vespasianus

So sad. Many people saw this guy riding through town, smiling and waving. But just like that, his life was taken away- nothing more than a sad note in some article. What the article does not say is the road he was hit and killed on was a two lane road with little traffic at the time. No reason for this to happen. Makes me more angry and sad.


https://www.thecoastlandtimes.com/20...BIYqAAagaVgjfA

Helldorado

tragic.

Milton Keynes

The driver probably had an important text message to send and didn't have time to look out for expendable cyclists.

rydabent

Is the person that killed him under arrest?

rydabent

There should be a Fed law that states the police will check phone logs to see anyone involved in an accident where a person was killed, will have their sentence DOUBLED, if they were on the phone at the time of the accident.

indyfabz

Yeah. Let’s forget that whole states’ rights idea and allow the federal government to legislate all areas.

I’m pretty certain the federal government cannot impose sentencing laws for state crimes, especially when using a phone while driving isn’t a crime in many states. Is there even one state that completely bans phone use while driving?

I-Like-To-Bike

Let's also forget that there is no evidence that phone use is even involved in this sad event. But at least for a few posters, lack of evidence and facts, let alone laws are of no concern when ranting about their favorite bogeymen, hot button issue or straw man argument.

rydabent

Im fine with all the states enacting the law I suggested. In fact I totally agree with you.

rydabent

You need to pray none of your family or friend are never killed by a fool on their smart phone. Cell phones should be mfg to shut down if moving faster than 10 mph.

roundypndr 

This man's death just reinforces my belief in minimizing my interactions with motorists, while riding on a bicycle. I've practically curtailed all of my recreational bicycling, and keeping the majority of my bicycle travels to short , deliberate, and well planned commutes.

vespasianus

No.

indyfabz

Considering many won't even ban or restrict cell phone use, don't hold your breath.

vespasianus

In South Carolina, using your cell phone while driving is allowed but you are not allowed to text. I would be very surprised if a single ticket has been written for this.

Just today, I was riding in a group of 5 in a Paceline and a car came around a bend going close to 70 and you could see him on this phone. We got off the road and he barely made it around the corner - tires screeching and off the ground at some point.

indyfabz

I hear you. When I was touring in SD I came out of the trees after a nature break and saw a guy nearly lose it in a curve. He was looking at his phone. Probably checking all the texts he couldn’t read while in the canyon area we had just emerged from. Crazy thing is that, despite avoiding disaster, he was still looking at his phone as he passed me standing in the grass.

Koyote

My new iPhone, by default, is set in a mode that disables all phone use, texts, and internet while it senses that it's in a moving car. I presume that it will do navigation for me, but I haven't needed to test that. I'm sure there's some way to disable this mode, but I haven't bothered looking in the settings.


Yep, it's up to the states.

Leisesturm

There are zero details of that accident in that article and somehow that didn't serve to prevent this thread from becoming a diatribe about cellphone use while driving. Every accident is not caused by cellphone use! There is even the possibility (gasp) that the cyclist is at least partly responsible. That rig does not inspire confidence actually. Have y'all's already forgotten what happens when you jump off the diving board without checking if there is water in the swimming pool? That locked thread isn't that far below this one. Someone get some facts before this gets any uglier is my advice.

rydabent

Do the police know who the person is, or was it a hit and run. If they know who it is why isnt the driver in jail?

vespasianus

I believe they are still investigating. It was not a hit and run. From the people that were there, It was an ugly scene. The road itself is an interstate (US17) that is two lanes but no real bike lane. There is a sidewalk but his rig would not work on that. From my understanding, he was hit from behind at ~ 60 MPH and the dog was jettisoned forward and the rider, unfortunately was run down. From a news reporter I know, it appears that the driver did not see him.

And the discussion about cell phones is a general issue with all drivers and is germane to this conversation.

This is also South Carolina. In the Charleston area, there are a number of fatal car, pedestrian incidents and they almost never result in a charge to the driver.

I-Like-To-Bike

Diatribes about cell phones with no evidence of its involvement in the sad event under discussion, and throwing motorists in jail without a shred of evidence of guilt or fault appear to be always germane to any discussion of sad events, regardless of relevance, to those who make those kind of comments.

Leisesturm

No, it is not germane to this conversation. We can start a general thread about cell phone use but we do not know that cell phone use played any part in
THIS accident. TBH with this little known about it I would not have bothered to start a thread.

I-Like-To-Bike

Given the lack of information provided so far, cell phone use is as germane to the discussion of this sad event, as discussion/diatribes about conjured use of of alcoholic beverage or prescription drugs, or perhaps a lack of sleep or any other possible factor that might have led to the tragic results. Because it is someone's favorite go-to motorist misdeed to blame for every unexplained crash doesn't make it "germane" IMO.

mr_bill

TBH with this little known I would not have blamed the victim. But like dogs to a tree, some here are always ready to speculate.

Most people have the human decency to heel their dog in a cemetery.

(BTW, Ava is recovering.)

-mr. bill

Leisesturm

Interesting. Pointing out that there is too little known about this accident to blame anybody is "blaming the victim". Ok. Noted. Can we please have the old (rational) Mr. Bill back?

rydabent

Call it "diatribes" if you want, but it seems that half the drivers you see these days have a damned cell phone in their face.

Is a phone call more important than a persons life? FYI I remember before cell phones, the world did actually turn.

rydabent

If a cell phone was in use at the time of the accident, in court it is called a "contributing factor". That would make it very relevant.

BTW I have found thru personal experience that you can actually drive a car without a cell phone in you face!!!!!