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Man plows over 14 cyclists in Florida
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Classic Florida driver. Sad thing is, his excuses will hold up in Florida courts because they could give a rat's ass about cyclists down there. Here's the link:

http://www.sptimes.com/...in_bike_crash_.shtml

Oh, and if you want to call the guy or write him a tersely-worded letter, here's his contact info:

Joseph Pastore
6231 63rd St
Pinellas Park, FL
(727) 547-5501

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No sidewindin bushwackin, hornswaglin, cracker croaker is gonna rouin me bishen cutter!
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Re: Man plows over 14 cyclists in Florida [3Sport] [ In reply to ]
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This guy's lack of remorse, his almost clinical detachment, from what is clearly something he caused, regardless of legal guilt, is really quite astonishing. I know we were discussing this in the 'Assaulted while riding" thread, but people's ability to disassociate themselves from the results of their actions continues to astonish me.

So if an accident befalls him, we can all just say, "I don't know how a Serotta downtube got into that particular location of his anatomy, officer. Hey, these things happen."

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Re: Man plows over 14 cyclists in Florida [3Sport] [ In reply to ]
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I don't know what the big deal is. I cross double yellows all the time and smash into anything I damn well please. If sombody gets hurt, it's certainly got nothing to do with me. No guilt necessary.

This guy's a total jackass. It does sound to me though like he does have some medical issues and shouldn't be driving. How can one get a license if they're prone to passing out behind the wheel?
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Re: Man plows over 14 cyclists in Florida [Pooks] [ In reply to ]
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Just as an addendum to my post. I was hit by an elderly driver in Florida who used similar excuses to explain why she pulled out of a Bvd. Stop without seeing me. I hit the windshield face-first, compressed vertebrae in my back, required stitches and plastic surgery ... oh, and it was two weeks before prom!

She had three excuses that she used and never could decide on which one it was.

1. She got glass in her eye

2. She had to visit her sick mother

3. She was scared because I was mad and dripping blood

The court in Florida begrudgingly gave me a paltry sum for my injuries. Enough for one semester of college. I left Florida as soon as I could.

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No sidewindin bushwackin, hornswaglin, cracker croaker is gonna rouin me bishen cutter!
Last edited by: 3Sport: Jul 8, 03 10:53
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Re: Man plows over 14 cyclists in Florida [3Sport] [ In reply to ]
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3Sport:

Are you're sure you want to be giving out this guy's personal info on this forum?

Do you even live in St. Pete? Or ride in this group? Are you a Mad Dog?

I can answer "yes" to all three and I don't even know all of the facts. These were my friends who were hit and I still think how I could've been there too if it weren't a holiday weekend. That being, I don't feel the need to rail on guy who obviously feels guilty or some type of remorse.

Thanx for the "support", but I don't need your internet harrasment being associated with my friends.

Try this instead: go to the Mad Dog site and offer support to these people: stpetemaddogs.com
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Re: Man plows over 14 cyclists in Florida [3Sport] [ In reply to ]
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I wonder how the water got around those big glasses he's wearing.....



I live in Florida and the prosecuters don't take care of the cyclists here...there was one case were an attorney ran over and killed a cyclist...He had a measurable blood alcohol level but got off.....Partly because he claimed he fell asleep at the wheel.....funny how alochol will do that to ya!



We do have a lot of roads to ride around here...In fact the county I live in mandates bike lanes on all new roads....But, motorists still get off easy when at fault for bike accidents!



KEEP ON TRI-NG
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Re: Man plows over 14 cyclists in Florida [3Sport] [ In reply to ]
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Since I moved to Texas from Holland i've really had to learn to be much, MUCH more aware. I really took it for granted over there that people would at least be looking at the road.

Learned pretty fast that's not the case oover here.

I feel for the Florida riders and hope that they recover soon, and that someone in a nice big semi gets water in his eyes next time that driver is out on the road ;-)
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Re: Man plows over 14 cyclists in Florida [GatorDawg] [ In reply to ]
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This is totally ridiculous. This guy should be hung. He went completely over on the other side of the road and hit the cyclists head on and I heard he accelerated and there were not even any skid marks indicating that he tried to stop and just sat in his car up in a yard & smoked a cigarette. They said it looked like a war zone with cyclists laying all over and blood and crushed bicycles everywhere and they had to have trauma unit helicoptors fly in to save some of the cyclist's lives. I heard they had to get a special crew to come in and clean the blood off the sidewalks & street. Apparently the guy has no remorse.

There is some video at this link:

http://www.wtsp.com/...ws.aspx?storyid=3486



Pretty sick & horrifying. Luckily no lives were lost.
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Re: Man plows over 14 cyclists in Florida [UKat] [ In reply to ]
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In 1995, I was struck from behind on a training ride by a gentleman EXACTLY like Mr. Pastore. 68 years old, Lincoln Grand Marquis, no skid marks. He just fell asleep, drove onto the shoulder, drove through me (I hit the windshield and went backwards over the car) and then drove another 100 yards before he realized that his windshield had shattered.

I went to the hospital with broken bones, road rash, and dislocations. He had an estimate done on the damage to his car, and left it in my mailbox so that I'd find it when I came home 2 days later. (It was $3,900 - I won. My bike and medical expenses were over $10K).

In deposition when asked, "When did you first see the cyclist?" he replied, "When he came through my windshield." His attorney cringed. We settled.

The anger some feel to Mr. Pastore is justified; How could he be so callous? So uncaring? So detached? Drivers of that age who have lived a full and complete life have detached themselves from most of what we consider to be 'reality.' His wife is gone. His life is in limbo - too old to live, too young to die. Everything is just background to the constant grey that each day is for him. Same routine. Same everything. He probably has no idea what he has done - it doesn't register. They weren't cyclists - they weren't people. "I must have hit something."

His detachment at the scene is angering, but nothing we say or do will change that. You have to let the anger go. There are thousands more out there like him, and the AARP will make well and sure that their right to drive isn't ever threatened. That's life, whether I like it or not. Calling him to harass him won't help. Sending him letters won't help. Talking to him won't change things. You just have to be grateful that everyone he hit WILL heal, and most will ride again. It's the only thing we have to hold on to here.

Ride in groups, ride alert, but don't stop riding. Let the Pastore's of the world go on...but keep a sharp eye for them.

Hurricane Bob
http://www.bobmina.com
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Re: Man plows over 14 cyclists in Florida [Hurricane Bob] [ In reply to ]
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Good point Bob. UP
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Re: Man plows over 14 cyclists in Florida [Hurricane Bob] [ In reply to ]
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In Reply To:

The anger some feel to Mr. Pastore is justified; How could he be so callous? So uncaring? So detached? Drivers of that age who have lived a full and complete life have detached themselves from most of what we consider to be 'reality.' His wife is gone. His life is in limbo - too old to live, too young to die. Everything is just background to the constant grey that each day is for him. Same routine. Same everything. He probably has no idea what he has done - it doesn't register. They weren't cyclists - they weren't people. "I must have hit something."

His detachment at the scene is angering, but nothing we say or do will change that. You have to let the anger go. There are thousands more out there like him, and the AARP will make well and sure that their right to drive isn't ever threatened.
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Re: Man plows over 14 cyclists in Florida [Hurricane Bob] [ In reply to ]
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Bob, please don't stereotype those of us over 60. There are guys around my area who have run through bicyclists and are in their 40s. Some young people drive home with a man stuck in the windshield. It's not age, it's the society in which we live.

Bob Sigerson
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Re: Man plows over 14 cyclists in Florida [sig] [ In reply to ]
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Sorry if it sounded like a stereotype. I knew I was treading on thin ice, but that's what I feel. Older drivers and teenagers are the most dangerous parts of the curve when looking at who we're sharing the road with - There's no denying that, I'm afraid. Not all are as disconnected as this fellow, but more then enough are to make it more than an isolated incident.

All we can do is try and ride safe, and stay alive. This story rings too close to home for me, so I am biased - I admit that completely. I'm not trying to offend - this is not a flame. Just my opinion.
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Re: Man plows over 14 cyclists in Florida [Hurricane Bob] [ In reply to ]
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A friend of mine is a nurse in the hospital that treated manyof the injured bikers. Here is here account. Don't read if you aresqueamish.
Hi xxxxxxx,I'm not sure if you heard in the news, but we had themost horrible bike accident here on Sunday. I was inthe hospital seeing patients when I got a call theyhad mass casualities in the ER from a bike accident. Iwent down there and it looked like a war zone. I sawthe bike jersey's and shoes and then recognized facesas my friends from my bike group. The group of 30 wasbiking East when a car passed another car going Westand ran into them head on and he never stopped!!! Heran over 20 of them and his car came to rest in ayard. His windshield was shattered and the grill goneand headlights busted from the bodies hitting the car. Nine people were seriously injured. When I got tothe trauma room - I couldn't believe what I saw. Oneman's leg was partially amputated. One girl wasnearly decaptiated. Everyone else had numberous largelacerations and there limbs were broken and inpositions the legs and arms are not meant to go. Minor injuries - broken collar bones, broken anklesand wrist's went to smaller hospitals. I stayed andhelped out for a few hours. Everyone has been tosurgery now and is healing, but they have a long, longway to go. One man still may lose his leg. It wasone of the most horrible things I have seen in a while- ecspecially since I know some of these people. Then to add insult to injury - the man who hit themtold the press "I don't feel guilty or remorseful, itwas an accident and I am not responsible". "Badthings happen in life - deal with it"!!The scene is still being investigated - he did crosson a double yellow line and they are seeing if drugsare involved.I'm so glad I was at work that day and not on the bikeride. I think I'm going to bike in the gym forawhile.
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