Posted on 05/18/2010 12:56:10 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Cyclist is suing Miami-Dade County over accident Most people know that being a cyclist in Miami isn't the healthiest choice you can make.
But now there is video proof. A Youtube video has surfaced which allegedly shows an incident in January where a Miami-Dade transit bus mows down a cyclist on Biscayne Boulevard. The footage comes from the on board camera on the bus.
Watch the video here.
Cyclist Pier Raccuglia is suing the county over the accident, claiming the bus driver tried to run him off the road. He suffered a broken foot in the accident. "It was pain like you've never felt," Raccuglia told the New Times. "What pissed me off -- pardon my French -- is that the driver didn't get out of the bus to help me. And she never apologized." In the video, the unnamed bus driver sounds less than concerned for the cyclist's well-being after she hits him.
"He came into this bus. I didn't hit him. He did that sh-- on purpose," the driver is overheard telling concerned passengers on the bus. "He was looking for an accident. He is OK. I'm not nervous and I'm not scared."
Earlier in the video, the bus driver honks at the cyclist after the both make a left turn. They travel in the same direction for a few blocks before the bus sends Raccuglia into the gutter.
I'm none too infatuated with Bikers. I'm sure that - by and large - they're all nice, polite, well-behaved people. But the exceptions to the rule around here, at least, make life difficult for drivers. Just because it's completely legal for you to ride a bike at ~10-12 mph in the left hand lane of a 45 mph divided highway during rush hour..... doesn't make it a good idea. And 5-10 bikers doing that just proves the stupidity of people in larger groups, IMHO.
Flame away.
You haven't hit me yet.
Well, it’ll be the shootout at the OK corral. ;-)
It is time for another beer summit.
That honkey should have known better! Whites go under the bus.
Isn’t ObamaLand so peaceful!
Cornered 'rats and all. ;-)
“If I were a cop I’d arrest her for attempted murder.”
And you would be called a racist by Big Al and JayJay.
Move along, there’s a new kid in town.
Yes it would.
Hello, bikes can go 25-30 mph, no problem.
Stay out of my way and I'll stay out of yours.
*Bikers* can't always do that, though. There are a lot of recreational riders around here - especially on the weekends - and they usually don't have a problem with keeping up with traffic. Of course, they're not the ones making LH turns across 7 lanes of traffic at 7:55am, either. They stick to the less traveled roads (bike routes + paths, especially), obey the laws, and generally "ride smart".
No, the problem that I have is the college kid that thinks he owns the road and that everyone should wait for *him* because, dammit, that's the law! (I work near a college, see this all the time and routinely am amazed that no one has been killed yet).
Or the half-dozen executives that ride to work once a month to prove how "green" they are, and do the aforementioned 10-12 mph in the fast lane because they can't make their legs go any faster....
The folks who ride everyday - looks like there's some on this thread - would be pretty sensible, I'd imagine. As usual, it's the bad apples that spoil the whole bunch.
That cyclist was sure taking chances ,, running reds , passing the stopped bus at lights , riding out in front at speeds way to slow to be safe .. The roads are for motor vehicles , bicycles are allowed but this one was a hazard to navigation .. This is a large 6 lane high speed divided highway .. idiot. It would make more sense to ride on the sidewalk .. in hot locales (as you can see in the video) nobody walks. The bus driver was right , the bike impacted on the side of the bus, the bicyclist did hit the bus , the bus was traveling straight ahead.
Screw this bus driver. Never mind losing her license and job, she should be in jail.
That just pissed me off.
In my state, if I'm walking, you are required to look out for me. If you are overtaking me, you are required to inform me. You are required to stay off the sidewalks. If you don't follow the law, you're nothing but an ignorant prick. I run into many of them on cycles. Bikes seem to draw a lower form of self-important moron. It's just a fact.
I agree with all you said. I don’t have any particular animus towards bike riders, any more than I do pedestrians, but I will say this: when I walk, and when I ride a bike, I do not subscribe to the right of way concept. I yield to all motor vehicles, period.
I have to drive through Concord, MA every day. It is a liberal town, and the pedestrians in that town seem to think because they are pedestrians, then by God, they have the right of way. They appear at a crosswalk and step into it, no matter the traffic.
I think they are frikking bloody crazy. If traffic is heavy, I step back and away from the crosswalk and wait for an opening to give a driver time to see me and slow down before I step out.
As for riding a bike...I pull as far to the right as I can when there is a car. I will take my chances accidentally going off onto the shoulder (which I have done accidentally on occasion) than pushing my “right” to share the road. When on a bike, I don’t think most people have it out for bikes (though some clearly do) but I worry more about people who don’t know the physical boundaries of their vehicle (especially as they talk on a cell phone) and as such, am not willing to receive a kiss from their right front bumper.
I disagree with militant bike riders. I think it is stupidity to push the issue when it means your ass. This bike rider in the video does all the things stupid bike riders do, but this bus driver has an extra responsibility as a professional who is constantly on the road with paying customers to defer to bikes, pedestrians and other drivers who may be aggressive. If you do it professionally, you have an even greater obligation, in my opinion.
Don’t make any rash moves. Drive a car/truck/SUV.
You sound like another candidate for the shootout at the OK Corral.
Trust me.
I’m faster than you.
You can run, but I can ride faster.
I have no intention of running Huckleberry.
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