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Seth Vidal, creator of yum, killed in hit and run accident

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Re: Seth Vidal, creator of yum, killed in hit and run accident

#311

Post by baddox »

bagels wrote: post #304
baddox wrote: post #269

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> In an ideal world bicycles are given equal respect and stature on the roads. Since you mentioned "an ideal world," I'm going to completely disagree. I think that bicycles and automobiles sharing roads is, at best, a manageable but extremely dangerous situation. Like it or not, bicycles and automobiles behave very differently, and require their surrounding vehicles to behave very differently. In an ideal world, ther…

Excepting of course, the millions of intersections and driveways. You know, besides those.

Well, pedestrians already have separate thoroughfares and are not allowed on roads, right? What's the difference?

Re: Seth Vidal, creator of yum, killed in hit and run accident

#312

Post by weland »

Terretta wrote: post #135
weland wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On the other hand, when it comes to alcohol and, to some extent, tobacco, one can at least make the plea that most of the damage isn't external. I can't kill anyone other than myself if I drink too much, whereas if I'm speeding on the road, chances are I'm going to kill whatever I smash into, not only myself. Of course, there's the added penalty related to the social consequences of alcohol consumption (e.g. alienati…

> most of the damage isn't external There are real dollar costs to our overall quality of life from society's health self abuse expense. Excuse the graphic image, but a car accident is generally walk away or dead, while health care for the long term unhealthy keeps bleeding once it starts. "The motorist advocacy group AAA said accidents cost $164.2 billion each year, which based on the methodology used in the report…

> There are real dollar costs to our overall quality of life from society's health self abuse expense. Excuse the graphic image, but a car accident is generally walk away or dead, while health care for the long term unhealthy keeps bleeding once it starts.

Agreed. But there are other factors at stake in alcoholism or obesity, too. Excluding drunk driving, which is in a league of its own (and alcoholism definitely plays a factor there!), most of the people who drive dangerously are simply jerks. Many alcoholics have legitimate economic, social, personal or even psychical problems that lead them on this track, and many obese people are obese as a result of, or partly due to underlying conditions (e.g. endocrine system problems) or simply due to not being able to easily get the amount healthy food and exercise they need. Whereas a lot of people involved in accidents like this one are just idiots.

Re: Seth Vidal, creator of yum, killed in hit and run accident

#313

Post by MrBra »

damn... how stupid human beings can be? One's life is priceless, and we sacrifice it because we have no patience for traffic ?

Damn... this is so hard to bear, I hope family will receive all positive energy and love we are sharing here and beyond, and that this energy will surprisingly shape their life in the future in a way that it will somehow ease up their suffering a bit, and then one day make their life normal again, togheter with the reaching of the wisdom that he is still around us/them.

With love..

Re: Seth Vidal, creator of yum, killed in hit and run accident

#314

Post by blinkingled »

ldh wrote: post #201
blinkingled wrote: post #50

People, avoid biking on roads, especially after dark. There's just too much risk for it to be worth. What a terrible tragedy. RIP Seth.

People, avoid driving on roads, especially after dark. There's too much risk involved in your negligent handling of several thousand pounds of metal for it to be worth carelessly ending the life of somebody simply going about their business using public infrastructure that they pay for and use in a manner much less obtrusive and obnoxious than your own.

I guess you are also a proponent of walking through shady neighborhoods at late nights then? While at it, do you also recommend carrying a holier than thou placard to appeal any wandering criminals to change their ways? :)

Re: Seth Vidal, creator of yum, killed in hit and run accident

#315

Post by [deleted] »

baddox wrote: post #269
kylec wrote: post #245

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And yet Seth Vidal is dead, and the driver remains alive. In an ideal world bicycles are given equal respect and stature on the roads. In practice, however, riders have a lot more to lose in a collision with a car.

> In an ideal world bicycles are given equal respect and stature on the roads. Since you mentioned "an ideal world," I'm going to completely disagree. I think that bicycles and automobiles sharing roads is, at best, a manageable but extremely dangerous situation. Like it or not, bicycles and automobiles behave very differently, and require their surrounding vehicles to behave very differently. In an ideal world, ther…

[deleted]

Re: Seth Vidal, creator of yum, killed in hit and run accident

#316

Post by bagels »

baddox wrote: post #299
malandrew wrote: post #117

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In San Francisco, according to CSC 21202, the bicyclist is allowed full use of lanes. The important clause to pay attention to is clause (c). The most important part of that clause is the use of the term "substandard width lane", which although not defined in the statute, has been established via jurisprudence to be approximately 14-15 ft. Many many rightmost lanes in SF are not 14+ ft wide, meaning that on most road…

This is part of what I mean by "I can see both sides." I don't approve of an automobile drivers acting aggressively and dangerously toward a bicyclist, but I also don't think it's reasonable for bicyclists to significantly impact the flow of traffic (and even just letting 5 cars pile up before moving over is a major impediment to traffic). In short, I really don't think that roads with significant automobile traffic…

How many times have you been impeded by people driving cars when driving? I'd wager nearly every time you drive if you live in a city. How many times have you been impeded by people on bicycles?

Re: Seth Vidal, creator of yum, killed in hit and run accident

#317

Post by recursive »

colanderman wrote: post #166
gamache wrote: post #144

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think it's appropriate to consider bicycles as "first-class vehicles" in all situations, namely in the dangerous situations you list (speed limits >~25mph, multiple automobile lanes, etc.). Driving a motor vehicle on a road is a privilege. This privilege is represented by a motor vehicle operator's license, which may be revoked by the state for a variety of reasons. Riding a bicycle on a non-Interstate public…

> Riding a bicycle on a non-Interstate public road is a right. That's a bold claim. Citation?

I don't know anything definitively one way or another, but it might be related to this.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_movement_under_Unite...

Re: Seth Vidal, creator of yum, killed in hit and run accident

#319

Post by kylec »

baddox wrote: post #269
kylec wrote: post #245

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And yet Seth Vidal is dead, and the driver remains alive. In an ideal world bicycles are given equal respect and stature on the roads. In practice, however, riders have a lot more to lose in a collision with a car.

> In an ideal world bicycles are given equal respect and stature on the roads. Since you mentioned "an ideal world," I'm going to completely disagree. I think that bicycles and automobiles sharing roads is, at best, a manageable but extremely dangerous situation. Like it or not, bicycles and automobiles behave very differently, and require their surrounding vehicles to behave very differently. In an ideal world, ther…

Well, in an ideal world it would be both perfectly manageable and not dangerous, but I think we're both saying the same thing. Cars and bicycles are very different and bad things tend to happen when they share the same roadway.

Re: Seth Vidal, creator of yum, killed in hit and run accident

#320

Post by thebordella »

_delirium wrote: post #146
mh- wrote: post #132

Earlier quoted context omitted.

in short: you're (incorrectly) extrapolating what you know about one midsized city to the rest of the US.

I could tell you about the years I lived in Houston or Los Angeles if you prefer. The situation for pedestrians there was not any better. I've also, more relevant to this article, spent a little time in Raleigh, though I haven't lived there. There is about a 2 block by 8 block area of downtown Raleigh that is reasonably safe for pedestrians. Maybe somewhere like Portland is different; I haven't been there.

I don't find any difficulty when being a pedestrian in L.A., besides actual distances.

As a pedestrian you don't need to "share the road", only to cross it. Sidewalks seem plentiful, even if underutilized, and most road crossings have been well marked and signaled. Cars have generally been respectful when I cross.

Cycling here would certainly make me more nervous, outside of the corridors with well-spaced dedicated bike lanes. But walking is fine. It's good exercise and the weather's great.

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