Is road cycling dangerous?



No, bigsmile, it's not just you.

It's a prime example of the dumbing down of America. Many foreigners speak and write English better than native Americans.

I could take you places in the larger cities of my state that would have you scratching your head trying to figure out 'what' language was being spoken. And don't get me started on the so called college graduates of the modern era. Actual cursive handwriting is beyond a large percentage...as is logic, common sense and a host of other lost attributes that got humanity this far from the Stone Age.

Our driving skills...or the lack of them...are just one indicator of where we, as a society, are headed.

There is probably a website devote to poorly worded and just plain terrible examples of English grammar used in newspaper headlines.
 
Quote by mpre53:
"One good result in courts---California idiot gets high on heroin, along with a couple of other drugs, mows down cyclist, leaves the scene, and gets convicted of second degree murder, facing a possible 15-Life.

http://www.ocregiste...son-heroin.html"

So...maybe he and the female ex-bishop can get together and party in D-Block for the next 5-to-15 years?
 
Needs a couple more commas. "Man, high on heroin. who struck, killed cyclist, convicted......" If they want to keep it that way to save font space. I would use "struck and killed" myself. It's headline speak. Tabloids have used that style for awhile.

My favorite NY Post headline from the 1970s "Headless body found in topless bar".
 
Funny but riding on the road lately, I have encountered more danger from other cyclists than I have from drivers. Almost t boned by two different cyclists, 2 different occasions. At busy 4 way stop intersections. Cyclists who decided to blow the stops while splitting lanes. :huh:
 
Come to Ohio...where "other cyclists" is a myth.

The only place I encounter these mythical other cyclists in any numbers (greater than, say...one) is on sunny, yet un-strenuously cool, days where sweating can be almost entirely avoided by the weekend warriors of the bike paths. If such a pleasant day falls on a holiday that is also a Saturday...God help the grizzled old roadie that's made the grievous error in judgement of trying to get an LSD or TT workout in.

Yes, the rails-to-trails and bike paths...gathering points for those trying to get in shape, once-a-year riders, people that are afraid of vehicular traffic and semi-fierce tri-dweebs that terrorize the old geezers on their $5,000 trikes and recumbents with nary an, "On your left!". Toss in the libtarded 'birders', dog walkers, double-wide strollers or the ever popular three-in-a-line baby buses for women with a clown car for a vagina and it's a recipe for a fast paced game of pedestrian dodge ball on wheels. Trust me, your bike handling mad skillz will rival Sven Nys'!

Even on those crowded trails the danger from the 'other cyclist' is minimal. I rate it as more like bad etiquette or a mild annoyance more than anything.

A stern, "Passing left!", or, "Get your motherfucking daydreaming fat ass out of my lane!", usually works wonders to correct said bad behavior.

Then, again, I do not cycle often in the larger metropolitan areas such as Akron or Cleveland. Those are speshul places reserved for a sheshul breed of morans. I avoid those areas, their dangerous bike lanes and the urban hipsters that inhabit those lanes. They remind me of Dante's innermost circle of Hell.
 
I think some Cyclist don't always use the best judgment and aren't defensive enough. Just last week, I saw multiple cyclist riding on a 55 mph route(where people easily go 70 mph) at 5:30 in the afternoon in glare....Their are so many slow country roads to get to the same destination, but people like to do thing "because they can". These cyclist aren't breaking any laws(except the fools I see driving the wrong way),but are headlines waiting to happen. I can see it now "Texting teen pleads to manslaughter in cyclist death".
 
The area is rural/residential and upper middle class. I ride in this area a few times per summer. Speed limits are 25 and 35 MPH on the two roads mentioned.

Bicyclist dies days after being injured in Medina Township hit-skip


http://www.cleveland.com/medina/index.ssf/2015/11/bicyclist_dies_days_after_bein.html#incart_m-rpt-1
By Evan MacDonald, Northeast Ohio Media Group
on November 09, 2015 at 8:48 AM, updated November 09, 2015 at 8:56 AM




MEDINA TOWNSHIP, Ohio -- A 48-year-old bicyclist died days after being injured in a hit-skip in Medina Township, the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office said.


John Zavisza of Brunswick died Friday at MetroHealth, the medical examiner's office said.


Zavisza was seriously injured Tuesday morning when a white Nissan SUV struck him while he was riding his bicycle on Marks Road at Yellowstone Drive, police said.


The woman driving the SUV turned herself in to police on Tuesday afternoon. The woman did not realize she'd struck the bicyclist until she read about the crash on social media, Medina Township police chief David Arbogast said.

The Medina County Prosecutor's Office is reviewing the incident to determine whether charges will be filed, police said.
 
CAMPYBOB said:
The area is rural/residential and upper middle class. I ride in this area a few times per summer. Speed limits are 25 and 35 MPH on the two roads mentioned.

Bicyclist dies days after being injured in Medina Township hit-skip


http://www.cleveland.com/medina/index.ssf/2015/11/bicyclist_dies_days_after_bein.html#incart_m-rpt-1
By Evan MacDonald, Northeast Ohio Media Group
on November 09, 2015 at 8:48 AM, updated November 09, 2015 at 8:56 AM




MEDINA TOWNSHIP, Ohio -- A 48-year-old bicyclist died days after being injured in a hit-skip in Medina Township, the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office said.


John Zavisza of Brunswick died Friday at MetroHealth, the medical examiner's office said.


Zavisza was seriously injured Tuesday morning when a white Nissan SUV struck him while he was riding his bicycle on Marks Road at Yellowstone Drive, police said.


The woman driving the SUV turned herself in to police on Tuesday afternoon. The woman did not realize she'd struck the bicyclist until she read about the crash on social media, Medina Township police chief David Arbogast said.

The Medina County Prosecutor's Office is reviewing the incident to determine whether charges will be filed, police said.
What in the hell?

How can you not realise you've hit someone? I hate to sound misogynist here, but women and SUV's do not mix.
 
The short answer - Yes!

You're putting yourself at risk whenever you're on the roads. It doesn't matter if you're a cyclist, pedestrian or driver/passenger in a motor vehicle. You could be the victim of a potentially fatal accident at any given moment. Your responsibility as a road user is to always be vigilant and cautious, thus minimizing the chances of this happening.
 
http://www.cleveland.com/brecksville/index.ssf/2015/11/trial_date_set_for_brecksville.html#incart_2box_community

The driver of the pickup truck:



timothy-j-wolfjpg-d6906ac9f68ebe48.jpg
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Timothy J. Wolf.jpg


Timothy J. Wolf
Brecksville Police
The trial for Timothy J. Wolf, 42, is slated to begin next Feb. 22 in Garfield Heights Municipal Court, according to attorney Steve Magas. Magas is representing the family of Matthew Billings, killed in the crash, in their civil claims against Wolf.

Magas, who works in Cincinnati and specializes in bike-related cases, said via email that he attended a Monday afternoon pre-trial hearing, adding that representatives from Bike Cleveland, an organization that advocates for safe cycling and cyclists' rights, were also present.


Wolf was charged after the pickup truck he was driving crashed into a group of cyclists at the intersection of Snowville and Dewey roads in Brecksville on Sept. 17. The crash killed Billings and Jim Lambert. Three others were injured.


The judge has scheduled another pre-trial hearing for Jan. 11, court records show. Both Wolf's attorney, Hector G. Martinez, and the prosecution have retained experts to review crash scene evidence, Magas said. The two sides must exchange expert reports by the end of January.

Both sides are firm on going to trial, Magas said.
Martinez did not return messages left for him Tuesday evening.
 
It can be dangerous. You just kind of have to evaluate the way the road is. Will you have enough space? How fast are the cars going that do travel on it? Drunk drivers you can encounter anywhere. I wouldn't think about it too much. You just want to try and use your best judgement.
 
Some may remember back a few pages when I posted the original reports of this local cyclist being struck and killed by a hit & run driver. There has finally been an arrest.

CHARLIESTARTUP1_1444764408583_25157631_ver1.0_640_480.jpg


Driver charged in hit-skip crash that killed 70-year-old bicyclist


By: newsnet5.com staff
Posted: 6:05 AM, Dec 8, 2015

Updated: 32 mins ago

ELYRIA, Ohio - A 76-year-old driver who allegedly hit and killed a well-known Oberlin therapist and bicyclist in October has been charged for his role in the crash.


Ronald Dicenzo of Oberlin was charged with failure to maintain assured clear distance, vehicular homicide and leaving the scene of a fatal motor vehicle crash.

Police say Dicenzo struck 70-year-old Charles A. Startup on Butternut Ridge Road in New Russia Township on Oct. 10.


Startup was flown by Metro Life Flight to MetroHealth Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

Even though Dicenzo fled from the scene, police received a tip regarding the vehicle involved in the crash and later located the car in front of Dicenzo's house.


At the time of the crash, a witness told newsnet5.com that it appeared the driver knew he hit the cyclist.

"They slowed down and pulled over just slightly, then they turned back onto the road and took off," Joshua Perry said. "The driver absolutely knew that he had hit this gentleman."


Dicenzo is expected to appear in court Dec. 8 at 8:30 a.m.
 
CAMPYBOB said:
At the time of the crash, a witness told newsnet5.com that it appeared the driver knew he hit the cyclist.

"They slowed down and pulled over just slightly, then they turned back onto the road and took off," Joshua Perry said. "The driver absolutely knew that he had hit this gentleman."
Disgusting. What pisses me off about this is that my neighbor died because of a douchebag who couldn't own up to his own idiocy and left him for dead. Hit him, knew full well that he hit him, and drove off, leaving him to die on the side of the road. There should be some extra punishment for leaving a crime scene.
 
Technically not a always a crime to hit someone. Of course once you leave the scene it is and most jurisdictions have increased penalties. We will reintroduce my legislation to the hit and run law in Tennessee in January in hopes that it will clear the budget committee this time around. It is not always a conscious action to hit someone but it is to leave them laying helpless in the road.
 
jhuskey said:
Technically not a always a crime to hit someone. Of course once you leave the scene it is and most jurisdictions have increased penalties. We will reintroduce my legislation to the hit and run law in Tennessee in January in hopes that it will clear the budget committee this time around. It is not always a conscious action to hit someone but it is to leave them laying helpless in the road.
What sort of technicallity are we talking?

I was always under the impression that if your car, while in motion, comes into contact with a pedestrian then it is considered a crime.
 
It's called "an accident". They happen. Frequently.

Neither party is charged and the aftermath of the event is left to civil courts to iron out, not the justice system.

Example to follow:

One of my B-I-L's relatives was walking across a busy 4-lane road a couple years ago. He had parked his car in a designated parking area and was crossing the road to attend an event that was already underway and had attracted hundreds or perhaps a couple thousand people. The area was a very active scene with lots of activity near the highway.

He weighed over 400 pounds and moved slowly despite being a young guy in his 30's. He suffered from multiple health issues, some related to his morbid obesity. He was 6' 5" tall and pretty easy to see in the red T-shirt he was wearing. A car struck him and he died a few weeks later from the injuries sustained in the impact with the car.

He was not in a cross walk.
There was no pedestrian or vehicle control devices nearby...no traffic light or intersection.
The car was not speeding.
The driver had a clear view of the road ahead.
Weather was not a factor.
The car was in a state of good repair and the brakes were functional. The tires met the legal requirements.

Neither party was charged with a violation of Ohio Revised Code (the law) at the accident scene or after the investigation by the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

The man's estate/relatives brought suit against the driver in the civil court system.

The suit was won by the estate/relatives.

Case closed.
 
Accidents happen whatever we are doing, so we might as well do what we love. Just last week my friend broke his toe moving the couch in his place, lol! :D
 
As the above story I related proves, you CAN get killed just crossing the street.