Another cyclist hit this morning.... (Huntsville, Gurley: house, neighborhood, gated)

[Wandering_Missourian]

I think a big part of the problem is rural population density. We study this a lot when doing tornado research. The South (especially our area) has really high rural population densities (I'm not talking about worst-case-scenario farm/suburb hybrids like the Harvest area... but entire counties in north/central Alabama), versus the Midwest where most of the rural areas are nearly abandoned.... with very little auto traffic to match. I grew up in the Ozarks where there are huge swathes that only have 5-10 people per square mile. In most of rural north/central Alabama, that number is closer to 50-100.

There are a lot of commuters that do clog these country roads (anyone living north of 72 in NW Madison County is completely insane due to both nightmarish commutes mixed with one of the most dangerous single regions for violent tornadoes in the world), but one in the middle of nowhere on Labor Day morning with clear weather and great visibility? Sounds more like gross negligence to me. If the driver was truly at fault, then I hope he/she gets sued into bankruptcy and faces time in prison (that part won't happen... it never does).

I said it earlier in the thread...... get used to sharing the roads, people! Cycling is exploding in popularity, and commuter cycling is up 100%+ since 2000 in most places nationwide. Gas isn't getting any cheaper, and when electric cars take over the roads..... there will be a ton of electric bikes as well for those people that cannot afford the electric cars! Our future will look far more like The Netherlands than Mad Max I sure hope.

[Reactionary]

shyguylh = "I do not know that stretch of road"

You should have stopped right there.

The road is a rural two lane no shoulder road and one of the major north - south roads in that part of Lauderdale County (so there are plenty of trucks and some farm equipment). The closest four lane north - south roads are about 8 or 10 miles away.

Keep your "rat running" BS to yourself and don't presume to tell someone they "have no business being back here".

[Rdeon]

Look twice, save a life.

[shyguylh]

Originally Posted by Reactionary

shyguylh = "I do not know that stretch of road"

You should have stopped right there.

The road is a rural two lane no shoulder road and one of the major north - south roads in that part of Lauderdale County (so there are plenty of trucks and some farm equipment). The closest four lane north - south roads are about 8 or 10 miles away.

Keep your "rat running" BS to yourself and don't presume to tell someone they "have no business being back here".

Several things.

First, I am free to say what I want, just as you are. These are opinion and discussion forums, and that's the nature of such. I may not like what you say, but by all means, keep nothing to yourself, say what's on your mind, because I'm sure going to.

Second, while the "rat running" scenario I described my not apply here, that's how it is looking anyway, I've seen it enough to know that it often DOES apply, and frankly, even if there WERE major 4-lane roads close-by, I think you'd still be observing the traffic levels you are. I've seen it enough to know. One place I used to live, we were not 1 mile from a 4-lane road with a 70 mph speed limit, meanwhile our roads were single-lane and very narrow, dotted with farms and woods. As it turned out, though, our roads connected 2 towns, and people would short-cut on those roads, even though the 4-lane road also connected them. This caused a dramatic amount of traffic to be on those narrow roads, even though the 4-lane road was right there able to do the same thing, and it totally ruined the quality of life for those of us who lived there.

Clearly, this is what was going on, because I would keep bike-riding down the roads to where I was no longer in the "line of fire" of that short-cut, and the traffic was dramatically lower.

Many would argue that those commuters had every right to take that shortcut. I argued that it was rude and inconsiderate to the ones who chose such roads for living to get away from the 4-lane highway traffic. I used to bike-ride those roads anyway, and would not surrender those roads to the people doing this. If they didn't being slowed down--oh well, they could get over it or take the 4-lane roads. Yes, I did take the 4-lane roads, but they had generous shoulders and I was well out of the way.

So my experience tells me that, frankly, even if there were major 4-lane roads there, you'd STILL have lots of people making them unnecessarily busy.

Third, regardless of the layouts, cyclists have the right to be there, and are hurting no one when they're decent about it. I like freedom of delays when I drive as much as the next person, and think a lot of obstructions ought to be cleared so cars can move on, but when it's taken to the degree that one argues that cyclists should stay off of roads altogether, even country roads, well now you're taking it too far. If I lived off a 4-lane highway, that would be one thing, I'd either find other roads when I could (when I lived at the location I mentioned earlier, I only got on the 4-lane road when no others were available, and I was well out of the way regardless, yet he minute other roads were available, I exited onto them) or I'd just stay off of it for the most part. If I lived on a country road, though, I'd sure as heck think I'd have the leeway to bicycle on it, and people would just have to deal with it.

[Reactionary]

Nice story bro. Totes irrelevant.

I suggested that you should have stopped when you started commenting on a road about which you admittedly know nothing. You are obviously free to exhibit your ignorance.

IMO this road is not suitable for biking - I would not risk my life riding on it, even if I have 'the right'.

[Seth Parker]

Road is definitely not suitable for biking.....as evidenced by the fact that the riders were riding "in memoriam" for a rider that was hit 2 years ago, less than 2 miles from this very spot on the same road. It's a state road with 55mph speed limit and curves. This happened right as a driver came around a curve and into the sun. That's not to make the situation better for anyone involved. The driver was not impaired. The bikers weren't doing anything wrong or illegal. It's just a sad, sad accident.

[OmarLittle]

Originally Posted by Seth Parker

Road is definitely not suitable for biking.....as evidenced by the fact that the riders were riding "in memoriam" for a rider that was hit 2 years ago, less than 2 miles from this very spot on the same road. It's a state road with 55mph speed limit and curves. This happened right as a driver came around a curve and into the sun. That's not to make the situation better for anyone involved. The driver was not impaired. The bikers weren't doing anything wrong or illegal. It's just a sad, sad accident.

And that's the kind of attitude that will get more cyclists killed. According to what you said (and news reports), it's not "just a sad, sad accident", it's manslaughter.

[HB2HSV]

Originally Posted by OmarLittle

And that's the kind of attitude that will get more cyclists killed. According to what you said (and news reports), it's not "just a sad, sad accident", it's manslaughter.

Stupidity is keep doing the same thing but to expect a different outcome.

In this case, darwinism wins out. Those who insist on doing "unsafe" biking on roads not designed to do so unfortunately can expect these type of accidents to continue to occur.

Replace "bikers" with "joggers", "casual strollers", one quickly see a lack of common sense in these situations.

[TN2HSV]

So what some of you are saying is that when we are driving on our local/county roads, we should assume that there's a cyclist ahead of every blind hill and every blind curve, and slow down to 15 MPH as we approach each one? Oh and we'd also have to drive on or across the center line to avoid the potential cyclist. That's the only way all these accidents could be avoided. And these actions put the car driver & passengers in danger.

And if bicycles have the right to be on public streets & highways, then why not ATV's? Why not dirt bikes? They go faster than bicycles. Why not clowns on unicycles, rickshaws, skateboarders, people on roller blades? They all have wheels, so why not?

[Lamar Bowman]

Originally Posted by TN2HSV

So what some of you are saying is that when we are driving on our local/county roads, we should assume that there's a cyclist ahead of every blind hill and every blind curve, and slow down to 15 MPH as we approach each one? Oh and we'd also have to drive on or across the center line to avoid the potential cyclist. That's the only way all these accidents could be avoided. And these actions put the car driver & passengers in danger.

And if bicycles have the right to be on public streets & highways, then why not ATV's? Why not dirt bikes? They go faster than bicycles. Why not clowns on unicycles, rickshaws, skateboarders, people on roller blades? They all have wheels, so why not?

I just bought a unicycle. I plan on taking it to the roads soon.