I had to get up early for some church business and a chunk of arctic air has made it all the way down to the Beautiful Suburbs of Hell, leaving the morning low at what feels like 0°F but what was really 65°. I mean it was just a couple of days ago that we were experiencing 100°F temperatures, going from heat indexes of 109 to 65 is similar to stepping into the walk in freezer from a 72° room. Unfortunately since all the screens are torn out of the windows we can’t open any windows to enjoy cool air that hasn’t been artificially refrigerated, so the AC units are still running every so often to rid the house of the excess heat produced by two adult bodies, the computer and fridge. Add to that the heavy overcast means we have to turn on the lights to see where we are walking inside the house and we are still using more electricity than we should. Once again this is life in Texas. Update, today’s high was only 78°F.
Up first is the sad evidence of what a toll affluenza takes on a community. Teen who killed cyclist in DUI hit-and-run sentenced to 1 year, 10 days Kill a human while you drive drunk and stoned and rich and you get a lesser sentence than a poor person who kicked and injured a dog. Congratulations judge, you have now made human life worth less than an injured dog.
After that I need a palate cleanser to keep me from putting a fist through my laptop. Photos: Until Dogs Can Bike, Here’s The Best Use Of Dogs And Citi Bike The dogs (except the lazy little white one in the lower right corner) are dragging the cyclist down the street.
Still in NYC, NYPD says FU to a pedestrian killed by with a bus. Woman Fatally Struck By MTA Bus Driver In Midtown This Morning The picture is of a different wreck than reported in the article. It’s a stock picture for this outlet.
Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: The Mobility Plan bikelash has begun, and I go off on an unintended rant
A NE cyclist is killed at an intersection. Lincoln man dies in bike-van crash No word on how many “witnesses” who saw the cyclist running the red light were not driving the van that killed the cyclist.
More on the MI cyclist killed while on a charity ride. Memorial ride planned while investigation into Muskegon-area death of Lake Orion cyclist continues Still no word on a suspect, nothing on a weapon vehicle being processed.
A NM cyclist survives impact with a motor vehicle. Roswell boy riding bike injured in collision with car Hit from behind, cyclist blamed for not having “enough” lights or reflectors. “Police said the bike did not have adequate reflectors and lighting.” So in other words the cyclist is blamed for the driver not looking for bicycles.
A ME cyclist is left-crossed and then blamed for the wreck. Woman injured in bicycle-car accident in Belfast Note the narrative, the cyclist “ran into” the car, not the car cut off the cyclist.
Two years after a cyclist is killed by bad infrastructure in SC there are still no plans in place to fix the infrastructure. Mother pleas for changes to Carolina Forest Blvd. after cyclist is hit “The plans to add those bike lanes and walking paths and make Carolina Forest Boulevard a four lane road still have to be approved and added to a referendum that voters will see next year.”
Important infrastructure news from Portland OR. Portland Police now making Vision Zero part of standard procedure
First of two cyclists killed in OH. 14-year-old struck and killed while riding bike It appears to have been a hit-from-behind wreck, possibly a SWSS.
Second death wasn’t a crash. Teen Riding His Bike Shot and Killed in Linden Neighborhood Nothing you can do about getting shot riding in your own ‘hood.
The absolute worse thing that can happen short of death or dismemberment. Help injured North Providence cyclist who lost his bike to thieves Vultures, that’s the most complementary thing I can say about the thieves. There is a special sub-circle of Hell for bike thieves, where they are always late for getting out of Hell because someone stole their bike…
Why are they giving this scum any air time? Gainesville cast member Brian Bunting recently jailed, has multiple arrest history “In late March of 2011, Bunting was involved in an accident that took the life of an Arizona cyclist participating in a Bike Florida event.” He “dropped” his cell hone and drove his F250 into a crowd of cyclists. “(A)nd in February of 2012 was fined $1,000.” And this is why FL kills more cyclists and pedestrians per capita than every state almost every year.
Part of the reason why bicycle commuting is getting bigger in the Crescent City. New Orleans’ transit system still hasn’t recovered, 10 years after Katrina
Good infrastructure from the Great White North. Spotted: A utility vehicle blocking the bike lanes created a temporary bike lane
Also from the Great White North. Quebec City officer charged with dangerous driving causing death of cyclist Hey, it’s not like anyone actually told him that doing the PIT manuever on a cyclist could result in running over the cyclist, and you were supposed to actually catch the cyclist with your hands instead of chasing him down alone in a car.
More crap infrastructure in the UK is blamed for a cyclist’s death by semi. Tollbar Island inquest: Family of dead cyclist do not blame lorry driver Good thing about the infrastructure being blamed is you are allowed to sue the responsible government body for damages in the UK.
Now he’s sorry, at the scene he was blaming the cyclists for getting in the way and being slow, in the bike lane. Sydney driver Thomas Kerr apologises in court to seven injured cyclists I’m sorry, but when you hit 7 cyclists riding single file in the bike lane you are not allowed to say “Oops, I’m sorry!” and get away with it.
Last link is from Enn Zed. Tech savvy triathlete plotting safe cycle routes My fear is knowledge of these routes is going to be used against an injured cyclist in court.
And that’s all. I’m tired, my everything hurts, and I think I just cussed out my wife by accident. The semi-lethal cursing, the one that causes smoking hair and burning synthetic clothes. Remember, stop, drop, and roll. Then call for help because a woman in her 60s isn’t supposed to be dropping or rolling.
Billed @€0.02, Opus the Unkillable Badass Poet
This is gonna hurt, and the Feed
I am taking a break from filtering because 1) my butt is getting tired, and B. my brain is getting slightly crispy around the edges as I deal with some monumentally stupid/trollish comments left on some articles, and π) I need to go hit something. I figure a punch-a-pillow break is better than any of my alternatives.
Up first because “why not?” is Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Hollywood bike parking becomes a homeless site; a blogger argues bike lane air is bad for LA kids While bike lane air is “bad” the consequences of sitting in traffic in a light armored vehicle are orders of magnitude worse.
And Pt. 2 of Our Daily Ted. 22-year old alleged sidewalk rider killed in South LA hit-and-run How do they know the cyclist “swerved” off the sidewalk in a hit-and-run? And every time I see the word “Slauson” I think this. I used to watch that stuff when it was new. Yes, I already know I’m old…
Another link to the driver banned from owning a cell phone for 2 years. Cellphone ban for driver who killed cyclist is ‘a reminder every day,’ judge says The driver is allowed to use WiFi devices, but anything that directly connects to any cell phone system.
One of the most deeply held tenets of WoaB is “Don’t hit the pedestrians.” Pedestrian Suing Cyclist After Collision On Dearborn Street From the comments section the entire suit is a pack of lies intended to prey upon the prejudices of the (potential) jury, the pedestrian in question walked into the cyclist’s path while walking in the bike lane instead of crossing it, the equivalent of walking down the middle of a street, and the bike was equipped with two independent braking systems, fixie with a front brake. Still, DON’T HIT THE PEDESTRIANS!
OK this one is bizarre beyond words. Bicyclist injured in downtown Woodland accident Adrenaline can be a scary thing. It can make you really stupid, so that you get up and run away from getting hit with a car hard enough to smash the windshield hard enough to spray broken glass on the front seat occupants… Something got this cyclist wound up on adrenaline before he got hit, because there wasn’t enough time for any adrenaline from the wreck to kick in so that he could get up and run away from the wreck like that.
This IL story is a bit better than the one in an earlier paragraph. The ‘Wheel’ Deal: Flossmoor Cop Gifts Bike Crash Victim with a New Ride
I’m including this for a single sentence from LEO, the most sane thing I have ever read credited to a LEO. Cyclist killed by tractor trailer was on way home from work Did you see it, or has it been deleted? “Police say Goodrow was not wearing a helmet but suspect it would have made little difference.” Really, a styrofoam hat against 50K pounds or more of truck and trailer? And regarding the lights and reflectors the VA Vehicle code reads “… shall be equipped with a headlight on the front emitting a white light visible in clear weather from a distance of at least 500 feet to the front and a red reflector visible from a distance of at least 600 feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful lower beams of headlights on a motor vehicle.” So the rear reflector (without a light) was within the law, and the cyclist was hit from behind so the headlight was moot. The truck driver should have seen the cyclist but failed to pass safely.
From NYC another pedestrian is mowed down. 5-Year-Old Boy Struck By Driver On Prospect Park West
More on the Trek QR recall. 3 Reasons Why You May Have a Trek Bicycle Injury Lawsuit And I have one very good reason why you don’t have a valid lawsuit: in order for the “defective” QR to cause the problem it did you have to leave the QR in the open position. The equivalent would be to fail to tighten the lug nuts on your Chevy and then sue GM when the wheel falls off…
While we are in the figurative WI courtroom. Homicide charges loom for driver who hit, killed 2 bicyclists in Muskego I thought there must be foul play in order to hit 2 cyclists and kill them both…
More on the cyclist killed riding USBR 36 in IL. From the view of a cyclist The comments section was toxic. Literally toxic.
From the Great White North. Battlefield bike ride across Europe to aid injured soldiers If any of my Canadian reader$ feel $o inclined…
And court news from Jolly Olde. Bus driver in court over Washington cyclist’s death Still don’t know anything about what happened because of UK media laws, except that LEO think the bus driver “did it” whatever “it” was.
More on those detection systems planned for testing in London. Thermal cameras will watch for waiting cyclists and turn traffic lights green Typical comments about cyclists not paying a tax that hasn’t existed since 1937 in the comment section…
And one wonders what will happen to the program in the last paragraph in light of this report. Tories withdraw £23m of promised spending for cycling in latest cuts
Remembering a cyclist killed by an overloaded semi in Oz. Family honours Brisbane cyclist as memorial mural unveiled at accident site on Annerley Road The truck hit the underside of the bridge and fell on the cyclist riding to the side as the truck passed.
And trying to make the death mean something. Cyclist’s widow calls for inner city truck ban I see a workable compromise: Trucks move in the ban area by trip permit only with bicycle outriders fore and aft to keep the truck from running anyone over. Truck moves no faster than bicycle speed so no cyclists would be endangered by them. Make the permits non-profit (just administrative costs only) and the costs for the cyclists either on a per-mile rate or a per-job rate with a mileage or time limit per job and a new permit required for each trip in and out of the ban zone, each permit good for one round trip in and out of the ban zone. Cyclists get full employment, other road users are protected, and goods are still delivered to destinations inside the “no truck” zone.
And I’m outta links and patience. I wanna watch some tube and veg out.
Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet
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Tagged bike helmets don't prevent wrecks, bike infrastructure, bike lights, Daily Ted, don't hit the pedestrians, heavy trucks, Jolly Olde, lawyer blatherings, Oz, really stupid driver, recall, road tax, smart LEO, stupid comments, stupid cyclist, stupid drivers, stupid stoopid stewpid, tax refund for cyclists, truck bans, Trucks in a big city, UK, UK infrastructure, UK media wreck articles suck, wounded veterans