Bicyclist convicted of mansaughter

pragmaticguy

Just read this on Bloomberg.com. Bicyclist in San Fran pleaded guilty to manslaughter charges when he hit and killed a pedestrian. No jail but was sentenced to 1000 hours community service and three years probation. It was shown he had run three red lights and was doing 32 in a 25 mph zone. The pedestrian was in a legal crosswalk when he was hit. All I can say is I hope this guy has plenty of personal liability insurance as this opens the way to a lawsuit. This conviction was the first of its kind in the U.S.

newguy88

There's a lot more to this case then there would appear to be. There is an asshole who was to self centered to pay attention and obviously too rushed to ride a bike in a safe manner. There are traffic lights that don't give cyclists enough time to cross when the light turns yellow. An overzealous DA out only for easy convictions and headlines, and one who by the way blames pedestrians for getting hit by cars. Sadly, this DA actually has a better track record of prosecuting drivers then ours in NYC.

http://sf.streetsblog.org/2013/07/24/sf-still-waiting-for-da-gascon-to-send-a-message-to-deadly-drivers/

http://sf.streetsblog.org/2012/06/21/da-gascon-erroneously-blames-the-victim-in-most-pedestrian-fatalities/

I'd like to hammer this point into everyone's head the last time a cyclist killed a pedestrian in NYC was 2009! That's Two thousand and nine. Cars and trucks continue to kill way more then bicyclists even if they deliberately rode into people could ever hope to.

http://sf.streetsblog.org/2012/04/09/advocates-despite-bike-ped-death-cars-still-greatest-danger-to-peds/

Sadly, I think the number of cyclist vs. pedestrian accidents collisions are only going to increase in NYC. I'm consistently having to weave out of the way of pedestrians who step in front of me against the don't walk light light. Hell, those are the smart one's who don't cross mid-block from in between parked cars.

pragmaticguy

I don't disagree with you and I'm not saying that it was wrong or right. I was just posting as a matter of fact.

whynot_31

DAs and the police have a lot of discretion in how they do their jobs. They always have, they always will.

We all (this includes bikers....) need to act in ways to reduce our risk of being on the "wrong" side of that discretion.

Life isn't fair.

Until you are able to make it fair, it seems unwise to act as if it is.

whynot_31

P.S. yes, sounds like he is going to need that insurance or a really good civil atty.

For a manslaughter conviction, he is lucky to not have received far worse penalties.