5 Bicyclists Killed in Michigan After Pickup Truck Crashes Into Them

[JANFU]

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/08/u...column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news

Five people were killed and four others were injured on Tuesday night after a pickup truck plowed into a group of bicyclists on a road about seven miles north of Kalamazoo, Mich., the authorities said.

The crash happened around 7 p.m. near Markin Glen Park on North Westnedge Avenue in Cooper Township, Mich.

The driver fled on foot but was later arrested a short distance away, Jeffrey S. Getting, the prosecuting attorney for Kalamazoo County, said at a news conference on Tuesday. He described the driver as being a 50-year-old man from western Michigan.

 

[tres borrachos]

Saw that on the national news this morning. What a horrific awful thing.

Charges haven't been filed yet. They better be forthcoming - and big. If he had a heart attack behind the wheel and this was a terrible, tragic accident, I would understand and feel awful for him. But he fled the scene. How the hell could he do that? That alone shows he was in control. I would charge him with some semblance of murder or manslaughter.

Those poor people.

 

[JANFU]

Saw that on the national news this morning. What a horrific awful thing.

Charges haven't been filed yet. They better be forthcoming - and big. If he had a heart attack behind the wheel and this was a terrible, tragic accident, I would understand and feel awful for him. But he fled the scene. How the hell could he do that? That alone shows he was in control. I would charge him with some semblance of murder or manslaughter.

Those poor people.

Yes a terrible thing. 5 dead, makes me wonder how in hell he hit them? Article did not have much info.
That said my sympathies to the families.

 

[nota bene]

From a local source:

In the minutes before the bicyclists were hit, police were actively looking for the pickup as they had gotten three separate calls from concerned citizens that the driver was driving erratically, police said.

...As calls about the erratic driving of the truck came in to, the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety, the sheriff's department and the Kalamazoo Township Police Department, officers from each agency dispatched officers to try to find the truck. 5 dead, 4 badly hurt in Kalamazoo Co. as pickup plows into bicyclists

I haven't found reference yet to the driver's name. Some of the dead were children. Multiple People Dead, Including Children, After Motorist Plows into Kalamazoo Cyclists | FOX40

 

[Crosscheck]

From a local source:

In the minutes before the bicyclists were hit, police were actively looking for the pickup as they had gotten three separate calls from concerned citizens that the driver was driving erratically, police said.

...As calls about the erratic driving of the truck came in to, the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety, the sheriff's department and the Kalamazoo Township Police Department, officers from each agency dispatched officers to try to find the truck. 5 dead, 4 badly hurt in Kalamazoo Co. as pickup plows into bicyclists

I haven't found reference yet to the driver's name. Some of the dead were children. Multiple People Dead, Including Children, After Motorist Plows into Kalamazoo Cyclists | FOX40

You definitely got to commend those citizens who took the time to call law enforcement of this erratic driving. Unfortunately the police weren't able to catch him before he killed the cyclist. This guy should be toast.

I regret in the past of seeing a vehicle screaming and weaving down the interstate and I didn't call law enforcement. Fortunately in that case about 2 miles down the road I saw the vehicle pulled over by a trooper.

 

[Napoleon]

I hope the driver receives the appropriate punishment, but bicyclists should not be allowed on the road without a partitioned lane.

 

[tres borrachos]

From a local source:

In the minutes before the bicyclists were hit, police were actively looking for the pickup as they had gotten three separate calls from concerned citizens that the driver was driving erratically, police said.

...As calls about the erratic driving of the truck came in to, the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety, the sheriff's department and the Kalamazoo Township Police Department, officers from each agency dispatched officers to try to find the truck. 5 dead, 4 badly hurt in Kalamazoo Co. as pickup plows into bicyclists

I haven't found reference yet to the driver's name. Some of the dead were children. Multiple People Dead, Including Children, After Motorist Plows into Kalamazoo Cyclists | FOX40

Children? Just when you think it couldn't get more awful.

I hope that SOB fries.

 

[PoS]

Terrible news. Condolences to the relatives of the dead and may the ones who got hurt get a speedy recovery.

As for the driver who plowed into them and assuming he was drunk, I hope he gets whats coming to him.

 

[Ikari]

Saw that on the national news this morning. What a horrific awful thing.

Charges haven't been filed yet. They better be forthcoming - and big. If he had a heart attack behind the wheel and this was a terrible, tragic accident, I would understand and feel awful for him. But he fled the scene. How the hell could he do that? That alone shows he was in control. I would charge him with some semblance of murder or manslaughter.

Those poor people.

Too bad he wasn't some rich kid, else he could just get off with a slap on the wrist.

But actually, less there was some medical condition causing him to lose control (which doesn't seem to be the case), he needs to be in jail for a long time.

 

[Ikari]

I hope the driver receives the appropriate punishment, but bicyclists should not be allowed on the road without a partitioned lane.

No, bicycles are traffic, they belong on the road. It would be nice to have proper bike lanes, but not all places have them and when they don't, bikes need to be in lane on the road.

Just don't run them over, it's not that tough.

 

[Grand Mal]

I hope the driver receives the appropriate punishment, but bicyclists should not be allowed on the road without a partitioned lane.

I disagree 100%. Any driver who has trouble dealing with bicycles needs to have his license reviewed.

 

[Winchester]

I hope the driver receives the appropriate punishment, but bicyclists should not be allowed on the road without a partitioned lane.

I'm truly surprised we don't have more bicyclists killed where I live. Lots and lots of bicyclists in the summer months and really crappy roads for them. 2 lane highways, 6 inch shoulders and cars and semis driving 70+mph... disaster waiting to happen.

 

[Skeptic Bob]

I'm truly surprised we don't have more bicyclists killed where I live. Lots and lots of bicyclists in the summer months and really crappy roads for them. 2 lane highways, 6 inch shoulders and cars and semis driving 70+mph... disaster waiting to happen.

Looks like a beautiful, and dangerous, place for a bike ride.

 

[Erod]

I'm truly surprised we don't have more bicyclists killed where I live. Lots and lots of bicyclists in the summer months and really crappy roads for them. 2 lane highways, 6 inch shoulders and cars and semis driving 70+mph... disaster waiting to happen.

Cyclists can so obnoxious and arrogant about it.

The roads weren't paved to accommodate bicycles. They hate it when you remind them of that.

 

[Winchester]

Looks like a beautiful, and dangerous, place for a bike ride.

We have a lot of those places. It attracts the bicyclists like flys.

 

[JANFU]

Cyclists can so obnoxious and arrogant about it.

The roads weren't paved to accommodate bicycles. They hate it when you remind them of that.

Rules of the road state you have to pass safely. Drivers can be quite arrogant towards bikers and pass very close to them at a high rate of speed. What does it take to slow down to pass safely,a few seconds. Yep that would ruin my day.

When I was in Germany, rules were 1 meter distance when passing. Good rule of thumb.

 

[apdst]

Rules of the road state you have to pass safely. Drivers can be quite arrogant towards bikers and pass very close to them at a high rate of speed. What does it take to slow down to pass safely,a few seconds. Yep that would ruin my day.

When I was in Germany, rules were 1 meter distance when passing. Good rule of thumb.

Most states have minimum speed laws in effect, as well. If a bicycle can't maintain the minimum speed, they're in violation.

This is California's minimum speed law...

22400. (a) No person shall drive upon a highway at such a slow speed as to impede or block the normal and reasonable movement of traffic unless the reduced speed is necessary for safe operation, because of a grade, or in compliance with law.

CA Codes (veh:22400-22413)

So, no, bicycles don't have unlimited I see of public roads, nor should they.

 

[JANFU]

Most states have minimum speed laws in effect, as well. If a bicycle can't maintain the minimum speed, they're in violation.

This is California's minimum speed law...



So, no, bicycles don't have unlimited I see of public roads, nor should they.

That is in reference to vehicles, yes?
Now major highways do have bicycle bans, on that I agree. But these are well marked as prohibiting bicycles.

 

[Top Cat]

Looks like a beautiful, and dangerous, place for a bike ride.

I find bicycles a major annoyance on the road. I live in WA. They think they own the road. That said, this is a major crime.

 

[apdst]

I'm truly surprised we don't have more bicyclists killed where I live. Lots and lots of bicyclists in the summer months and really crappy roads for them. 2 lane highways, 6 inch shoulders and cars and semis driving 70+mph... disaster waiting to happen.

I was in south New York one time and came hauling ass around a curve and almost took out two Amish dudes in a buggy. Good thing the left lane was clear, because stopping wasn't an option.

 

[apdst]

That is in reference to vehicles, yes?
Now major highways do have bicycle bans, on that I agree. But these are well marked as prohibiting bicycles.

Bicycles are vehicles and are bound by the rules of the road just like any other vehicle.

 

[danarhea]

Looks like 5 cases of intoxication manslaughter to me. This guy deserves to spend a lot of time behind bars.

 

[Napoleon]

No, bicycles are traffic, they belong on the road. It would be nice to have proper bike lanes, but not all places have them and when they don't, bikes need to be in lane on the road.

Just don't run them over, it's not that tough.

That makes sense on primarily residential streets, but bicycles do not belong on major thoroughfares with a 40mph speed limit as is the case here. They're obstructing traffic at best and, at worst, being struck by a vehicle is just a risk they'll have to accept without a partitioned lane.

 

[apdst]

Looks like 5 cases of intoxication manslaughter to me. This guy deserves to spend a lot of time behind bars.

What if the motorist wasn't at fault?

 

[11Bravo]

I hope the driver receives the appropriate punishment, but bicyclists should not be allowed on the road without a partitioned lane.

I agree. They cause very dangerous scenarios around turns or during traffic. It's just not safe with them on the road.