Experienced Cyclist Killed in Colorado

[Arthur Harris]

Long-time cyclist Jeff Ferber was killed in a car/bike crash
in Colorado on May 21st. Accoding to police, the accident
appeared to be caused by the "inattentive driving" of the 17
year old female motorist.

http://tinyurl.com/3gzs2

http://tinyurl.com/2udvn

Art Harris

 

[Psycholist]

"Arthur Harris" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Long-time cyclist Jeff Ferber was killed in a car/bike
> crash in Colorado
on
> May 21st. Accoding to police, the accident appeared to be
> caused by the "inattentive driving" of the 17 year old
> female motorist.
>
> http://tinyurl.com/3gzs2
>
> http://tinyurl.com/2udvn
>
> Art Harris
>

I got hit and nearly killed by one of those (17 year old
inattentive driver) about 18 months ago. It was no fun at
all. She never apologized, never called to inquire how I was
doing during my hospitalization or rehab, nothing. Nor did
her parents. I don't think about it much now, but it sure
bugged me back then. I hate that people like this are
allowed behind the wheel and, as in the case of my accident,
I hate that inexperienced teenagers are allowed to compound
their inexperience by being allowed to talk on cell phones
while driving. That's just pure stupidity.

Bob C.

 

[Drs]

"psycholist" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]

[...]

> I got hit and nearly killed by one of those (17 year old
> inattentive driver) about 18 months ago. It was no fun at
> all. She never apologized, never called to inquire how I
> was doing during my hospitalization or rehab, nothing. Nor
> did her parents. I don't think about it much now, but it
> sure bugged me back then. I hate that people like this are
> allowed behind the wheel and, as in the case of my
> accident, I hate that inexperienced teenagers are allowed
> to compound their inexperience by being allowed to talk on
> cell phones while driving. That's just pure stupidity.

You want stupidity? A women driver here who killed a cyclist
when she was composing a text message on her mobile phone
got away with a suspended sentence! Anyone else would have
gone to prison and good riddance but she didn't because she
was young and pretty.

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/11/10/1068329487085.-
html?from=storyrhs

--

A: Top-posters.
B: What is the most annoying thing on Usenet?

 

[Badger_south]

On Mon, 24 May 2004 06:05:17 +1000, "DRS" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>You want stupidity? A women driver here who killed a
>cyclist when she was composing a text message on her mobile
>phone got away with a suspended sentence! Anyone else would
>have gone to prison and good riddance but she didn't
>because she was young and pretty.
>
>http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/11/10/1068329487085-
>.html?from=storyrhs
>

What can bikers do about this kind of thing? Stiffer
penalties may not change behavior...

-B

 

[Psycholist]

"Badger_South" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Mon, 24 May 2004 06:05:17 +1000, "DRS"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >You want stupidity? A women driver here who killed a
> >cyclist when she
was
> >composing a text message on her mobile phone got away
> >with a suspended sentence! Anyone else would have gone to
> >prison and good riddance but
she
> >didn't because she was young and pretty.
> >
>
>http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/11/10/1068329487085-
>.html?from=storyr
hs
> >
>
> What can bikers do about this kind of thing? Stiffer
> penalties may not change behavior...
>
> -B
>

Most states are getting pretty dramatic in their treatment
of drunk drivers. I've read that studies in Europe have
shown drivers using cell phones are three times more
impaired than the average drunk driver (that's my summary
statement of what I've heard exists in the research out
there ... don't hold me to it). Many European countries have
outlawed cell phone use while driving. I think people
driving while talking on cell phones should be treated the
same as drunk drivers.

I suspect that there will be some cases in the courts before
too much longer where drivers and cell phone companies will
be held liable and where studies such as these will be used
to get some large awards from juries. Then the laws will
follow slowly.

Bob C.
P.S. I took this thread in another direction, but lets all
have the family of this poor victim in our thoughts
and prayers.

 

[David Reuteler]

psycholist <[email protected]> wrote:
> I got hit and nearly killed by one of those (17 year old
> inattentive driver) about 18 months ago. It was no fun at
> all. She never apologized, never called to inquire how I
> was doing during my hospitalization or rehab, nothing.

hey, me too (well, sorta, injury not near as bad). 16 1/2 in
my case and last fall. i got off pretty lucky (went over the
back of her car at 22mph) and escaped uninjured. she *KEPT*
going, parked her car at the best buy lot and was going in
when a truck driver who saw the whole thing caught up with
her (gratifyingly, he was screaming at her).

here's the real kicker.

the accident snapped the rear q/r skewer so the bike wasn't
rideable. she said ..

"i'd like to give ya a ride, but i'm late for school."

whoa. she stuck to that and i walked 3 miles home (this was
on the way to work).

interestingly the 40-something lawyer who hit me (in my
only other accident 12 years earlier) just handed me two
$100 bills.
--
david reuteler [email protected]

 

[Arthur Harris]

"psycholist" wrote:
> I hate that inexperienced teenagers are allowed to
> compound their inexperience by being allowed to talk on
> cell phones while driving. That's just pure stupidity.

I agree completely. And that teenager can pass his/her
road test in a Honda Civic, and then get behind the wheel
of a Hummer.

Even more incredible, dashboard TV screens are now available
as an option on some vehicles. At least one fatal accident
has been caused by a driver who was watching a movie while
driving! We need laws to ban these kinds of things, and they
need to be enforced.

Art Harris

 

[The Real Bev]

David Reuteler wrote:
>
> psycholist <[email protected]> wrote:
> > I got hit and nearly killed by one of those (17 year old
> > inattentive driver) about 18 months ago. It was no fun
> > at all. She never apologized, never called to inquire
> > how I was doing during my hospitalization or rehab,
> > nothing.

Did her insurance pay for your medical stuff and a new
bike? Her insurance company probably told them not to have
any contact with you for fear you'd sue them for something
more. I wouldn't care about an apology from somebody that
stupid, but blood or money would be acceptable if there was
enough of it.

> hey, me too (well, sorta, injury not near as bad). 16
> 1/2 in my case and last fall. i got off pretty lucky
> (went over the back of her car at 22mph) and escaped
> uninjured. she *KEPT* going, parked her car at the best
> buy lot and was going in when a truck driver who saw the
> whole thing caught up with her (gratifyingly, he was
> screaming at her).
>
> here's the real kicker.
>
> the accident snapped the rear q/r skewer so the bike
> wasn't rideable. she said ..
>
> "i'd like to give ya a ride, but i'm late for school."
>
> whoa. she stuck to that and i walked 3 miles home (this
> was on the way to work).

You mean you didn't turn her in to the cops for hit & run?
Damn, you're a saint.

> interestingly the 40-something lawyer who hit me (in my
> only other accident 12 years earlier) just handed me two
> $100 bills.

And didn't make you sign something? HE was a saint!

--
Cheers, Bev

"It is a matter of regret that many low, mean suspicions
turn out to be well-founded." -- Edgar Watson Howe

 

[El Calaverada]

I didn't know this guy and there's nothing I can do to help
him now. Nonetheless, a brother on wheels has fallen.
Hopefully, his death will serve to raise awareness in his
community.

This pint is to him! After all, the best we can hope for
when we leave here is to be remembered. Here's to you,
Jeff! Peace -

Arthur Harris <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Long-time cyclist Jeff Ferber was killed in a car/bike
> crash in Colorado
on
> May 21st. Accoding to police, the accident appeared to be
> caused by the "inattentive driving" of the 17 year old
> female motorist.
>
> http://tinyurl.com/3gzs2
>
> http://tinyurl.com/2udvn
>
> Art Harris

 

[Curtis L . Russ]

On Sun, 23 May 2004 17:20:40 -0400, "psycholist" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>I suspect that there will be some cases in the courts
>before too much longer where drivers and cell phone
>companies will be held liable and where studies such as
>these will be used to get some large awards from juries.
>Then the laws will follow slowly.

Not to sound cynical, but one of the largest groups of
offenders in the Annapolis, MD area are lawyers, and most
state reps are, well, lawyers. The only group close in abuse
of cell phones are the real estate agents.

I don't see Maryland getting a law with teeth because the
first group to be bitten on the backside will be the lawyers
on the phone in traffic.

Curtis L. Russell Odenton, MD (USA) Just someone on
two wheels...

 

[David Reuteler]

The Real Bev <[email protected]> wrote:
> You mean you didn't turn her in to the cops for hit & run?
> Damn, you're a saint.

nah, i honestly don't think she noticed. we (the trucker and
i) thought she had a phone headset on. someone going for a
hit & run wouldn't have parked her car a few hundred feet
away and gone into the store.

>> interestingly the 40-something lawyer who hit me (in my
>> only other accident 12 years earlier) just handed me two
>> $100 bills.
>
> And didn't make you sign something? HE was a saint!

this was 1991. times were different. people were
trusting. lawyers were saints. i was obviously broke.
don't you remember?
--
david reuteler [email protected]

 

[Alex Rodriguez]

In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...

>I got hit and nearly killed by one of those (17 year old
>inattentive driver) about 18 months ago. It was no fun at
>all. She never apologized, never called to inquire how I
>was doing during my hospitalization or rehab, nothing. Nor
>did her parents. I don't think about it much now, but it
>sure bugged me back then. I hate that people like this are
>allowed behind the wheel and, as in the case of my
>accident, I hate that inexperienced teenagers are allowed
>to compound their inexperience by being allowed to talk on
>cell phones while driving. That's just pure stupidity.

Sue the pants off of them so they can't afford to get a car
in the future.
-------------
Alex