Quote: "In her 60 years of driving she's never had an accident?" Who cares. Like that some sort of vindication that it was alright for her to hit someone now...WTF?

Nothing like ruining your Monday when you find out news about someone getting hit by a car during a race, or a cyclist killed by former Ms. America b/c she said the sun was in her eyes and could not see. Well if you can't see Ms. F--king America...DON"T DRIVE YOUR CAR!!!!

Be careful out there everyone. My apologies for the rant. Just concerned about the safety and well being of fellow cyclists...that's all.

I tell you what - I would SUE THE SHIT out of that old bitch! She is LUCKY it was not me...I would have hit her in the face with my broken frame (would not be the first time I hit a motorist with my broken bike).

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What if the Hokey Pokey is what it is all about?

I don't have the buttons on this thing down yet, but I was trying to tell you that the former Miss America, Heather French, in her 20's, hit a 44 year old woman who ran a red light and was not wearing a helmet. No charges or fault with Ms French.
It is not always the automobile driver's fault, so don't jump to quick conclusions.
We had an incident in our area where a bicyclist was found near death by his bicycle. The first thing that happened was local bike outrage at drivers. After he regained concious, we found out he had hit a rut and was throw on his head and he was wearing a helmet.
Things are not always as they seem

Bob Sigerson

[quote] Heather French, in her 20's, hit a 44 year old woman who ran a red light...[/quote]

I'm not sure that's entirely accurate. The report I read DOES say that Ms. Henry (nee Heather French) had a green light, but I don't think you can infer that the cyclist was running a red light.

If Ms. Henry was turning right on a green light and managed to strike a cyclist, that indicates to me that the cyclist was traveling straight in the same direction from which Ms. French was turning. Therefore, she had a green light.

If Ms. Henry was turning left, then the cyclist was traveling in the opposite direction to the direction Ms. Henry was turning from. Still a green light, unless Ms. Henry had a green left turn arrow (which the report doesn't say).

That being said, you are exactly right that things aren't necessarily all that they seem. However, with respect to the Powerman accident, from the report I read, the lady DID manage to see the second place rider. Makes one wonder how she missed seeing the race leader.

Be careful not to jump to an all out assault when you hear that someone in a car has hit and killed a cyclist. A majority of people are careful when they are driving around cyclists.

I tend to agree. In general, people tend to be careful...proof is we don't get hit every ride.
Some places are worse than others however.
Gold Coast in Oz. I had more close calls than anywhere else there...and calls just to close too :-)

That said, there was a 100mi ride in El Paso, Tx 2 weeks ago. I was training and stopped with a friend to get some water where they were finishing...
when we left, I nearly got hit by some jerk just too impatient, who said "get off the road!" ...funny thing is that the moron did the 100mi ride and have a trek 5900 on his bike rack.

Further reports that I have seen indicate that the driver had a left arrow and the cyclist had a red light.

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Willy in Pacifica

Aha! I stand corrected. A report from the http://www.thelouisvillechannel.com states that the cyclist was "crossing against the light..." and "did not have the light at the time."

I suppose it had to happen sooner or later that I would be wrong. :)

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Steve Perkins

....and unhelmeted.

Bob Sigerson

Real smooth!

I was in that race, and I don't think for a second that the little old lady from rural middle Tennessee hit the cyclist on purpose (though she was driving a jeep!). However, on the stretch of road where she hit him, assuming she didn't see him, she must be blind as a bat and an absolute menace on the roads who shouldn't be driving. It's a 1k stretch of dead straight road with a short steep hill at the end. She apparently hit him right around the base of the hill. So, he should have been in view for at least 1/4 mile before striking him, and she probably passed at least one other cyclist on the road before she got to Watson (which you would think would alert her to pay attention).

In Tennessee once you get your drivers license you do not have to return to DMV for renewal. No eye test, just send in a check every 5 years with your renewal notice and they send you a sticker for the back of your old license.

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jimmyk

That is scary.

AZ is just as bad. My DL was issued in 2000. It expires when I turn 65.

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Brian Stover USAT LII
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