accident with cyclist in Santa Cruz

[dsm363]

You could say the same thing about any heavy vehicle such as a large SUV.

Larry

Yep. It's been a war of escalation in terms of vehicle weight for awhile now. Nice to finally have a car that is heavy so you have a chance and also 'fuel' efficient.

 

[HVM]

Again, discussion about the pedestrian protection is some what pointless, example NCAP tests are made in 25mph... It not going to work in more than 55mph collision.

And the problem is not Tesla, it is the drivers, trying to approach the questionable reputation currently held by Bimmerist.

 

[Krugerrand]

Actually the car's handsfree system is so awful that I also have to hold my phone or use the speakerphone in my phone. The Model S handsfree reception, at least in my particular vehicle, is unusable. I am constantly breaking up, according to everyone who calls me.

Here's a thought: How about not trying to talk to someone while you're driving and suppose to be paying attention to what's going on around you? You are in a hunk of hurtling metal. Nothing is so important in life as to endanger yourself and others for the sake of a few words that can just as easily be spoken on the side of the road, in a parking lot, in an office, in your home, in the mall, in an elevator, in the waiting room, in the restroom, at the airport, in the airplane, while SuperCharging... Is not talking on a phone device in movie theatres, hospitals and cars you're driving that much of an inconvenience in your life?

I look forward to Tesla Autopilot cars. Maybe then I won't be cut off, tailgated and otherwise inconsequential to all those other driver's who think the world revolves around them and thusly don't have to pay attention to how or where they are driving.

 

[dhanson865]

I've got to assume that a real estate agent gets lots of calls while they are pulling in, pulling out, or sitting still in someones driveway. As in times they aren't even on the road but are still in the car.

Are you implying that the handsfree system doesn't work on the side off the road, a driveway, or parking lot? Because AmpedRealtor never said anything about the car in motion, just said the handsfree in the car didn't work as expected. No reason to jump on his/her back if your anger is towards a general class of drivers and not him/her specifically.

 

[Krugerrand]

Are you implying that the handsfree system doesn't work on the side off the road, a driveway, or parking lot? Because AmpedRealtor never said anything about the car in motion, just said the handsfree in the car didn't work as expected. No reason to jump on his/her back if your anger is towards a general class of drivers and not him/her specifically.

If it doesn't apply he/she shouldn't take my comment personally and rather should conclude I'm talking to the world at large and in general (since we are on the Internet).

 

[Lloyd]

Why was he holding the phone? The car has a perfectly good bluetooth capability. And voice command dialing. Yes it is still a distraction but you don't have to take your eyes off the road.

From the description of the accident, he was fully out of control before he came anywhere near the bicycle riders. So a detection system would have no value.

I would be holding my phone in that circumstance to call 911 and assist anyone injured while talking on the phone. You would not be able if the phone was in the wrecked car.

 

[dtich]

i haven't posted in a while.. cause i've been busy, and cause the internet of things is getting a little much. hardly a board out there at this point without so many trolls and know-nots that just reading through a thread is a sanity-crumbling exercise.

but i had to comment here.

one, i object to the title of the thread. model s v. cyclist... really? this is a human being who is now dead. could we please, show a little more respect, a little more perspective.

two, i object to the thread veering into endless discussion about pedestrian/cycle avoidance systems. that stuff would not have helped here, and should be discussed in its own threads (as noted previously..). the repeated mention here only seems to remind the reader of the callous and single-minded nature of some enthusiasts on this board, even in the face of mortal tragedy.

three, i don't know if the driver was on his phone or not, i haven't read into the case other than here, but for god's sake, could people PLEASE pay attention to driving when driving?? perhaps it's just that we on this board are laser-focused on tesla, but i am hearing about FAR too many careless driving tragedies these days, and the fact that they're all (on this board) involving model s's is doubly heartbreaking.

and four, trolls who post on these threads, to malign the handsfree system quality, or make other inane off the wall comments, should be shot at dawn. a. little. perspective. PLEASE. if you wanna complain about the (very fine) handsfree system, or make childish comments that demonstrate an almost sociopathic lack of empathy, please do it in the other threads.


---NOW, i know i'm gonna get flamed for some of this. and i know the handsfree poster isn't a troll, and i am over-reacting in general here... but, yes, i'm over-reacting. because sometimes the humanity is just lacking these days. so. apologies. but... it's no good....

 

[Raffy.Roma]

@dtich

I don't know if you are referring to me in your post. I only would like to say that I posted thinking to give a positive contribution to the thread with the spirit of being sorry for what happened. But it looks like I have been misunderstood.

[To moderator: Feel free to remove my posts from this thread]

 

[dtich]

@dtich I don't know if you are referring to me in your post. I only would like to say that I posted thinking to give a positive contribution to the thread with the spirit of being sorry for what happened. But it looks like I have been misunderstood.

raffy, hey wasn't referring to anyone specifically on that point, and certainly i'm sure i'm misunderstanding on a number of points. it's simply the aggregate effect.

thanks for replying about it and i couldn't complain about something being posted in the way you describe. so thanks.

 

[yobigd20]

---NOW, i know i'm gonna get flamed for some of this. and i know the handsfree poster isn't a troll, and i am over-reacting in general here... but, yes, i'm over-reacting. because sometimes the humanity is just lacking these days. so. apologies. but... it's no good....

not from me. I totally agree with you.

one, i object to the title of the thread. model s v. cyclist... really? this is a human being who is now dead. could we please, show a little more respect, a little more perspective.

yeah I was thinking the same thing. I was a bit appalled at the name of this thread too...

three, i don't know if the driver was on his phone or not, i haven't read into the case other than here, but for god's sake, could people PLEASE pay attention to driving when driving??

unfortunately, IMO while every year there's cooler gadgets and significant tech improvements, it's only going to make people dumber and more oblivious to life around them and this is only going to get worse. until the day when all roads are restricted to fully-autonomous vehicles only and cars drive themselves with no manual intervention, we're going to run into stupid people not paying attention for various reasons. or maybe we should just get rid of rear view cameras and parking sensors and automatic drive trains and force everyone to go back to stick shift - at least that will force them to use their actual senses and to pay attention to the environment surrounding them and really learn what it means to actually DRIVE instead of being hand-held.

 

[Panacea]

This is the most upsetting thread I have read on this forum , apart from the one involving a crash with a Honda and 2 people lost their lives. As a fellow cyclist and human being, my heart aches for the cyclist's family. It also aches for the man who caused this terrible tragedy as I can't imagine that he did it on purpose. Sad sad reality check.

 

[Raffy.Roma]

I agree that the title of this thread is wrong. But I also think that the spirit of this thread is: "Something bad happened. What can we do to avoid this thing to happen again?"
Of course we all are sorry for the cyclist and his family. We all would have liked such a bad thing didn't happen. I disagree with anybody thinking that this is not true.

 

[Mr X]

Sad story.


I for one would never ride my bike on the highway... but if i had to i would be extremely aware of my six throughout the duration of my commute... that is very risky riding a bicycle along with cars traveling at high speeds and the likely possibility of drivers messing around with their phones thus not paying attention to the road.


In general i do not understand how anyone can look at their phones or do anything diverting your attention anywhere but from the road while driving. When im driving im completely focused on the road, aware of my surroundings, etc. and i do not even like talking to someone in the car with me because it messes up my concentration.

 

[riceuguy]

It is worth noting that the car still had temp tags, so the driver may not have been used to the power of the car was still "playing" with the newly found torque and power, etc. It certainly may have been a contributing factor. As for the conclusion that he was on the phone, I am appalled that the immediate assumption was that he was given that anyone would grab their phone after an accident to call 911. I am not suggesting he wasn't on the phone, just that a reporter would report it at all with absolutely no basis other than that statement.

 

[aconsul73]

A little post here at the end. I am not a Tesla owner, and I didn't know the cyclist very well - just a high school colleague. But I remember him a fun, creative, artistic guy who definitely didn't deserve to die on a Saturday bike ride. I don't know the driver, but I'm pretty sure he didn't intend to hit a bicyclist that morning. It should have been great Saturday on Highway 1 for both of them and instead one is dead, and who knows how it's going to turn for the other.

In some ways this is statistically inevitable - with enough Teslas on the road someone was bound to be the first Tesla driver to kill a cyclist or pedestrian.

What I'm hoping to see on this forum is posts (big or small) from you on why they you be that second person to kill a cyclist or pedestrian.

There's plenty of technical engineering going into the Tesla. I'm hoping to see some social engineering as well. Whether it's advanced driving training, safe places to really test out the Tesla's driving performance, rules or techniques for avoiding distraction - whatever it is - show some innovation and energy and some action showing how you're taking action to not become the next "Tesla Driver kills X" story.

Good luck, drive safe and be safe today.

- - - Updated - - -

Correction:

What I'm hoping to see on this thread is responses on how you (personally) intend not to be that second Tesla driver to kill a cyclist or pedestrian.

 

[jerry33]

What I'm hoping to see on this thread is responses on how you (personally) intend not to be that second Tesla driver to kill a cyclist or pedestrian.

When I lived in Vancouver, I cycled thousands of miles a year. Now I'm in Texas and you couldn't get me on a bike. Drivers just aren't aware and many think that bicycles don't have any rights.

This accident appears to be an unfortunate case of the cyclist being in the wrong place at the wrong time (as far as I can tell) because the driver was not in control of the car and the cyclist just happened to be in its path. However, most car/bike accidents are caused by poor bike riding habits. I'm a big believer that every cyclist should take the Effective Cycling course and study the book that goes with the course. People who don't ride should read the book as well.

 

[NigelM]

Mod Note: A bunch of posts went to snippiness. Apologies to any innocent comments swept up in that move; I guess the worst events bring out the most emotional responses, but let's stay civil here please.

 

[Owner]

Thanks for changing this thread in the right direction. Our hearts feel for the loss of life.

I am both a Tesla driver and a cyclist, who has on a few occasions rode my bicycle on highway 1. I don't think I've rode my bicycle on that exact section of highway 1. A lot of highway 1 is at very high speeds and very beautiful too. I have a cyclist friend who is too terrified to ride there. You can be coasting down a hill at quite a clip and get a blast of side wind by a truck going 50 mph.

I am extremely cautious around cyclists. And I am extremely cautious as a cyclist as I know how much more vulnerable I am than in any car. We all just need to look out for each other a lot more.

And in California on really almost any road these days watch for cyclists.

A little post here at the end. I am not a Tesla owner, and I didn't know the cyclist very well - just a high school colleague. But I remember him a fun, creative, artistic guy who definitely didn't deserve to die on a Saturday bike ride. I don't know the driver, but I'm pretty sure he didn't intend to hit a bicyclist that morning. It should have been great Saturday on Highway 1 for both of them and instead one is dead, and who knows how it's going to turn for the other.
What I'm hoping to see on this thread is responses on how you (personally) intend not to be that second Tesla driver to kill a cyclist or pedestrian.

 

[Lloyd]

At one time in this country we had a building boom for roads. I feel that we needs to take that energy and motivation and money to build more bike paths to help separate the slower moving and unprotected cyclists from faster moving automobile traffic.

That said, cyclists have a responsibility to follow the traffic laws as any other vehicle. I see cyclists all the time, passing cars on the right, not stopping for stop signs, riding too many abrest and putting themselves into the traffic lanes, not riding defensively etc. I realize this may upset some riders on this forum, but I see too many riders not respecting their vulnerability.


Edit..................

Article from our local paper today 11/4

http://www.kcoy.com/story/23874977/64-million-dollar-bike-plan-in-slo

 

[jerry33]

At one time in this country we had a building boom for roads. I feel that we needs to take that energy and motivation and money to build more bike paths to help separate the slower moving and unprotected cyclists from faster moving automobile traffic.

Perhaps surprisingly, bike paths are actually quite dangerous for cyclists. the safest thing to do is to make the rightmost lane wider. However, don't put a stripe or other barrier there because when there is one, cars never drive there and so they become unusable due to the glass and garbage that accumulates.

That said, cyclists have a responsibility to follow the traffic laws as any other vehicle. I see cyclists all the time, passing cars on the right, not stopping for stop signs, riding too many abrest and putting themselves into the traffic lanes, not riding defensively etc. I realize this may upset some riders on this forum, but I see too many riders not respecting their vulnerability.

Which is the point of my earlier post about Effective Cycling classes.