[SDCBC] Every Ghost Bike is A Caution

[Danette Hoffert]

My question is, were there witnesses?  With a deceased cyclist and the
driver as the witness and possible criminal, he/she has everything to gain
by blaming the victim.

On 9/21/07, Abulifia <abulifia1 at cox.net> wrote:
>
> I'd like to underscore that in no way was I attacking Mr. Issac.  I agree
> 100% with him that as cyclists we should all learn the lesson in this tragic
> tale.  But we don't have the police report and we haven't spoken with any
> witnesses, therefore, we will never have all the facts in this matter. For
> all we know, the cyclist in question was appropriately attired for night
> riding and his bike equipped with appropriate reflective/lighting devices,
> but again, unless someone exercises his California Public Records Act rights
> and requests the actual report from the PD, we'll never really know other
> than what we've read in the UT article.   That said,  perhaps my opinion
> translates too  passionately regarding this matter because of my experience
> last year.
>
> I was struck in ::BROAD DAYLIGHT:: while crossing the street at a red
> light by a motorist who was too busy yakking on a cell phone and worrying
> about making his right hand turn on red to bother to see me on the bike
> ::DIRECTLY:: in front of him before he shot forward, knocking me out of the
> saddle and breaking my leg.  As I lay there in shock, semi-unconscious and
> bleeding in the crosswalk, the PD was more interested in interrogating me as
> to what ::I:: did or did not do than posing the same line of questioning to
> the motorist.  Their biggest concern was whether or not I was wearing a
> helmet.   Long story short - the motorist basically got off scott free.  I
> got a piddling settlement from his insurance company, but in no way did it
> compensate me for the year I was out of work because of this incident.
> Meanwhile, this same motorist is free to mow down someone else in another
> crosswalk on another day.
>
>
>
> Sachi Wilson wrote:
>
> I did not read that into Jon's comments, or into anyone's comments in
> this sad thread.
>
> We are vulnerable when we ride.  It's a fact.  We can act to
> understand how we become more or less vulnerable and then choose to
> ride or dress or equip ourselves in a way that lessens the
> vulnerabilities.  That's not blaming the victim, it is learning from
> bad experiences.
>
> FWIW, I have FOUR flashing taillights on my commuting bike.  All of
> them should be visible from the side.  I use a NightRider headlight.
> I also wear a light-colored jacket with reflective strips
> everywhere.  It was enough to scare away the cars in rainy dark
> Seattle; it works down here too.
>
> Sachi Wilson
> *Safety Queen*
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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-- 
Danette M. Hoffert's email
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