LiverLips Wrote:
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> Bicyclists have to be the must disrespectful
> people I've ever seen.
>
> If you hit and kill somebody with a car you get
> charges, even if you toot your horn before hand.
>
> This guy needs to be charged!
Not true. Most times motorists get off scot free when they hit and kill pedestrians and cyclists. If the driver is DUI, then they will get some penalty. Otherwise, I didn't see him/her tends to get them off.
Cases in point: 24 year old cyclist killed while in shoulder bike lane by motorist who went off the main road for whatever reason.
http://www.gazette.net/article/20110913/NEWS/709159980/1010/police-bowie-woman-24-killed-in-friday-collision-was-not-at-fault&template=gazette No charges.
Woman driver kills female cyclist by running into her from behind. I can not find any further news of charges filed.
http://www.wjla.com/articles/2012/05/bicyclist-dies-after-maryland-crash-75567.html
2007 rider hit by pickup truck on the Civil War century ride. Hugh Macintosh. I came upon the scene shortly after the accident occurred. Straight road, fast downhill. Cyclist could have been going 40mph, motorist still felt need to pass him but too close and hit him with his side view mirror. I talked with the officer a few days later. No charges filed.
2010 Natasha Pettigrew hit and killed by Christy Littleford. Driver left scene. Returned to look at the scene while it was under investigation. Then left again. Bicycle was wedged into her wheelwell. Claimed she thought she hit a deer. Two years later convicted of felnoy hit and run. Not vehicular manslaughter. The jury found her guilty of leaving the scene of an accident. The death of the cyclist. Pfft. apparently not a crime. Four year jail sentence, three years suspended.
http://www.wjla.com/articles/2012/05/trial-begins-in-hit-and-run-death-of-bicyclist-senate-candidate-76286.html and
http://www.wjla.com/articles/2012/08/christy-littleford-convicted-in-natasha-pettigrew-death-to-be-sentenced-78426.html
NYC. No charges against the driver. Completely botched police investigation. Admittance by city official that evenif the driver had been cited for a traffic violation, the killing would typically be ignored. As in the Natasha case above, where the charge wasn't related to killing but hit and run. The gravity of the hit irrelevant.
Alice Swanson, 22. Sturck and killed by a garbage truck at R and 20th NW in 2008. Four witnesses say she was ahead fo the truck when it turned right into
her path and killed her. Police didn't amend their report that says she rode into the truck. Driver arrested two years later. Charge -- illegal alien. Killing the cyclist. No charges.
http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/x492181661/Northborough-family-wants-justice-in-daughters-death
Woman kills cyclist gets $287 negligent driving fine plus some court fees. Then asks for it to be reduced. The prosecutor decided that since the bicyclist was riding ion the road he was a major contributiry factor to his being struck from behind by a woman driving a car with a partially iced/fogged up windowshield and looking in her purse for a cigarette lighter.
http://ww2.somdnews.com/stories/12232009/entetop160043_32219.shtml and
http://www.marylandmotorcycleaccidentlawyerblog.com/2009/12/ Search page for December 16, 2009 entry.
A friend of mine riding on the shoulder on an Arizona road struck from behind by a driver who veered off the road. No charges. Cyclist broken hip, jaw, ribs, deep cuts on the face.
I could go on for pages. hitting cyclists and pedestrians with a car usually doesn't get you charged, unless you were drunk or drugged.