Hit and Run Driver of cyclist found! (Houston, Austin: safety, moving to)

[LizzySWW]

Of course the drunk driver was at fault, that goes without saying. But that's not the point of my message.

My point is there's value in discussing the dangers of riding a 10 pound bike down busy Houston streets KNOWING drunk drivers are out there.

She clearly took an unnecessary risk with her life.

I bet her parents wish with all their hearts that their daughter had made a SAFER decision that night. If they could go back in time, there's no doubt they would've begged her not take the risk.

All the the 'bike laws' & 'bike lanes' in the world won't change a vehicle's ability to flatten a biker. Drunks are out there folks, and yellow painted bike lanes & flashing bike helmets aren't going to save you from them.

Lizzy, There are drunk people driving all over Houston most nights, especially weekend nights, on streets large and small. By your logic cyclists should not be out on the streets after dark period.

Why play with fire? If you want to take that risk be my guest. Personally, I think it's too much of a gamble - you won't see me out there dodging drunks on my Schwinn. I guess I'm not cool & edgy like that.

[texas7]

Originally Posted by LizzySWW

Of course the drunk driver was at fault, that goes without saying. But that's not the point of my message.

My point is there's value in discussing the dangers of riding a 10 pound bike down busy Houston streets KNOWING drunk drivers are out there.

She clearly took an unnecessary risk with her life.

I bet her parents wish with all their hearts that their daughter had made a SAFER decision that night. If they could go back in time, there's no doubt they would've begged her not take the risk.

All the the 'bike laws' & 'bike lanes' in the world won't change a vehicle's ability to flatten a biker. Drunks are out there folks, and yellow painted bike lanes & flashing bike helmets aren't going to save you from them.



Why play with fire? If you want to take that risk be my guest. Personally, I think it's too much of a gamble - you won't see me out there dodging drunks on my Schwinn. I guess I'm not cool & edgy like that.

Yep and distracted computer users, cell phone users, textures, tv watchers, etc. are all out on the road as well. Those are just as bad as drunk drivers.

[texas7]

Yes, I ride on the sidewalk and not on the street. But I'm not a speed cyclist either - just a leisure rider. I do yield to pedestrians on the sidewalks though.

[trbstang]

Originally Posted by txdemo

Sorry Lizzy but the blame lies squarely on the drunk driver that hit her and left her to die.

By the way please link me to this report that she was "riding in the middle of Waugh". They found her on the curb beside the bike lane.

First off, I too blame the drunk driver 100%. I've seen several drunken driving accidents and had a few friends & neighbors killed or seriously injured by them. They are just as bad as murderers to me. But I do have to agree that riding a bicycle at night is a very risky thing to do. As a vulnerable person, a biker may have rights, but they have to watch out for the idiots that endanger them and take precautions or evasive actions. The risk of harm is the same reason why I do not drive after midnight unless it is an emergency. Too much risk for me.

As for where she was riding, if the placement of the memorial bike is any indication of the location of the murder, then that is a very bad section of "bike lane". The lane starts just a few feet before, at the Waugh & West Gray intersection. The street is bordered by oak trees overhanging the street, it curves to the right, and the bike lane is filled with mud, leaves and other debris most of the time. So I'm pretty sure she was not riding in the designated bike lane. It was a mud puddle today. So she had to go into the regular lane to bypass all the garbage, and that is when she got hit. If I were riding along that stretch, I would be on the sidewalk, simply due to the terrible conditions of that section of road. Add in a drunk, and that equaled a tragedy. I feel sorry for her family, and hope that justice is served, unlike so many other drunken murderers that get off with a slap on the wrist.

[tstone]

Originally Posted by theSUBlime

Actually I walk in Uptown quite a bit, was just at the Galleria last night, and while it's very busy (and I wouldn't suggest biking there) it's actually quite pedestrian friendly in terms of sidewalk repair actually. Beats the heck out of torn up sidewalks in Montrose and most other parts of the city actually. Why? The city made it hat way -- tenants have to take care of their property. So, when they have money, the sidewalks are nice. And most of the tenants at the main thoroughfares have money. When I was talking about "unique" I meant that your perspective is unique for all of the subtle reasons it entails. I think many of the sidewalks in Houston are dangerous but in different places and different reasons than yours.

I agree about the sidewalk repair-- it is much better. I was on Sage and they've made them better. My hyperbole may have been exaggerated but isn't unfounded... You can certainly search for stories about pedestrians getting hit by a car in the area, multiple times a year (for different reasons of course). But there's a reason they have HPD officers on foot on W. Alabama and Hidalgo.

I didn't mean to derail the thread, but my analogy was the sidewalk is only a few feet from the road... which is much like the 3 foot rule. The traffic mid-day is like city traffic anywhere really-- makes walking and biking, activities that are supposed to be enjoyable, unpleasant. (Now if Houston were to turn into SF or Portland overnight... different story... but it never will)

[LocalPlanner]

Originally Posted by tstone

I agree about the sidewalk repair-- it is much better. I was on Sage and they've made them better. My hyperbole may have been exaggerated but isn't unfounded... You can certainly search for stories about pedestrians getting hit by a car in the area, multiple times a year (for different reasons of course). But there's a reason they have HPD officers on foot on W. Alabama and Hidalgo.

I didn't mean to derail the thread, but my analogy was the sidewalk is only a few feet from the road... which is much like the 3 foot rule. The traffic mid-day is like city traffic anywhere really-- makes walking and biking, activities that are supposed to be enjoyable, unpleasant. (Now if Houston were to turn into SF or Portland overnight... different story... but it never will)

SF and Portland both have car traffic and sidewalks next to the road. The difference? They have on-street parking, which for some unjustifiable reason Houston doesn't. Oh wait, it's because drivers "don't like it, it might make them slow down." The same reason some say "buses don't belong on major thoroughfares, nor do bikes." Completely without reason.

[DanielWayne]

Originally Posted by LocalPlanner

SF and Portland both have car traffic and sidewalks next to the road. The difference? They have on-street parking, which for some unjustifiable reason Houston doesn't. Oh wait, it's because drivers "don't like it, it might make them slow down." The same reason some say "buses don't belong on major thoroughfares, nor do bikes." Completely without reason.

A bus can reach highway speed. A bike cannot. Plus people aren't kidding when they say Houston has crazy drivers. I don't doubt SF has evolved to accommodate bikes, but Houston has definitely evolved to do the opposite.

[dreamz77584]

this can happen to anyone......fun habits takes your life n other....bad luck.

I used to go to clubs and drive back home, thinking back now - what a bad idea...

[Bike4Life]

Cyclist don't ride on the sissy sidewalks like a girl!! Besides, I've tried that before and faced many problems - people walking at 3 MPH, dogs, missing water meter cover, water puddles, mud, sands, cracks, telephone poles, grocery carts, bus shelters, trash cans, tree limbs, shrubs, cars parked over sidewalks, and cars crossing my path going in and out of parking lots. It's an obstacle course!

Y'all can think I'm crazy but with experience, I've made a calculated risk that it's much safer for a cyclist on the road at 16-22 MPH. I am still considerate of other drivers and most of my ride on busy streets will be short as I will soon turn to a wider or quieter street. You can safely pass me on the next lane or fairly soon but I won't let you clip my $2,000 bike which is why I will ride on the middle of the lane. When riding at night, I do have a blinking front and back lights so there are no excuses, "But officer, I didn't see him and his bike."

Some busy streets are impossible to avoid like downtown and TMC. The Reliant Stadium blocks all the pathways to the other side, so I was often riding on Main St, Kirby, Fannin, and OST. To cross over freeways, we have no choice but to get on the main roads like the popular Buffalo Speedway to go under the bridge. Often it's safer for a cyclist to ride with the slower moving traffic. During rush hour, I will ride around, in between cars, and pass you but I won't scratch your car and will soon be out of sight. I have a lot of confidence and experience to handle anything on the road. So, don't worry about me.

[TheMoreYouKnow]

Originally Posted by Bike4Life

Y'all can think I'm crazy but with experience, I've made a calculated risk that it's much safer for a cyclist on the road at 16-22 MPH. I am still considerate of other drivers and most of my ride on busy streets will be short as I will soon turn to a wider or quieter street. You can safely pass me on the next lane or fairly soon but I won't let you clip my $2,000 bike which is why I will ride on the middle of the lane. When riding at night, I do have a blinking front and back lights so there are no excuses, "But officer, I didn't see him and his bike."

Some busy streets are impossible to avoid like downtown and TMC. The Reliant Stadium blocks all the pathways to the other side, so I was often riding on Main St, Kirby, Fannin, and OST. To cross over freeways, we have no choice but to get on the main roads like the popular Buffalo Speedway to go under the bridge. Often it's safer for a cyclist to ride with the slower moving traffic. During rush hour, I will ride around, in between cars, and pass you but I won't scratch your car and will soon be out of sight. I have a lot of confidence and experience to handle anything on the road. So, don't worry about me.

I think this perfectly sums up the attitude of cyclist that end up under the tires of a 4K lb vehicle on a paved road.

If you're confident enough to not follow the rules of the road by riding between or around cars in traffic then I'm confident enough to pass you without giving you the required 3' of space. I just consider it a calculated risk, the chances of getting a ticket are slim to none at this point and I've got a lot less to lose than some guy on a $2000 bike riding around in rush hour motor vehicle traffic.