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Bicyclist killed in early morning Dorchester crash
By adamg on Fri, 09/14/2012 - 6:22am
Angela Christoforos and Stanley Staco report a bicycle/car collision on Morrisey Boulevard southbound by Malibu Beach around 12:30 a.m. fatally injured the bicycle rider. The Herald reports the man, 63, was pronounced dead at the scene.
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Comments
Ghost bicycle?
I've always wanted to see this done and be involved somehow. Is anyone going to be involved with making one for this cyclist?
What about the cyclists
What about the cyclists killed in Wellesley?
No Surprise at BH
I checked the story in the Herald early and just now. A dozen comments do much corpse kicking. They'd have it as the cyclist's fault, that he surely didn't have lights on, that he had no business biking there or then or at all, any of those activities is a death wish, all cyclists are reckless lunatics...and on and on.
The vitriol directed toward cyclists is bitter indeed. None of the commenters could know what happened yet and why. They are ready to do what so many cops, prosecutors and judges so, blindly side with a motor vehicle driver. Changing that culture has to be a long way off.
Meanwhile, the response is whatever went on, it was the cyclist's fault, because they all are dangerous scofflaws.
Insert big sigh.
You mean side with the law?
The sad fact of this issue is that most cyclists who die cannot speak for themselves. But you simply cannot send a driver to prison (or fine them) based on the fact that a cyclist was struck by that vehicle. Of course the driver might lie if there are no witnesses, but you can't blame the system for this problem.
Which law might that be?
There is a wide range of state statutes from a true accident through all levels of culpability from minor traffic violations to the layers of murder. Assuming the cyclist is automatically at fault and the driver automatically blameless is what we should avoid.
I immediately think of personal, non-fatal events. Several times as a pedestrian or cyclist when I was obeying the traffic lights and other laws, drivers ran a light or a stop sign and once combined that with blowing through a crosswalk where another pedestrian and I were legally crossing. When a cop was there and had witnessed the violation, I called him (all times a he) on it. Every time, he did not take the plate or try to enforce the laws and protect public safety. Instead the response was be more careful, cars can kill.
Until that attitude changes...
Driver who buzz peds in crosswalks shouldn't get the oops, on your way treatment. That should come with $200 fine, license suspension and a six-year insurance surcharge. Telling walkers and bikers they're on their own, to watch out, or worse, painting every cyclist and ped as a scofflaw who deserves whatever drivers do to them doesn't cut it.
I hereby promise to stay out of this thread. We all know where these lead.
I should have said criminal procedure.
You are correct on all counts. But I don't think people (Herald readers excluded) think cyclists are always at fault,
You are going to have some cops who don't want to help out, but it depends on what they are doing. You also have to remember that if that cop isn't 100% sure someone ran a red light, he isn't going to mail out a citation to that driver. People say this all the time when I've been on the street. They automatically assume what they see is what I can see. That isn't always the case. I want to be 100% sure someone breaks the law before I fine them for it. But hey, a lazy cop is a lazy cop.
I find it hard to belive that you have witnessed dozens of events where a cop was "right there" and didn't do anything (if he could).
Time to Shift the Burden of Proof?
After a week of navigating France by bike, both urban and rural locations, I can honestly say that idiots are everywhere BUT they are certainly less idiotic and less numerous in a place where ANY accident between a pedestrian and car or a cyclist and car is assumed to be an at-fault for the driver UNLESS there is evidence to the contrary.
Believe me - it makes a big difference. Even when the roads are far more narrow and strange here than they are in MA.
If you want to drive a car, you should be held responsible for properly driving it. What's so hard about that?
Morrissey has some of the
Morrissey has some of the worst drivers, who hate sharing despite usually having three whole lanes.
Morrissey has some of the
Morrissey has some of the worst traffic engineering I've ever seen, even by Boston standards.
Perhaps in a few years
Perhaps in a few years technology will allow cyclists to have front and rear facing video cameras that will record in loop mode while riding. If motorist know its likely they're being recorded they might have more respect for cyclist, runners and walkers.
Technology currently allows
Technology currently allows that. I ride with a video camera strapped to my helmet. I've spotted a couple other cyclists with helmet cams, too.
I don't know if the camera draws respect from motorists. But I can say that haven't had any negative interactions with them recently.
Helmet cams already exist,
Helmet cams already exist, it's just they are expensive and the bulk makes them not the most comfortable thing to deal with for the average cyclist. In a few years when they get to be the weight/size of an iPod Nano and a $50 price point I'd expect them to become commonplace amongst regular commuters.