2 Bycyclists Killed In SS by DUI

[FOTD]

3 Bycyclists were run off the road in Sand Springs by a hit and run drunk driver....


http://www.kjrh.com/content/news/breaking/story/Double-fatal-accident-shuts-down-highway/ReMp2sE4LUKaBhsmf3VuAA.cspx

[Ed W]

Thanks for posting that link.  It has better information that the TW story, with the added benefit of the absence of those mouth-breathing goons in the newspaper comments.

The Wednesday Night Ride goes out that way tomorrow.  It has a reputation of provoking some of the locals.  I've never been on that one, but then again, riding to work and back regularly kind of takes the fun out of social rides.

None of those involved in the crash have been identified yet.  My thoughts and prayers are for them and their families - including the motorist.

[tim huntzinger]

Does not matter how wide the shoulder is cycling on a state highway during rush hour is just a really bad idea. Tulsans have the ability to cycle from one end of the county to the other on dedicated bike paths and still these people are not content and insist on putting themselves in danger by riding on highways. We can say share the road all we want but maybe that misses the point. I would love to cycle out to Keystone on that highway but did it once and saw the situation.

[waterboy]

A state highway was not the issue here. Drunk driving was. These bikers were on the shoulder. This could have been someone walking, a disabled vehicle or service vehicles. Why share blame with the bikers? I seldom hear of sober, alert, capable drivers running into bikers who are following safe practices.

A few years back a driver jumped the curb on Riverside and plowed into some runners on the path, killing a local architect. I don't remember if the driver was drinking, but paths and sidewalks are little protection when 3200lbs of poorly guided metal descends on you.

[tim huntzinger]

I hear you, but the issue is speed and proximity.  Texting and driving is dangerous, eating and driving is dangerous, tending kiddos and driving is dangerous.  The likelihood of being hit and killed on a bike trail is virtually zero.  The architect's tragedy notwithstanding, I will take my chances on the trails thank you.

[Conan71]

One of my favorite rides is from the boathouse out the KATY trail to Hwy 97 then back in on Avery Drive or the reverse of that.  I admit, I'm never 100% comfortable in the curves on the west end of Avery, where these cyclists were, they shouldn't have had any reason to worry about being run over.  Granted a sober driver could have swerved to miss a cat or another car and hit some cyclists on the shoulder, but alcohol seems to be the real issue here.

Very sad.

[TheTed]

Alcohol is the issue and I'm not blaming the cyclists at all, but I don't even understand why that's such a popular route for cycling. What's the speed limit there?

In thousands of miles of riding, I can count on one hand the times I've ridden on a four-lane highway. It's just not relaxing with a constant stream of vehicles buzzing past at 70mph. Give me some windy, curvy back road any day.

[tim huntzinger]

One of my favorite rides is from the boathouse out the KATY trail to Hwy 97 then back in on Avery Drive or the reverse of that.  I admit, I'm never 100% comfortable in the curves on the west end of Avery, where these cyclists were, they shouldn't have had any reason to worry about being run over.  Granted a sober driver could have swerved to miss a cat or another car and hit some cyclists on the shoulder, but alcohol seems to be the real issue here.

Very sad.

There is a virtual 100% chance that the riders would be alive if they were on a trail.  I love the Katy but will not loop around to come east on W 21st EVER.  The stretch from Chandler to the river is suicidal, and I had one kid put his foot out his jeep door and try to clip me.  That is all it took for me to get it.  Further, those routes were dedicated before Tulsans' excellent trail system was in place.  There is no reason to cycle on highways, but I will concede cyclists' right to do so.  Alchohol is clearly a factor, but what if the killer had been texting? Or farding? Or tending kiddos in back?  Highways, back roads, arterial streets, wherever cyclists and cars are in close proximity that is one game of chicken where the 'winner' is never ever in doubt.

[PepePeru]

i've wondered the same thing, but more specifically along 21st street out by the refineries.
why would anyone want to suck a lot of wind out that way is beyond me.

This makes me sick.  

This is what?  The third time in a year that multiple people have been run down & killed by drunk drivers?

Something is wrong here.

[tim huntzinger]

i've wondered the same thing, but more specifically along 21st street out by the refineries.
why would anyone want to suck a lot of wind out that way is beyond me.

This makes me sick.  

This is what?  The third time in a year that multiple people have been run down & killed by drunk drivers?

Something is wrong here.

Clearly alcohol needs to be criminalized.  No other solution or explanation.

[sauerkraut]

This is very sad & very grim, my guess is they just off from work and and wanted to do some cycling and enjoy the day. 3 bike riders got hit, one is still alive, the pictures in the newspaper show the bikes riped apart it must of been a horrific crash. This is why I do not run on the streets & highways. I only run on the jogging trails. There is no second chance once your dead, there is no "do-over" in the game of life..  There are all kinds of drivers on the roads, I don't take chances I stay on the trails. The Tulsa World's story said that many cyclists have been hit there and that it's a popular street for cyclists but it's dangerous.

[sauerkraut]

There is a virtual 100% chance that the riders would be alive if they were on a trail.  I love the Katy but will not loop around to come east on W 21st EVER.  The stretch from Chandler to the river is suicidal, and I had one kid put his foot out his jeep door and try to clip me.  That is all it took for me to get it.  Further, those routes were dedicated before Tulsans' excellent trail system was in place.  There is no reason to cycle on highways, but I will concede cyclists' right to do so.  Alchohol is clearly a factor, but what if the killer had been texting? Or farding? Or tending kiddos in back?  Highways, back roads, arterial streets, wherever cyclists and cars are in close proximity that is one game of chicken where the 'winner' is never ever in doubt.

Bikes do have a legal right to be on the road but none the less a bike and  4,000 pound cars don't mix. There is no appeal when your 6' under... I guess sometimes bike riders have to be on the streets since where they are going there are no trails. Then you got some people wanting to make pot legal, that's just what we need more drivers with altered brains. This is a very sad story.

[PepePeru]

Clearly alcohol needs to be criminalized.  No other solution or explanation.

Clearly.


I can see how you inferred that from my post.

[tim huntzinger]

Clearly.


I can see how you inferred that from my post.

I was speaking for myself in response to your comment.  Sorry did not mean to infer that was your point.

[waterboy]

That's a good route Conan. I suppose many people do it for the rural, small town feel and others for the challenge. That stretch from Chandler to West 23rd is brutal. At one time in my life I would have wanted to do that.

My wife made this interesting comment. "I don't think many of these upper middle class, $1000 bike, spandex clad riders know what they're letting themselves in for when they bike through industrialized, blue collar areas where people don't have the time, the energy or the money to be enjoying such pastimes." I don't think she means its Easy Rider type folks. Its just that during really tough economic times, class consciousness is magnified. There is some jealousy.

This case was just tragic alocol related. If you look at the tracks of the car you see that if there had been a nearby running path, like on Riverside, she would have veered into it. Why not equip cars with alcohol breathalizers or some simple checklist that must be finished before the car is operable, to keep seriously drunk drivers off the roads?