rumrunn6

it was 12:30 am. a heck of a time to be out on your bike

https://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/490305...ews-boston_ma/

https://boston.cbslocal.com/2012/09/1...sey-boulevard/

lostarchitect 

Sad. Some people like to go out in the middle of the night because they're little traffic. You have the visibility tradeoff, of course.

KonAaron Snake 

This is in no way a commentary on this driver, or this story, but I'm always afraid of the bar crowd and drunks driving at that time period. Some folks work late and bike home - others like riding at night. I don't think the cyclist riding at night should be an issue if he had adequate lighting.

Commodus

The cyclist didn't hurt anybody, and the truck driver killed a guy. Seems to me it's more like a "heck of a time" to be driving a truck.

Chris516

Yes, Bright lighting, and bright colored clothing.

I-Like-To-Bike

How "bright", do you think bright clothing is when there is little ambient light?

B. Carfree

Since all vehicles are required to have headlights, I should think ANSI Class 3 reflective gear would qualify as bright. Of course a cyclist should also have reflectors that move, like reflective ankle straps or pedal reflectors.

As far as low ambient light levels go, it's really not the level of brightness of the clothing, or reflective gear, that counts. It's the contrast it provides against the surroundings. For that reason, a properly lit and reflectorized (is that a word?) cyclist is much easier to see by a properly driving and equipped motorist in pitch black surroundings than along a Las Vegas Strip of flashing lights.

mprelaw

How do you know that the cyclist wasn't coming back from a bar himself? Some guys lose their licenses after an OUI and get around on a bike. It's actually pretty common up here. It's absolutely legal to ride a bike 3 sheets to the wind in Massachusetts.

I-Like-To-Bike

Agree, reflectors and/or "reflectorized" clothing are useful when other vehicles' headlights are on. Lights are always useful

"Bright" clothing does not mean "reflective" clothing. Nor is it "bright" in low light conditions.

Perhaps "bright clothing" is appropriate in some night spots but don't expect much from it at night when riding a bike.

telkanuru

I'd say it's even unlikely that the term "cyclist" as conventionally used holds for the victim. Boston has a large amount of the slow-on-the-sidewalk-peddling-MTB-with-seatpost-all-the-way-down types, which is a profile significantly more likely to not be seen by a driver, particularly at night and at street crossings.

I-Like-To-Bike

Huh? How is the term "cyclist" used conventionally so as not to include the victim or the large amount of of the slow-on-the-sidewalk-peddling-MTB-with-seatpost-all-the-way-down types? Used "conventionally" by whom - Some special types?

KonAaron Snake 

I don't think you read what I wrote. You did read into what I wrote.

I have no idea what happened, nor would I speculate. What I said was that riding at 12:30am in and of itself shouldn't be an issue IF the cyclist was riding in an intelligent, responsible manner. I have no idea if he was or not - but the OPs post seemed to indicate that riding at that time was itself an indicator of cyclist error. I disagree...there are perfectly logical reasons for riding at that time. Was he at error? No idea. Was the truck in error? No idea.

I rode home from work on a bike at 1-2am pretty regularly when I was younger and bar tending. I did so sober and responsibly. Riding a bike while drinking isn't legal here - and can get you a DUI. I doubt it's enforced much, but it is possible.

telkanuru

Man, I didn't expect an unnecessary, nitpicky post from you. Way to step outside your comfort zone.

Shockingly, I know where this goes next, too. I state what I believe the conventional use of "cyclist" is, you dismiss it as unsupported, and you score another point for noting once again that all knowledge is, at its foundations, uncertain. Bravo you.

Get a hobby.

myrridin

For a newby, you do seem to have the right attitude to fit in here very well...

myrridin

Assuming of course that MA is one of those states where bicycles are considered vehicles and that cyclists have all of the same rights and responsibilities, wouldn't that mean that lights would also have been required on the bike?

It would seem the question about bicycles being vehicles is irrelevant,

• You must have your headlight and taillight on if you are riding anytime from 1/2 hour after sunset until 1/2 hour before sunrise.
• You must wear reflectors on both ankles if there are no reflectors on your pedals.

https://massbike.org/resourcesnew/bike-law/

Zaneluke

Very sad. I feel bad for both the bike rider and driver of the truck.

I-Like-To-Bike

Here is where it goes: IMO, only sanctimonious jackdonkeys believe that "cyclists" are an exclusive club made up only of people like themselves, while those other "types" are not worthy of being considered as "cyclists." If that is not what you meant or believe, maybe you can answer the question asked previously in post #11 instead of getting all smarmy.

Nitpicky, shmicky. You believe, or at least post as if you believe bicycling snobbery is a virtue.

zandoval 

Dusk, Night, Dawn, Noon... Man I have nearly been run over numerous times...

But it does seam to be a little bit easier to ride the road than 40 years ago...

Someone loosing their life on a ride is a sad thing...

telkanuru

I have done none of these things. You infer much too much. The understanding that I intended to provide in my post was that the idea that goes through my mind (and I suspect others) when I hear "cyclist" is not necessarily in tune with the reality of many of the people who ride, though the term "cyclist" really does apply to both. It was therefore an attempt to note that much of the discussion above (visibility, etc.) might have little relevance whose usual habit is walking-speed peddling on the sidewalk. In other words, in the discussion above it seemed to me that many assumed the person who was hit was a 'commuter' the same way they themselves would be a 'commuter', which is not necessarily an accurate depiction of the situation.

Perhaps, if you don't want a terse answer to a question, you shouldn't be terse when you ask it.

Spld cyclist

telkanuru,

Some words of advice: Just ignore that guy.

telkanuru

Seano Hermano

Wow. That is sad to see. :-/

I wonder if the cyclist had lights on his bike by chance.

Edit: Didn't realize others had posted...guess that answered my question.

neg

"charges of motor vehicle homicide while driving drunk, operating to endanger and speeding"

KonAaron Snake 

I'm amazed he stayed...usually drunks are long gone. Once you hit mid-night, it's drunk time.

longbeachgary

It usually takes more than one post to blame the cyclist but you were able to do that right off the bat.