Rogan

Do not believe the car driver was not issued a ticket. Another example of law enforcements disregard for a bicycle rider.

https://www.wfla.com/news/pasco-coun...es-for-driver/

Cyclist0105

Nighttime has all manner of distracting light images in an urban area, so drivers at night do not focus upon lights, for a flashing light might be a flood light shining through tree limbs. Add to the fact that the video states that the driver stopped to render aid, and that a vehicle which stopped for the biker who could be easily seen, is now blocking the vision of the biker.

The biker stepped into ongoing traffic without regard for his safety, nor the safety of others if the oncoming vehicle swerved to miss hitting him, thus causing another possible impact with an adjacent vehicle (motorcycle) traveling beside the vehicle which hit the rider.

The driver and the biker agreed to handle the incident between themselves, so no need to ticket because the driver stopped to render aid. This seems to be the standard in the USA. I live in Texas, need I say more about personal responsibility, and not trusting drivers with whom I share the road.

Enough blame to go around for everybody to share, blessings are that injuries to the bike rider were not life threatening. If the rider cleared the properly stopped car on the right a few seconds earlier, then the outcome would have been very ugly.

What catches my interest is there there seems to be no traffic light at this location, only an pedestrian/biker push button to activate a flashing light which is supposed to catch the eye of a driver at night. I would choose a traffic light for night crossings.

Young man learned a valuable lesson, look both ways before you enter traffic lanes. Glad he was able to walk away and handle the incident off the record with the driver who stopped to render aid.

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work4bike

I was expecting to defend the driver when I first saw the thread, but as I reviewed the video and learned that the driver went into the Left-turn-only lane so they didn't have to stop....that should at least have been worth writing up a ticket -- emphasis on at least...

Cyclist0105

I agree, the reason for no ticket is that the dispatcher cleared the call, thus routing LEO responders to other calls. I don't know why that happened. Be safe out there.

CliffordK

Woah!!!

That driver should have the license revoked. Speeding?

Was that a mid-block crossing? Around here the button operated mid-block crossings all have a center island which would have prevented such an accident (as well as having more lights).

trailangel

That is messed up!

Daniel4

I hope you're kidding or maybe you're commenting about a different video. That motorcycle went through the turn lane 6 seconds after the offending vehicle did. If you're blaming the pedestrian, is there a law against pedestrians for not looking out for bad driving but it's ok for bad drivers to do what they do?

Cyclist0105

My comments were on the original poster's video link, where there are no motorcycles, and yes I expect bicyclist to look both ways before entering traffic, and not assume all vehicles come to a stop before crossing mid-block at night behind a stopped vehicle. Luckily, the stopped vehicle had a dash-cam, and a lawyer should be engaged, rather that LEO issuing tickets.

I-Like-To-Bike

Given that You seem toconsider most if not all drivers as "bad drivers" and that most if not all motor vehicles are being "driven badly" and that most if not all people besides yourself "excuse bad driving", a pedestrian or bicyclist is foolish not to be looking out for them when crossing a street even if it is "lawful" to be obtuse.

Rick

The [edited] driver disregarded the flashing lights and the stopped traffic on the rode. She then drove around the traffic in the turn lane to go straight through regardless of others safety. This doesn't make sense unless she was distracted then looked up with no time to even slow, then maneuvered around the stopped traffic. If there had been a police response to the seen a simple check of her cell phone history would have cleared things up a little. Regardless of this, this is clearly reckless driving. This [edited] is a public nuisance. The young man being inexperienced expected some safety walking his bicycle in the crosswalk.

I-Like-To-Bike

Please explain how a "simple check" of a motorist's cell phone by the police at the "seen" is legally conducted, and what exactly you think it would "clear up".

himespau 

In May, I was stopped in the left turn lane (square center of the lane) at a stoplight, with a car stopped behind me. She claims she thought the light changed when it hadn't (at least she admits it hadn't) and accelerated into me, wrecking my bike and injuring my back. When the cop arrived, he said he hoped we could work it out between ourselves without involving insurance, so he declined to write her a ticket and didn't even fill out an accident report. I had to do that myself. Cops don't what to have to deal with the work of dealing with the paperwork of accidents if they think they can avoid it (basically no property damage - in their minds bikes are toys, not property - and no visibly serious injury or death).

Rick

When the police decline to do their job at the seen of a collision you report this to their supervisors and sue the city. The officer was codling the miscreant motorist to protect the insurance company. If you had been driving a car instead of a bicycle there would have been a ticket written.

CliffordK

I'm not a fan of writing a ticket for every "Accident". Mistakes can happen allowing 2 people to be in the same spot at the same time.

About two years ago I had a crosswalk incident. I patiently waited for the crosswalk light to change. The when it did, I started to cross. I knew the car next to me was potentially a problem car and had considered reaching out and tapping on the hood. But, as soon as I got my front wheel out, she did a right on red, and BAM, I was down flat. No significant personal injury, and the bike rode away (although I think there was some minor damage). I just let it go.

=======================

However, I feel the above accident was far more serious. In my case, I had a legal right to cross at the crosswalk, and the driver had a legal right to do a right on red (when clear).

But. above, the cyclist hit the crossing light. Then crossed the street. There is no legal right to speed at high speed down the center turn lane to get around stopped traffic. Even if it was 2-lanes, one normally slows somewhat in case whatever stopped the vehicles to the right also impacts one's own lane.

One note, a cyclist can move faster than a pedestrian changing dynamics somewhat, and impact visblity. But, it doesn't make the car's maneuver legal.

Did the article print the woman's explanation? Pregnant and ready to burst?

I think a citation would have been justified.

himespau 

The report I filed with the state police listed his name and badge number and that he'd been there but declined to file a report in the hopes that we could work it out ourselves. Doubt anything will come of it, but it's on file with the state police.

Rick

The motorist is always required to wait for people entering or in the crosswalk to be out of their way. So it matters not how you feel about tickets being written. I have never entered a crosswalk with a bicycle. I don't consider myself a pedestrian while I am bicycling.

Siu Blue Wind

So is this thread a cop bashing thread?

Rick

They are police not cops. The OP was injured and the police officer decided to not charge the offender. This is not excusable provided that the OP gave an accurate accounting of the collision.

No offence intended: If you want compensation for damages and injury in a situation like the OP stated you need to take the case to the proper authorities and sue the responsible parties. There are no bad words disguised or otherwise.

Bmach

If a cyclist is using a crosswalk aren’t they supposed to walk their bikes and not ride them? Also in this case the cyclist was riding in the wrong direction also. I think he should share some blame. Which might also be a reason no ticket(s) were issued because there was shared blame.

Rick

In California the crosswalk is an extension of the sidewalk so direction and being on the bike wouldn't be illegal. I know this collision was in Florida but most states have similar laws. There have been cases where the ignorance of the laws has been used by attorneys to get their clients of the hook even though their clients are wrong.

livedarklions

The video clearly shows the driver acting in an illegal manner by using the center turn lane as a fast passing lane and ignoring flashing warning lights at the crosswalk. That's obviously 2 driving offenses, and shared "blame" is not a defense to either of them.

livedarklions

Further legal check:

Florida law says the cyclists in crosswalks are pedestrians for all purposes other than their duty to give right of way to pedestrians on foot. Direction is irrelevant as is the fact he was riding rather than walking. Also, the warning lights were flashing, car is absolutely required to stop.

I-Like-To-Bike

At least for one poster, as well as advocacy through more ranting about cell phones and "bad driving."

livedarklions

In this particular instance, the bad driving documented in the video is clear-cut. Why the cell phone was brought up, I have no idea. Nothing about this suggests distraction. Performing a maneuver as bad as that required the full attention of the driver, who was clearly acting recklessly.


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Rick

I brought the subject up because I believe it is quite likely. I believe the women had something else going on in her head besides driving a car. She likely looked up to the road in time to focus her faculty's just in time to take the only clear avenue of escape. At the rate of speed she was going hitting a car might of done mayhem not only to her but the other driver in front of her. I don't believe her excuse for her reckless driving. I believe using a cellphone to text while driving is moronic.