On the holiday ride July 4th. Pics are graphic. Short version, driver on descent comes up behind group, honking horn, passes on left, cyclists yell at him, driver gets in front and then slams on brakes, sending Cynergy rider through the back window. Despite being a physician, refuses to treat on scene. Currently out on bail for criminal felony assault. And apparently not the first incident with cyclists.
We always see posts where this happens and we all say how horrible, but then don’t hear anything about it. I hope the LA cycling community can keep this in the forefront and use this guy as an example.
This makes me sick…and the assailant is an ER doctor!!! WTF?! I hope Dr. Christopher T. Thompson gets punished to the full extent of the law. This guy should not be walking free let alone practicing medicine.
***“We were riding downhill at approximately 30 mph when a car came up behind us…***We moved to the right in single file…”
So from this quote, it would be safe to assume that before the car approached they were…
riding downhill at approximately 30mph, not in single file.
Unless the driver felt his safety was in danger, there is no justification for his actions. Once he passed the cyclists, I don’t see any possible way the driver would have been in any kind of danger.
No idea if they weren’t single file, that’s an assumption. Mandeville is too narrow, I would guess they could be maybe two across from my experience on that road. More than that, you’re over on the other side. I am sure there are plenty of witnesses that could answer your question, neither you nor I can.
30 mph… soooooo. What am I missing here…
The right side of Mandeville is not a very pleasant place to descend as they have not maintained the road well, and there are hhidden driveways every 100 feet or so on a curvy road. Only safe way to go down is in the middle-right, and do what these guys did when a car came up, which is move to the right. Sounds pretty courteous to me. What I always do
Oh wait, you think they caused it. I get it now. Is there anything that these guys could have done that would have justified the driver’s actions? I mean, other than attacking him first.
It’s bad enough this guy has some road rage, but being a doctor? Didn’t this guy take the Hippocratic oath in med school? Do no harm? Uh, hello. I hope the local prosecutor has fun. I don’t think anyone is going to insure this guy from now on. Just as bad as repeat drunk driver in my opinion.
I hope the cyclists recover and can at least get on the trainer soon. It’s one thing to crash due to your own fault or road conditions, but to do so due to someone else’s behavior is horrible.
BTW, we had a similar incident here in Chicago earlier in the year. Thankfully, there were non-cyclist witnesses and the state’s attorney for the county is a triathlete and is pressing felony charges.
I’m waiting for some idiot to have road rage and hit Mayor Daley while he’s biking. Oh, the consequences for them in this city… Or, better yet, could imagine getting POed at the cyclists in DC…#)@#)@…oops, that was President Bush on a ride and you just got taken out by the Secret Service. That would be true justice for road ragers.
OK, sorry to rant about these annoying cyclists on the road, let’s get back to our important discussion on the cell phone about the latest dinnerware collection on sale on Crate and Barrel. Don’t people understand what’s really important in life?
I think pressuring the DA to press charges is important. This guy clearly has the cash to hire expensive lawyers to cut a deal to save his license, which could very well happen. Also getting it to news outlets, etc.
Check out Velo La Grange website, they’ve already got some information on there. We need to make sure we keep access to Mandeville, I’ve no doubt there are residents that, while not happy about it, also agree with the good doc’s sentiments.
My club, Peninsula Cycling Club, may be presenting a petition to the DA to make sure they press charges.
I’m glad to see now that the DA is, in fact, pressing charges. It might be worth double checking to make sure that the Medical Board of California is aware of this.
From the Medical Board’s website:
“(b) The district attorney, city attorney, or other prosecuting agency shall notify the Division of Medical Quality of the pendency of an action against a licensee charging a felony or misdemeanor immediately upon obtaining information that the defendant is a licensee. The notice shall identify the licensee and describe the crimes charged and the facts alleged. The prosecuting agency shall also notify the clerk of the court in which the action is pending that the defendant is a licensee, and the clerk shall record prominently in the file that the defendant holds a license as a physician and surgeon.” http://www.medbd.ca.gov/licensee/seven_sins-anger.html
The site also explains that the doc’s license may not be safe even if he dodges the conviction:
“What happens in the above-cited examples when a conviction does not accompany the act that brought the physician to our attention? When it comes to anger, the board has another mechanism by which to insure public safety: the mental/physical examination. This happens frequently in cases where a physician is arrested, but not convicted, for domestic violence.”
Hopefully they would agree that Dr. Thompson has not shown the sort of judgment that would be expected of a physician.
“I also think cyclists sometimes ignore what safety really means.”
Well this ought to teach them. Thank gawd for guys like this doctor. If it weren’t drivers like him, cyclists would never know what safety really means.
I “think” 300 riders took off on a group ride on a *“**too narrow” *road that “is not a very pleasant place to descend”, and (someone) hasn’t “maintained the road well”, and “there are hidden driveways every 100 feet”, and it’s a “curvy road.”
I think the motorist acted inexcusably and will have to answer for his actions and will hopefully be punished, severely.
I also think cyclists sometimes ignore what safety really means.
Oh yeah, cause motorists pulling in front of cyclists on a hill and slamming on the brakes is what safety is all about. What planet are you from and why aren’t you heading back there?
BTW, the 297 other cyclists were long gone. These two had stayed back with another who had broken his collar bone in an accident. After an ambulance had taken the injured one away, they continued on their own. Two cyclists, who moved to the right and went single file when a car approached from behind. Obviously being very rude and unsafe!
You may want to forward a link to this thread to the California state physicians’ licensing board for them to investigate whether the perp’s actions are consistent with his ability to continue to practice medicine in that state. Just thinkin out loud …
I used to ride Mandeville all the time when I lived in LA 15 years ago, and it was always scary coming down. My best friend’s teen-aged son, an accomplished racer, was nearly killed when a Benz backed out of a driveway without looking, right in front the rider. My friend kept on his desk the horribly bent head tube from the steel Cinelli his son had been riding. As to the speed, if you want to keep it at 30mph, you have to be on the brakes. It’s easy to go much faster than that on many sections.
Just over the hill in Studio City my friend and I were cussed out by a guy in a Porsche who told us to get off his f***ing street. It was just two of us on a very quiet Sunday morning, but he was full of rage that he had to wait a few seconds to back out of his driveway.
I hope the DA prosecutes the so-called doctor and the board strips him of his license.
My club, Peninsula Cycling Club, may be presenting a petition to the DA to make sure they press charges.
I’m glad to see now that the DA is, in fact, pressing charges. It might be worth double checking to make sure that the Medical Board of California is aware of this.
From the Medical Board’s website:
“(b) The district attorney, city attorney, or other prosecuting agency shall notify the Division of Medical Quality of the pendency of an action against a licensee charging a felony or misdemeanor immediately upon obtaining information that the defendant is a licensee. The notice shall identify the licensee and describe the crimes charged and the facts alleged. The prosecuting agency shall also notify the clerk of the court in which the action is pending that the defendant is a licensee, and the clerk shall record prominently in the file that the defendant holds a license as a physician and surgeon.” http://www.medbd.ca.gov/...even_sins-anger.html
The site also explains that the doc’s license may not be safe even if he dodges the conviction:
“What happens in the above-cited examples when a conviction does not accompany the act that brought the physician to our attention? When it comes to anger, the board has another mechanism by which to insure public safety: the mental/physical examination. This happens frequently in cases where a physician is arrested, but not convicted, for domestic violence.”
Hopefully they would agree that Dr. Thompson has not shown the sort of judgment that would be expected of a physician.
Add to that, since he was on the scene AND identified himself as a doctor, he then has a DUTY to treat. Same as if you display an EMT sticker in your window and go by an accident, you have a duty to stop and render whatever aid you can. Failure to stop can result in suspension of your license. Failure to treat a life threatening injury (Even if you caused it) would be a good bet to lose your license to practice.
Or, better yet, could imagine getting POed at the cyclists in DC…#)@#)@…oops, that was President Bush on a ride and you just got taken out by the Secret Service. That would be true justice for road ragers.