<$BlogRSDURL$>
Transplant Athlete
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
  RIP Dan Hersh

Wes Cheney reports on a fallen cyclist at his blog. I didn't know Dan Hersh, but I do know other cyclists that have died after being hit by vehicles. Sometimes we call these things tragic accidents; they are tragic but rarely "Accidents". Sometimes drivers aim for us, they may be egged on by a passenger or they may just be running late and the cyclist is in their way; sometimes they just don't have the skill (and knowledge of physics) to control their vehicle at the speeds they're driving. I don't like the term "accident". It implies that there was nothing the driver could do (some drivers tell you there was nothing they could do in those final seconds, but if they'd driven slower, given the cyclist more room, etc. they wouldn't have been in that situation in the first place).

When I was a teenager, I had a friend who rolled a car, he says it was an accident, I call it careless driving (excessive speed, wet roads, inexperienced driver).

I've had two cars hit while they were parked in a parking lot, both times, the other drivers called them accidents. I was lucky enough to be in my Cavalier when it got hit, so I'll describe what I saw. The teenager was driving the family minivan. He had a lollipop in one hand and he was driving with the other hand. He came into the parking space too fast, and he wasn't able to turn the wheel enough with one hand so he rammed the back of my precious Cavalier. Then the idiot thought he'd just slide it in and no one would be the wiser, so he puts the lollipop in his mouth, uses both hands to turn the wheel and gives it some gas. The front bumper of his car scrapes up the side of my Cavalier. He finally realizes this isn't working out to well for him and stops. With his front bumper jammed into my door. He gets out of the car and he's wondering why I'm not getting out until I roll down the window and tell him he needs to move his car so I can open my door.

Recently a friend told me I was lucky to have a new car. He said every new car he's ever had got totaled shortly after purchasing it. He told me that in one incident, he refused to let a woman merge onto the highway and she rammed him. Well, no duh. That wasn't an accident.

Don't get me started on how many cars my sister totaled on "accident" when she was younger. To be fair, she hasn't totaled a car in years.

I think the only time it's legitimately an accident is when an animal is involved. Dogs and deer surprise a lot of drivers and once they are in the roadway, they are unpredictable, making avoiding them difficult.

As for a motorist who "accidently" hits a cyclist in broad daylight, traveling in the same direction...That's no accident, it's murder or manslaughter or whatever the legal term would be. I'm sure we'll see the legal wranglings of this case play out over time. According to Wes, based on past experience the authorities are not likely to press charges in this case.

  Link

Email This Article
Comments:
Sorry, this post rambles a bit.
 
Post a Comment
I've gone through kidney failure twice. The first time in 2000, my mother donated a kidney; and again in 2008, I'm on dialysis waiting for a breakthrough in immuno-suppression medicines before seeking a new kidney.

ARCHIVES
January 2004 February 2004 March 2004 April 2004 May 2004 June 2004 July 2004 August 2004 September 2004 October 2004 November 2004 December 2004 January 2005 February 2005 March 2005 April 2005 May 2005 June 2005 July 2005 August 2005 September 2005 October 2005 November 2005 December 2005 January 2006 February 2006 March 2006 April 2006 May 2006 June 2006 July 2006 August 2006 September 2006 October 2006 November 2006 December 2006 January 2007 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007 June 2007 July 2007 August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 November 2007 December 2007 January 2008 February 2008 March 2008 April 2008 May 2008 June 2008 July 2008 August 2008 September 2008 October 2008 November 2008 December 2008 January 2009 February 2009 March 2009 April 2009 May 2009 June 2009 July 2009 August 2009 September 2009 October 2009 November 2009 December 2009 January 2010 February 2010 March 2010 April 2010 May 2010 June 2010 July 2010 August 2010 September 2010 October 2010 December 2010 January 2011 February 2011 March 2011 April 2011 May 2011 June 2011 July 2011




Google


Warning Signs for Kidney Disease:

  • High Blood Pressure
  • Burning or Difficulty when Urinating
  • Frequent Urination at Night
  • Blood in your urine
  • Cola or tea colored urine
  • Swellig of the eyes, ankles, or feet
  • Lower back pain unrelated to physical activity


Send Me Email:


Blogs I Read:
PACTour
Ultra Rob
Get Rich Slowly
Ecomodder