Had the displeasure of a court case Thursday...... Motor Vehicle vs. Cyclist
= rider died.
Please tell the court what the driver of the vehicle told you on the scene.
She said "she didn't see him"
At the scene, did you notice anything in the area that would have obstructed
her vision?
No.
Was the cyclist traveling on the right side of the road and as far to the
right as practicable.
Based upon my observation of the skid marks, debris field, damage to the
vehicle, and position of rest of the cyclist and cycle, I would conclude
that indeed he was.
And was the bicycle properly equipped with the state required safety
equipment, reflectors bell, etc.?
_Before_ the wreck, yes.
Was the rider using any additional safety gear?
Yes, he was wearing a helmet, he had a blinking light affixed to his
back-pack, he also had a rear-viewing mirror attached to his left handlebar
end, also he was wearing a very brightly colored riding shirt and short
What were the traffic conditions at the time of the crash.
light traffic flow, clear skies, good visibility, dry roads.
Thank you, no further questions.
<FFwd>
Judge: "I find you guilty of the charge of failure to maintain safe lookout,
Fifty dollar fine, plus court costs"
On the way out I hear the lawyer tell the widow: Okay, that is done now we
can go after them in the civil courts.
Lesson to learn here:
Reflectors may be gay but if you get squashed by a car and don't have them,
it could be a way out for the driver