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Cyclist paralyzed in biking accident killed while riding an adaptive bike donated to him
http://www.mcall.com/news/breaking/mc-ap-berks-county-handicapped-bicycl20100924,0,7662015.story ^

Posted on 09/24/2010 2:05:27 PM PDT by Red in Blue PA

A Berks County man paralyzed in a bicycling accident several years ago was killed Thursday when he collided with an ambulance near his home while riding an adaptive cycle recently donated to him.

Stephen B. Johnson, 49, of Exeter Township, was riding the three-wheel cycle modified for people with leg paralysis west on Rugby Road in Exeter Township when he veered into the path of the ambulance, according to police.

The ambulance was returning to its station from a call and was not carrying any patients, police said.

(Excerpt) Read more at mcall.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: bicyclist; darwinaward
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To: Red in Blue PA
A few things.

As a paraplegic who has ridden these cycles, I can tell you firsthand that they sit very close to the road. Even an orange flag doesn't help much to see these “low riders”.

Keeping this in mind, riding such a low visibility bike at 12:18 PM is also very dangerous.

That being said, this man left an 8 year old daughter behind, so unlike some here, I don't really see the humor in the tragedy.

61 posted on 09/24/2010 4:28:40 PM PDT by airborne (Why is it we won't allow the Bible in school, but we will in prison? Think about it.)
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To: Darksheare

Google
“bike rage”
Advanced search About 28,100 results (0.14 seconds)


62 posted on 09/24/2010 4:36:40 PM PDT by USFRIENDINVICTORIA
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To: Melas

Are you in Houston? One of Mayor Whites bright ideas was to take a strip of pavement on the side of a busy street, paint a bike on it and voila, it’s a bike trail. 2 cyclists
were killed 2 blocks from my house the first week it after it was painted. Beware of that kind of bike trail.


63 posted on 09/24/2010 4:40:00 PM PDT by Ditter
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To: Erasmus

Seat of pants, Bellevue, WA.


64 posted on 09/24/2010 4:40:13 PM PDT by RobRoy (The US Today: Revelation 18:4)
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To: SES1066

LOL! It wasn’t me, I am a little old woman.


65 posted on 09/24/2010 4:43:09 PM PDT by Ditter
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To: USFRIENDINVICTORIA

I don’t use information logging google.


66 posted on 09/24/2010 4:47:09 PM PDT by Darksheare (I shook hands with Sheryl Crow and all I got was Typhus and a single sheet of toilet paper.)
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To: Ditter

Some of the riders of such conveyances used to affix a florescent flag, which may be insufficiently “cool” for today’s bicycling crowd.

I still remember the bad old days, when you had things like tire-width drain grates, sometimes in the middle of the road. I got one just right once, and...you can visualize the rest.


67 posted on 09/24/2010 4:48:19 PM PDT by B Knotts (Just another Tenther)
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To: RobRoy
Guys that just don’t move really need to be bumped from behind by your car bumper. Just a nice nudge. But make sure you brake immediately after you nudge them just in case they go down. You just want to scare the hell out of them, not actually run them over.

What you are suggesting is criminally negligent. Please reconsider.

68 posted on 09/24/2010 4:57:27 PM PDT by Praxeologue (io)
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To: Tijeras_Slim

A recumbent bike really needs a flag on
a long whip like the ones required on dirt
bikes and ATVs on the dunes.


69 posted on 09/24/2010 5:09:45 PM PDT by Myrddin
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To: Darksheare

I have a Stebel air horn on my 2009
Kawasaki Versys. It generates a two
tone output at 139 dB. It has kept some
big F250 trucks from making a lane
change right next to me at 65 MPH. The
truck cab sits very high and the driver
does look down to look for other
vehicles. Female muslims with a hijab
often have their peripheral vision blocked
by the awful rag on their head. Be extra
careful when traveling near them.


70 posted on 09/24/2010 5:18:59 PM PDT by Myrddin
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To: swarthyguy
Just the other day, had 3 bicyclists in front of me, all abreast in a 35 mph zone, aware I was behind them and refused to go single file. Took a risk and passed them on the double yellow.

Pass them, slow down (so they have to shift) speed up slightly, slow down, speed up.

If only you had a diesel pickup.

71 posted on 09/24/2010 5:19:54 PM PDT by ROCKLOBSTER (Celebrate: Republicans freed the slaves Month.)
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To: swarthyguy
That's exactly what they do in my area too.  They ride across and take all lanes and just cruise without a care in the world.

Very dangerous, there's a lot of road rage out there.

72 posted on 09/24/2010 5:49:19 PM PDT by softwarecreator (You say you want a revolution, well, you know ... we'd all love to see the plan.)
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To: Myrddin

Yes, the head garb makes tunnel vision look spacious.


73 posted on 09/24/2010 5:56:58 PM PDT by Darksheare (I shook hands with Sheryl Crow and all I got was Typhus and a single sheet of toilet paper.)
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To: ROCKLOBSTER; swarthyguy

Oh that’s evil.
Push in clutch, rev diesel engine slightly, release clutch and bellow out a cloud of diesel barf.


74 posted on 09/24/2010 5:58:24 PM PDT by Darksheare (I shook hands with Sheryl Crow and all I got was Typhus and a single sheet of toilet paper.)
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To: umgud

I have encountered the same attitude in cyclists myself. You left out ‘’self-aggrandizing’’ but you hit all the right notes about cyclists. I have to resist the urge to veer right sometimes.


75 posted on 09/24/2010 6:01:28 PM PDT by jmacusa (Two wrongs don't make a right. But they can make it interesting.)
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To: Red in Blue PA
This man could have quit on himself after his paralysis, but instead worked to overcome his disability as best he could. What's more, he was able to share his passion with his wife and child.

Sounds like a good guy who persevered and died doing what he loved. That's a pretty good epitaph for anyone.

76 posted on 09/24/2010 6:06:18 PM PDT by NittanyLion
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To: Melas; Ditter
As soon as they build a trail from my house to my office 11 miles away, I promise I'll use it. Until then, there is nothing between my house and work except road, so that's the route I take.

For a little more adventure and safety, all you need is a mountain bike...you're forgetting about the ditch.

77 posted on 09/24/2010 6:08:21 PM PDT by ROCKLOBSTER (Celebrate: Republicans freed the slaves Month.)
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To: Darksheare

Thanks, just trying to help.


78 posted on 09/24/2010 6:09:24 PM PDT by ROCKLOBSTER (Celebrate: Republicans freed the slaves Month.)
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To: Lonesome in Massachussets
I live in the world’s capital of this breed of idiots. Western Boston Suburbs.

You must be referring to the Concord/Carlisle/Westford area. I live right in the middle of all that and this time of year, the bicycles outnumber the cars, especially on weekends.

Annoying as they are, I have never come close to hitting one of them. Although I have had close calls with cars coming in the other direction because I have to steer to the center of the road to go by them. So if I'm coming up on a curve (such as Monument Street in Concord), I have to slow down to a crawl behind them because it is too risky to drive past them in case a car is coming up around the bend.

I can sort of identify with the bicyclists because when I walk my dog, I have to walk in the streets because there are no sidewalks in my residential neighborhood. So I am always concerned about being hit from behind - like Stephen King, especially at night. I don't understand why they don't put sidewalks in residential neighborhoods around here. No wonder people are so fat, they have to get in their cars to drive everywhere, or risk their lives by walking on the street.

79 posted on 09/24/2010 6:16:49 PM PDT by SamAdams76 (I am 79 days away from outliving Curly Howard)
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To: softwarecreator

THOES CYCLIST ARE BEING GREEN, CAN’T YOU SEE THAT! Show a little respect for your betters........ and excuse me for shouting. :o)


80 posted on 09/24/2010 6:23:08 PM PDT by Ditter
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