# Another cyclist killed by a car crossing the center line



## Dr_John (Oct 11, 2005)

... and a hit and run.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/11/24/BAT014BRHL.DTL&tsp=1

Rest in peace, Mark.


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## sometimerider (Sep 21, 2007)

Dr_John said:


> Rest in peace, Mark.


I wish it too.

But I hope this is a signal to the rest of us that we shouldn't be on the road at 5pm (at this point in the year) without lights.


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## mohair_chair (Oct 3, 2002)

I've ridden McEwen Road south of Port Costa, which is a steep, steep climb. It's used in the Grizzly Peak century. There's also nothing around for miles, so riding without lights or reflectors is definitely not recommended at that hour. But if a car crosses the center line on that road, it's going too fast and probably still would have hit the cyclist. There's only so much you can do.


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## wheel_suker (Feb 3, 2005)

He was one of the Wells Fargo teammates of mine.


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## Francis Cebedo (Aug 1, 2001)

wheel_suker said:


> He was one of the Wells Fargo teammates of mine.


Damn. I know Michael Cruz and Mark Deterline too on your time. Condolences, and all the best to you guys.


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## filtersweep (Feb 4, 2004)

Before we are too judgmental--- has no one ever had a mechanical or a bonk or a wrong turn extend a ride past one's comfort level for riding without lights? I highly doubt a blinkie or a vest or anything proactive would have helped if the driver crossed the center line--- and the fact that it was a hit and run hints that there may be some driver impairment involved.


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## djconnel (May 7, 2006)

sometimerider said:


> I wish it too.
> 
> But I hope this is a signal to the rest of us that we shouldn't be on the road at 5pm (at this point in the year) without lights.


Do I then conclude from the Kristy and Matt tragedy I shouldn't be riding without lights at 10am? Or from John's killing that I shouldn't ride without lights at noon? There's no evidence this is due to _anything_ except an out-of-control driver.


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## Dr_John (Oct 11, 2005)

An updated article with more personal info about Mark:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/11/25/BADV14C2V3.DTL


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## djconnel (May 7, 2006)

Here's the lighting conditions at 5:06 pm in San Francisco. This is not long after the 5pm estimate for Mark's killing the day before:



Clearly visibility is reduced. However, it's not yet "dark". Lights are clearly a good idea, but without question, a driver should be able to see riders on the road in these conditions.

It may well be the whole darkness discussion is red herring. This driver crossed far across the centerline, struck Mark down, then fled the scene. It didn't take darkness to kill Chris Castro, Orlando Bioc, John Peckham, Matt Peterson, or Kristy Gough. It didn't take darkness for Illeana Parker to be seriously injured by a left-turning driver who clipped her Sunday as she rode on Skyline Blvd, where Illeana clearly had right-of-way.

Right now the _only_ evidence is the driver violated the law: crossing the line, leaving the scene. I thus think "lessons learned" about darkness and lights are grasping for something which isn't necessarily there.


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## sometimerider (Sep 21, 2007)

djconnel said:


> Here's the lighting conditions at 5:06 pm in San Francisco. This is not long after the 5pm estimate for Mark's killing the day before:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Certainly none of us know exactly what happened. But looking at your picture, I notice how all the reflective surfaces stand out. The cars almost disappear. Riding without visibility in that picture is a risk I would rather not take. That's all I meant.

As far as the car crossing the center line, it could happen legally (on most roads (I'm not familiar with the spot in question)) - turning into a driveway, for example.

So the "hit" part could be accidental (and perhaps poor visibility contributed to that). The "run" part is clearly wrong and illegal.


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## CoLiKe20 (Jan 30, 2006)

RIP Mark.


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## RedRex (Oct 24, 2004)

Was the cyclist riding all the way to the right?


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## djconnel (May 7, 2006)

There's a much more detailed article today in the Mercury.

It indeed appears he was riding on the right. Another vehicle passed him, going the opposite direction.

But another factor is it was later than was previously reported: after 5:20pm, not 5:00, and that 20 minutes makes a big difference to visibility.

That doesn't change the culpability of the Silvarado driver, of course. He had no business being on the wrong side of the road. If this were a rear-end incident, there would be room for discussion. But as the truck driver is likely local, there's a good chance they'll catch the driver, I think.


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## Cruzer2424 (Feb 8, 2005)

francois said:


> Damn. I know Michael Cruz and Mark Deterline too on your time. Condolences, and all the best to you guys.




This message is too short.


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## cyclingthroughlife (Aug 2, 2008)

I've ridden McEwen road before and it is a narrow windy road. Going northbound (towards Crockett/Port Costa), the road winds downhill (steep downhills in stretches). The vehicle going northbound was more than likely going much faster than the allowable speed limit and the driver would need to cross the centerline to take a left hand curve.

Regardless of whether Mark had lights or not, the driver was clearly driving way too fast on this road to begin with.

RIP Mark.


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## singlespeed.org (Feb 14, 2006)

NBC11 just reported that the light was from a Chevy Silverado truck.


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## walrus (Jan 29, 2004)

I've ridden on that road with Mark before, he was less than two miles from home when he was hit. A great guy, always fun to ride with.


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## eraSSerhead (Dec 30, 2004)

How does the law read on something like this. Would it be considered manslaughter or murder.


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## singlespeed.org (Feb 14, 2006)

eraSSerhead said:


> How does the law read on something like this. Would it be considered manslaughter or murder.


Not a lawyer, but I think murder usually takes prior intent to kill. Unless this was one of the people who has been known to buzz cyclists, it would not likely be murder.

Person definitely sounds like they are guilty of hit and run, whether they were at fault for the actual accident or not. Hard to read and understand, but here is the rules:
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d10/vc20001.htm


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## eraSSerhead (Dec 30, 2004)

Thanks. 

Yeah I meant when the motorist is at fault and leaves their victim down on the road to die. Hard to believe this is not considered murder.


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## filtersweep (Feb 4, 2004)

The fact that it is hit and run implies there is some level of negligence involved--- either impairment, no license, etc. 




eraSSerhead said:


> Thanks.
> 
> Yeah I meant when the motorist is at fault and leaves their victim down on the road to die. Hard to believe this is not considered murder.


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## walrus (Jan 29, 2004)

Video of the memorial ride.

http://www.brightcove.tv/title.jsp?title=3525354001


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## desmo13 (Jun 28, 2006)

I participated in the Sunday memorial ride. I hope it did some good.


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## Cruzer2424 (Feb 8, 2005)

here is a shot taken on my cellphone camera of the site.

Mark was traveling in the direction I'm facing. vehicle was headed towards us.


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## wheel_suker (Feb 3, 2005)

*An arrest has been made!*

Information that has been made available is that it is a male, 52 years old, not married, retired. He does not have a criminal background, not even a parking ticket. He was driving a white Chevy Silverado and made the repairs himself. He was charged with felony hit and run and felony manslaughter and his bail was set at $85.000. He was not someone who attended the Warehouse Bar in Port Costa. They caught him through a tip called into the highway patrol office then good leg work by the investigators, he was not a name that had ever come up before yesterday.


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## Dr_John (Oct 11, 2005)

Thanks for update/info.

And thanks for the post of the pic Cruzer. I don't recall seeing it when it was originally posted.


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## terrain (Apr 19, 2009)

Anyone have a current link to the article...


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## HIPCHIP (Apr 23, 2009)

And the sad part is that on the article page some folks are saying it was the cyclists fault! Most of the time the car driver is HUA. It's like being in the marina driving a power boat and you encounter the sail boat, the sail boat has the right of way because they don't have the power and control of the power boat.

The driver was probably doing something else and wasn't watching, then got scared and ran. I encountered this all the time when I was a cop.

You have to remember, bikes are vehicles, and they have rights too, so unless it was totally dark and he couldn't be seen, which it doesn't appear it was, the bike is not at fault at all. Even if it was dark, the driver is supposed to be aware of pedestrians, animals, etc. So unless it was dark and the cyclist swerved in front of the truck, the cyclist isn't to blame.

Just another HUA driver and a lost cyclist. Damn!


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## Dr_John (Oct 11, 2005)

... Hua?


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## HIPCHIP (Apr 23, 2009)

Dr_John said:


> ... Hua?


Head Up A$$


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## Dr_John (Oct 11, 2005)

Thanks...hadn't seen/heard that acronym before but I figured that's what it was.


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## CoLiKe20 (Jan 30, 2006)

thanks for the update.
what a tragedy


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