Here is an article that came from the Des Moines Register. This happened over the weekend.
"A Des Moines man was injured Saturday when he was struck by an anhydrous ammonia tank while on a bicycle ride, according to the Madison County sheriff’s office. Doug Smith was with eight bicyclists riding east along a rural road when he was struck by a tank being pulled by a pickup truck. John Lynch of rural Cumming was heading east also and the pickup he was driving was pulling two anhydrous tanks. He attempted to pass the bicyclists in a no-passing zone, officials said.
As he pulled back into his lane, the back tank collided with Smith. Smith was taken to Iowa Methodist Medical Center. He was listed in fair condition today. Lynch was cited for unsafe passing."
Many people have responded to this article. Many of them say that the bicyclist got what he deserved. They say that us bicyclists need to stick to the trails or that we should pay fees and taxes just like motorists. They don't want us on the sidewalks or the roads, but which would you prefer? I have to say this angers me. Us bicyclists have every right to the paved roads just like motorists. We pay for those roads to be built. If these people think we should use the trails, I say we build them right in the middle of their yards and see how they like it. The driver of the truck also just gets cited for unlawful passing? He hurt a human being. That ticket was just a light slap on the wrist. He should have gotten more. If this Mr. Smith sues, do you actually think he will win much if anything? Probably not. What is also disturbing that I've read is that the driver was honking way before he passed. He could have waited until there was a passing zone. Plus the rider was riding in a group of cyclists. You think you'd be safe right? Law is that you must give cyclists at least 3 feet of passing room. We don't take up much room on the roads. We know if there is traffic coming to bike up and for a single formation for traffic to pass. I don't feel safe anymore after reading about this man. I'd much rather ride on the sidewalks than the road.
1 comment:
Mindy,
I wish you knew the man who is accused of doing this. I have known him for nearly fifty years and know the last thing on earth he would ever had wanted to do was to hurt anyone, let alone a bicyclist. When you write those hateful words about him deserving a harsher punishment, I know that he is suffering from the fact that something he was involved with caused someone great harm. I know you don't know this man from Adam, but he is a great neighbor, raised a great bunch of kids and is the kind of guy you want your kids to grow up to be. I know it would be easier for your advocation if Mr. Lynch was a monster, but he is not. Just a man who got into an accident, something he would never have wanted in a thousand years, and caused someone to get really hurt> I just hope that as I go through life and have accidents, people will be forgiving of me, because I know the guilt would be tough enough for me to live with. You seem like a reasonable person. I hope you can see there is always another side to the story.
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