Smithers MINNEAPOLIS

that really sucks. bill doesn’t strike me as the type to go out without lights and stuff…

Riding in the dark is always a little dangerous and more so at this time of year when the number of cyclists drops and motorheads are used to encountering us. Hopefully Bill will make a full recovery.

Lights or not, you don’t leave after you hit somebody. Is it just me or are things getting bad out there for cyclists?

Lights or not, you don’t leave after you hit somebody

agreed — my point was this guy had to be a major assclown to not see him. the fact that he took off is even more proof of assclownedness

WTF is going on?? That’s what-four deaths/serious incidents in a week? I don’t get this at all.

Check out the roadguy blog on the Star Tribune, though. Most of the tips sounded good to me. Any thoughts? I’m up to bike commuting 3-4 days a week (six miles, fortunately almost all on paths/bike lanes). I think my commute is pretty close to where Bill was, which I really thought was about a safe an area as you can get.

It will be a dark commute home soon enough. I’m not usually one to worry about this stuff, but honestly, am I in the minority in getting freaked about this??

My car is really great on gas mileage, but it’s just nice to be able to roll past stop signs (because I’m on the trail next to the road and we don’t have a stop) and also to see some of the same folks every day makes me smile (I never notice if I see the same cars in my car commute).

The tips linked to on the Roadguy blog seemed like common sense assertive riding to me, and I think to most experienced cyclists.

The U of M area (near where he was hit) is, IMO, one of the most dangerous areas in the city. In spite of increased bike traffic near campus, those behind the wheel are most concerned about finding a parking spot, getting to class on time, and their cell phone conversations.

I think there’s something in the air. I have been nearly hit 4-5 times in the past two weeks, and have asked a couple of drivers very gently to get out of their cars if they want to talk to me (none of them took me up on the offer).

It’s weird: the rest of the year went by remarkable well as far as my conflicts with drivers, then all of a sudden it’s a bunch of asshats out there. Maybe the bridge collapse is pushing people on to roads they wouldn’t ordinarily be on (I’ve noticed more traffic on Minnehaha Pkwy) and people’s commutes are longer and we are encountering people with disrupted, unfamiliar commutes who are taking it out on us.

I blame Critical Mass. They are obviously in the wrong.

I blame Critical Mass. They are obviously in the wrong.

Champs meant this as sarcasm (I’m guessing), but I do, in fact, think the CM blowup is partly to blame.

I’ve seen a lot more intolerance towards cyclists in the last two weeks, and I truly believe that a lot of it (not all, but a lot) has to do with the negative publicity afforded to all cyclists by the great unwashed CM masses.

PS: I do think that the CM incident was a sting, but the negative publicity is what stuck with most people.

It’s true, I don’t blame CM at all, but also consider that the past two-to-three weeks have been in September, a month known for killing motivations as the days get dramatically shorter and the weather changes wildly. There are fewer bikes on the road, they’re harder to see, and this is the result.

I’ve also lost some motivation because of a double-digit rollover on my age-ometer, and some jerk on the Greenway who didn’t like me being in his 23MPH slipstream… but that’s a separate rant: “pass or fall back” my ass, you’re the chump if you can’t lose a guy with 45 pounds of bike and a three speed on a Madone 5.9 — and then say nothing to the next guy who drafts you after I *do* respect your wishes.

http://tinyurl.com/29wtuo

A friend of mine had a similar incident earlier this summer in Tulsa, OK. He just left the hospital last week and will be going to pt for quite a while yet. Like Bill, he also had head injuries and may have permanent damage.

It can be a scary world out there.

I’m a long time bike commuter and I think this just comes with the turning of the seasons. People let their guard down without kids running all over the place, they hung up their bikes after Labor Day, and the cool weather is affecting thier reaction times.

Happens every year. Be careful out there.

I hope Bill is well enough to give me crap the next time I see him.

Get well Bill.
as a long time commuter,nothing shocks me. my guess, perhaps alcohol was invovled by the motorist. If you are riding on the road, its the risk one takes. I view the increased pressure due to the loss of the 35 bridge, increased traffic on the side roads and the start of school year
Again, godspeed on recovery Bill!

I was one of the people who found him and I was provided with this link. He was wearing a light and fairly light clothing (no helmet though) and the only way someone could have missed him (at least in my reckoning) was if they were inebriated. Either way, its a depressing state of affairs if someone hits a pedestrian or bicyclist and continues on their way.