surfjimc

https://www.latimes.com/news/local/la...,2872136.story

It will be interesting to see how this goes. I've put in a lot of miles in that canyon, and never had an issue, but many others have. This has been by far the worst incident, and the driver has had run-ins with cyclists before. I thought they should have charged him with attempted murder.

HigherGround

This line pretty much sums it up in my opinion: "In last year's preliminary hearing, a police officer testified that Thompson, who complained that cyclists frequently travel down the residential Brentwood street, said he had stopped his car in front of the cyclists to 'teach them a lesson'."

I hope they find the doctor guilty on all charges, and give him the maximum penalties plus a very large and amorous cell mate.

Velo Dog

An ER doc who's an arrogant pr!ck? Man, who could have predicted THAT?

patentcad

If they don't convict this idiot, abandon all hope of recourse for road cyclists from our 'justice system'.

Stay tuned.

Spinz

Guilty. Lp

Trsnrtr

How does being a doctor have any bearing on being a bad driver with animosity towards cyclists?

hemprider

People in california are (mod edit) insane. I was riding up towards Palos Verdes yesterday and some ****** bag did the same exact move to me (he sped up to 40 and then hit his brakes right in front of me) luckily i was able to avoid danger but i was very close to being crushed by this dudes suv. Thats the last time i flick some body off, rather ignore them then end up dead...

scotch

fixed.

DrPete 

Yeah, it sure is a relief to know that there are no arrogant pricks in the general population... You know, people who would generalize about the personality of an entire group based on one person's actions and stuff like that.

DrPete 

It doesn't, but it's much more entertaining to heap righteous indignation on people in otherwise respected/noble professions. Same reason if a military service member beats his wife it makes national headlines but it's all in a day's work for joe six pack.

Yay, double standards.

I hope he gets convicted, though, not because he's a doctor but because he's guilty as hell, and I want him to have to relive the day every time he lists his felony conviction on every application for credentialing or recertification he ever fills out.

SteelCan

Pointing out the fact that he is a Dr has merit or "bearing". The irony of a man whose work is to save lives that intentionally and maliciously causes injury - So much for his following the Hippocratic oath.

I cannot imagine how his demeanor doesn't transfer over to how he approaches the rest of his work.

Nachoman

+1, especially because he's apparently into the theory of being taught a lesson.

DrPete 

So it's entertaining and ironic, but would it be any more acceptable from a pro boxer, whose work is to hurt people intentionally?

rollin

I guess they'll convict and lay down a 3 month driving ban or such like as a punishment.

DrPete 

I hope not, but I'm afraid you're probably right. And so the treatment of cyclists as less than human continues...

dguest

It goes to the fact that there are a$$ holes in all lines of work. The Medical Director of the Hospital system I work at is an avid cyclist. He was struck by a hit and run driver one morning. He had extensive injuries, borken hip, collar bone and femur. It was 6 months before they finally caught the driver that hit him. They caught him because in his arrogance he was bragging to a fellow DR. at a nearby hospital how he had taken care of one of the pain in the a$$ cyclists. He had no Idea who he hit other than he was a cyclist.

The fact that the people are doctors does not make an A$$ an A$$ they would be one no matter what career they followed.

SteelCan

No not entertaining - more an indictment on him a Dr./caregiver.

DrPete 

Don't get me wrong, as I mentioned I hope he's convicted and his licensing board will take care of the rest, but think about it--this case probably wouldn't even be in the headlines if he weren't a docor.

DScott

One relevant issue about having an MD is that he also failed to render any aid to the cyclists, another violation of his oath.

BTW, he's not in active medical practice, he runs some kind of billing or medical records processing company.

I hope he is made to suffer for his actions. Unfortunately, there are plenty of people in that canyon who support him, or at least agree with his feelings about cyclists causing inconvenience on "their" road. Not unexpected, sadly.

big john

Pete, I agree with your points but the people on the scene said Dr Thomson refused to even help the guys who were bleeding on the ground. To me, he should not be allowed to practice medicine again.
I hope he gets jail time but I doubt he will.

SteelCan

The ONLY testimony I've read that could convict Dr Christopher Thomas Thompson is the validity of the Officer who quoted him at the scene. I think it is going to come down to the skill of the defense attorney being able to discredit the Officer.
Or if the prosecution has additional info of the Dr berating/threatening cyclists who ride on that road.
Other than that, it's more of a he said, she said as to the chain of events that caused the "accident".
In that sense, I'm glad this case received additional attention. Regardless of the decision of this criminal case against him, society will associate him with this and identify him a scum bag.

j. hughes

^^ & ^^^ You don't have to render aid, at least in my state. Don't know about Ca. I'm only a lowly second year med student but this is something I learned in an ethics class and a wilderness medicine course. Legally, of course. Ethically, this dude's an *******.

RichinPeoria

Dr D-Bag says "You are all subhuman garbage. What are you doing on MY road and how dare you make me have to slow down or change lanes. I AM A DOCTOR and I LIVE IN CALIFORNIA. I am a god on this earth"

meh...and then some bf'ers get pissed off when I talk about carrying my gun. This was attempted murder. If that was me I would have blown a hole in this guys head as he was standing over my broken body yelling at me. Problem solved.

DrPete 

I 100% agree he should lose both his licenses -- driving AND medical. That's not my point, but I'm realizing that my point is kinda off topic and I'll stop now.

Barese Rider

To me if a man likes to be addressed as Doctor hes advertising himself as especially educated and in a high profession and if he then gets himself involved in a stupid lowdown incident like this one he deserves the extra publicity hes getting. Personally Ive never understood why, outside of the classroom, campus, hospital, or office we address persons as Doctor as theres no need for it except to massage brittle egos.