Truck strikes/kills bicyclist near Bozeman, MT

Sorry, I didn't see the sarcasm!

 

Interstate traffic in MT is never "heavy", anywhere. I've lived in MT 25 years, from Red lodge to Billings to Roundup to Helena to Missoula to Whitehall and never encountered 1 second of interstate congestion related to traffic volume.

 

Like fuzzeymatteo I am both an avid cyclist and cdl driver with 3 million consecutive safe miles and about 2500 miles per year on the bike all over northAmerica.
In this instance the only live eyewitness is the truck driver. What do you think he is going to say.?
The motor vehicle vs bicycle real estate conflict has gotten bad enough that several states have passed laws that require a minimum distance (4' is common) while passing a cyclist. That may mean, horror of horrors that you might have to slow down and follow one at 10mph or slower for a while, doing a slow burn because you really think that you, your trip, and your vehicle are somehow more important than this rolling obstruction.
Same attitude exhibited if the vehicle in front of you happens to be grannie doing 35mph on her way to the hairdresser.
Lots of roads are substandard in their construction and always will be. The authorities have determined certain roads to have certain limitations, i.e. truck routes, no trucks allowed, no bicycles (limited access), etc. But the vast majority are shared. I don't like following an Amish buggy on US 30 in Lancaster County PA, but I do it. I see a lot more roads prohibiting trucks than bicycles.
When the voting public tells the authorities to start banning bicycles from roadways wholesale, like some advocate here, I will comply. I don't expect that development in this increasingly environmentally aware population.

 

Hey Stude Hawk, all good points. I too love my bike, but am very particular where I ride it. I'm always amazed at places that don't have an apron on the side of the road, then there's a bicycle accident, and the big outcry, "How could this happen?" Trouble is, with distracted driving nowadays, bike riders have a bigger bulls eye on their backs.

 

Last time I took my time riding down a congested road, a guy stuck his arm out the window and pinched my ###. Now I stick to the "bike friendly" routes...

 

OMG, Janet, that was you? I am so sorry!

 

Tell that to the bicyclist that was killed.

 

Duh, you can't tell a dead person anyth..... ohhhhhhhhh...

 

Again -"WOW" - how could some of you blaming the driver (or the bicyclist for that matter) even make that assumption that its the drivers fault if you weren't there you just dont know what conditions were there at the exact time of the accident.
And be careful what you say, you are always this close to being in the same situation.
FYI: In my city you have to give a bicyclist 7 foot clear space around them.
do you know how many times in a day that puts you out in the opposing lane of traffic to pass them.
The laws and rights they are implementing are actually not working on the side of making them safer. i am pretty sure around here the vehicle/ bicycle/ pedestrian accidents have gone up since they made all these rules for their safety.
Common sense is at an all time low as the fools get more laws to protect stupid.

 

we only have the driver's word on that, not the victim's.