana
America Multi-Sport, Inc.
America's Half June 10, 2017
USAT RD Century Club
http://www.americamultisport.com

Competed against her way back.
Very sad news.
RIP

Cretins with smart phones. Nearly every day I see them at the wheel with the eyes looking down.

The driver pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor. http://www.mlive.com/...with_killing_tr.html

He crossed the center lane to pass a car and runs head-on into cyclists, and gets a misdemeanor. Unreal.

How can anything that involves killing someone be considered a misdemeanor?

Definitely sad all the way around. I had a cop do this to me in Ponte Vedra Beach in December 2015.

At 70, maybe the driver wasn't texting. That said, what offends me is that he was allowed to plead no contest to the misdemeanor. I could see no contest to manslaughter. But guilty to the misdemeanor. I suspect the admission of guilt would be useful for her family in a wrongful death suit.

Hopefully there's a lawyer in Michigan who can weigh in on this.

That's right. Pleading no contest isn't an admission of guilt, but it is treated as such during sentencing.

A while back i suggested the idea of a crowd sourced response to these items. Shouldn't we as the community that is being hurt & killed rise up and reach out to the parties responsible for punishing the perpetrators? we can all sit here and whine about how this driver only got a misdemeanor, but what are we doing besides complaining on a forum?
Can we:
- Identify the names & contact information of the DA, ADA, Judge, Police responsible for investigating this case?
- create a form letter that individuals can tweak and email to all of the above asking for a more appropriate punishment?

if we do not do these things to protect ourselves, we shouldn't expect the carnage to change at any time.

How can anything that involves killing someone be considered a misdemeanor?


It's absurd, and there is a variation from jurisdiction to jurisdiction but often lawyers who are defending drivers will counsel them to admit straight up that it was an "accident", they did not see such-and-such, and they push for something like a charge of "Careless Driving" which shifts things away from any criminality and much more serious charges, and punishments. So yes - there can be a fatality, and the driver walks away with minor charges and a fine. It makes no sense to me at all - but it happens - A LOT in these situations.

I don't know if this is true, but it certainly seems this way is that EVERYTHING seems to be stacked in favor of the driver in these situations, and against the victim, or in the most unfortunate cases the deceased. The whole thing is very culturally and behaviorally entrenched that motorists are bizarrely NOT responsible for their actions. Something needs to happen. In Ontario later on this spring legislation will be introduced - a Vulnerable Road User Law - that will shift more responsibility back to motorists, that will give cyclists and pedestrians more protection, because they are WAY more vulnerable, and that motorists need to take more responsibility for their actions!

This WILL NOT be easy. Now, typically, the IMMEDIATE knee-jerk reaction from motorists when this comes up is that cyclists and pedestrians are the asses - riding erratically, not following the rules of the road, stepping off the curb without looking etc . . which is not untrue BUT, motorists as they are wont to do have a very poor understanding of the laws of physics ANY sort of contact between their 2000+ lbs vehicle and a cyclist/pedestrian is going to be very bad to fatal for the cyclist/pedestrian COMMONSENSE would indicate that motorists should take a greater responsibility for vulnerable road users safety - and that's what a Vulnerable Road User Laws and legislation will do. Too late for THIS particular tragedy, but we are slowly moving in the right direction.

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

Sentenced to probation for 2 years and ordered to pay $3K in fines and court costs. Order to pay fines and costs will be suspended if he meets probation terms. http://www.freep.com/...mckeachie/100424480/

This ruling is a slap in the face to Karen's family. Leaves me sick.

I am rarely at a loss for words as my mouth is almost always moving...but I don't know how to handle this stuff anymore. I'm fortunate to live in an area with paved rail trails that allow me to ride 50-90 miles without riding on a road. It's not as effective as road riding b/c of the pedestrians, starts/stops, etc. but I will be spending a lot of time on them this summer if only for my wife's sanity.

I have no clue the court system but some thoughts.

Can they take this to civil court and "win" by demanding wrongful death suit? IE he gets sued and has to pay.

B) for lawyers...in cases like that what happens if they win a civil suit but the defense guy can't pay the fee that the family won? Just a feel good verdict? IE if the family wins a $250k verdict but the guy has no money....how does that work?

I can see tjay being issue with say potentially illegals in country who hit someone. Was that what happened to Rapp in Cali?


Kinda like the OJ case. He won being prosecuted but the family won in civil court big time right?

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

Quote:
"If you ever want to murder someone, the best way to do it is get them on a bike and run them down and say it’s an accident, and you’ll get off paying $3,000. It’ll be suspended if he meets the terms of the probation," Jones said.quote.

Pedestrian and crosswalk will do too.

Hey, it isn't an AK47, so it's all good!