# Fatal car-bike accident in Lefthand Canyon



## johnlh (Sep 12, 2008)

Sad:
http://www.dailycamera.com/boulder-county-news/ci_18299879?source=rss


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## CoffeeBean2 (Aug 6, 2005)

Interestingly enough, the driver of the truck has had a past incident with a cyclist:

http://www.bicycletimesmag.com/node/81883

http://libertyonbikes.blogspot.com/2009/06/wheres-love.html


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## MikeBiker (Mar 9, 2003)

Charges (a misdemeanor) are finally being filed against the truck driver.


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## draganM (Nov 27, 2001)

I know we're all pissed at the misdemeanor but I doubt the DA could have convinced a jury of intent to cause harm. That's really what it comes down to, what the DA believes will stick in court. Despite the drivers record of confrontations with cyclists. 

I rode that Canyon all summer and it's dangerous. Lee Hill is even worse, barely missed a drilling rig which was making a left hand turn in front of me as I rounded a corner at 30mph (speed limit is 25). 
I think the people who live in that area must be really annoyed with us because they drive very aggressively and do stupid things like passing around turns which is illegal. St.Vrain. feels safer to me, bike lanes both ways and I don't recall seeing any houses so your not dealing with as many angry hill-billy's.


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## Samadhi (Nov 1, 2011)

edited because common sense got a ahold of me :blush2:


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## kokothemonkey (Jul 7, 2004)

draganM said:


> I know we're all pissed at the misdemeanor but I doubt the DA could have convinced a jury of intent to cause harm. That's really what it comes down to, what the DA believes will stick in court. Despite the drivers record of confrontations with cyclists.
> 
> I rode that Canyon all summer and it's dangerous. Lee Hill is even worse, barely missed a drilling rig which was making a left hand turn in front of me as I rounded a corner at 30mph (speed limit is 25).
> I think the people who live in that area must be really annoyed with us because they drive very aggressively and do stupid things like passing around turns which is illegal. St.Vrain. feels safer to me, bike lanes both ways and I don't recall seeing any houses so your not dealing with as many angry hill-billy's.


LeftHand is a mixed bag for sure combined with the shooting area, 4 wheeling area, and on top of it all, the Ward residents at the top. To be fair though, I am the most scared of the people who drive that canyon daily and get a false sense of security that they "know" the road.

The assailant (yeah I'm calling him that) is a POS who lives up there and has a history of running cyclists off the road.


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## draganM (Nov 27, 2001)

don't get me worng I would been happier with manslaughter but the defense attorney would have an easy time with this one
1) Tree in the way partially blocking view which has since been cut down
2) Wife there to testify they never saw the cyclist
3) people to testify "driver was distraught" afterwards and a pic of the accident showing him holding his head in his hands. 
I don't believe this guy aimed for the cyclist, but it's like you said the red-necks up there think they know the road and drive way too fast and carelessly. one thing I've noticed in general is anger and ignorance go together, good reason to be a hell of a lot more careful on LHC than most of us typically are. There's no prize money at the bottom, only an ambulance or hearse if your unlucky.


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## Pitts Pilot (Dec 5, 2011)

My brother knows this guy. He says the guy loved messing with cyclists - just thought it was fun to throw stuff and intimidate them with his big truck. He says the guy is a decent guy, so I'm guessing he didn't intend to hurt the cyclist, but you can't behave like that and then be excused when the inevitable accident finally happens.


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## johnlh (Sep 12, 2008)

I agree with you, and can kind of understand that attitude. Before my parents started cycling several years before I did, I thought that cyclists were self-centered pricks who had no business taking a lane of traffic. It's too bad that this attitude leads to tormenting and de-humanization of cyclists.


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## Ride-Fly (Mar 27, 2002)

Those types of a-holes need to be taught a lesson. I'd say it's time for vigilante justice. Just maybe bump into the focker at a bar.


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## Samadhi (Nov 1, 2011)

If everything they say about this guy is true and he found guilty, maybe an approriate sentance might be to take away his truck and make him buy a Smart Car with his own money and drive that around instead.


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## Ride-Fly (Mar 27, 2002)

Samadhi said:


> If everything they say about this guy is true and he found guilty, maybe an approriate sentance might be to take away his truck and make him buy a Smart Car with his own money and drive that around instead.


Screw that. He needs a beat down.


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## kokothemonkey (Jul 7, 2004)

Pitts Pilot said:


> My brother knows this guy. He says the guy loved messing with cyclists - just thought it was fun to throw stuff and intimidate them with his big truck. He says the guy is a decent guy, so I'm guessing he didn't intend to hurt the cyclist, but you can't behave like that and then be excused when the inevitable accident finally happens.


I don't see how anyone like that could be considered decent, he sounds like a prick and psycho to me.


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## Samadhi (Nov 1, 2011)

kokothemonkey said:


> I don't see how anyone like that could be considered decent, he sounds like a prick and psycho to me.


I have to agree.

It's pretty hard making the connection between someone who thinks putting others in life-threatening situations is fun and a "nice guy".

People who would use any kind of motor vehicle to threaten the life of health of someone on a bicycle for laughs shouldn't be allowed behind the wheel. Actually someone like that shouldn't be in a vehicle at all. Case In Point: I knew a guy back in Minnesota whose wife was on a training ride along the North Shore of Lake Superior around 30 years ago. She was doored and killed by someone in a car. Although they never caught the people who did this, it probably wasn't the driver who threw the door open. Moral of Story: You don't have to be behind the wheel to put someone in a world of hurt with a motor vehicle.

The guy in LHC sounds like a sociopath to me.


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