FLCC> crushing of local cyclist

[John Dennis]

The photos in today’s HYPERLINK
"http://ithacajournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/frontpage"Ithaca Journal of the
two-vehicle crash that resulted in the crushing of a cyclist and his
tricycle under a Fedex truck document the extraordinary momentum that an SUV
can have even when traveling in an urban neighborhood.  

 

Over the past ten years or so, I have heard SUV owners on the topic of why
they bought an SUV. Somewhere in the explanation was usually the sort of
tongue-in-cheek statement, “Well, if I get into an accident, it will be the
other guy who takes the hit. (chuckle,chuckle).”   Isn’t it time to rein in
this Darwinian urge with at least an insistence that such driver’s be held
fully culpable for reckless use of their vehicles in part because they chose
a vehicle that is well known to be more hazardous than other cars to other
users of the road?  

 

Of course, SUV owners as a group can probably afford much better lawyers
than can riders of tricycles, so I suspect that the SUV driver in
yesterday’s crash either will not be charged at all (the IJ makes no mention
of any charges) and, if charged, will successfully defend herself against
any and all criminal and civil charges. 

 

In any case, I would be in favor of the President of the FLCC writing a
letter of concern to the Tompkins County District Attorney Gwen Wilkinson
and to local newspapers. 

 

Best,   John

 


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