Re: [pedalers] Digest for pedalers@googlegroups.com - 3 updates in 2 topics

[Stephen Szibler]

Please don’t exchange criminal charges for a “sit-down” alone. There still has to be major changes in whatever the county is responsible for and infrastructure changes and damages you’ve suffered and any hospital bills. 

The most important detail is that your attorney should specifically have trial experience for biking-related crashes. If you need more information please contact me and I’ll share my attorney info. Otherwise, I’m not sure I see how the county will see your attorney as threat enough to do anything but talk. 

I still have injuries and there’s no way any of those involved should get away with poor driving and infrastructure when you may suffer injuries for the rest of your life. Even if you’re okay, someone else could be seriously injured. Litigation is the only thing we have with the car-oriented political culture. 

Stephen J. Szibler

SAG-AFTRA, MA, BA, BS

On Sun, Jun 16, 2024 at 12:29 PM <peda...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

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• Old Bucklodge - Hit and Run - 2 Updates
• Status of MD Beach Dr closures - 1 Update

Old Bucklodge - Hit and Run

"Mike and Joan Divine" <mikeandj...@erols.com>: Jun 15 04:25PM -0400 Get back to this late. My earlier comment about what big yellow bus drivers was again confirmed when I tried to go straight at a light into my neighborhood. I usually assume the worst so I didn’t keep going as the school bus cut me off by turning left. By the way, this narrow road has this utility pole carrying power lines about 6” from the white line. Everything including buses and semis go down this road           From: Doug Scott <doug...@gmail.com> Sent: Friday, May 17, 2024 3:19 PM To: Mike and Joan Divine <mikeandj...@erols.com> Subject: Re: [pedalers] Old Bucklodge - Hit and Run     Subject to the outcome of a meeting with an attorney --- I am going to try and trade criminal hit and run charges for a constructive sit down with county officials on how busses may use Old Bucklodge and similar roads. It is pretty clear the Old Bucklodge is a shortcut for empty busses and that busses are way too big for that road given that it is also a primary cycling route.           On May 17, 2024, at 2:49 PM, Mike and Joan Divine <mikeandj...@erols.com <mailto:mikeandj...@erols.com> > wrote:     For what it's worth, from what I see of school bus drivers is that they are no different than other drivers in terms of blatantly violating the law. They run red lights and they speed. Taking into consideration that they are carrying children it seems amazing to me that serious injuries or worse haven’t happened. The comment about Sarah Langenkamp came to my mind in the sense that drivers of buses and other large vehicles have limited visibility compared to cars.     I agree with the comment about making a stink until someone acknowledges what happened. I have been successful getting signage where I ride to state that cyclists can take the full lane when necessary. I have also gotten roads patched where cyclists usually ride.       From: <mailto:peda...@googlegroups.com> peda...@googlegroups.com < <mailto:peda...@googlegroups.com> peda...@googlegroups.com> On Behalf Of Doug Scott Sent: Thursday, May 16, 2024 7:09 AM To: Pedalers pedalers@googlegroups_com < <mailto:peda...@googlegroups.com> peda...@googlegroups.com> Subject: [pedalers] Old Bucklodge - Hit and Run     Gang,   I took a solid hit from a county school bus Tuesday on Old Bucklodge Rd. and realize there are some lessons to be learned for those of us that use this lightly travelled route and others like it.   I was going Northbound from White Ground towards 117. Going along the fence line towards the first of the two 90-degree curves I saw the bus (a “shorty’) approaching from the opposite direction. I could see most of the bus, the wheels and pavement were obscured by an earth berm.   After entering the turn I discovered the bus (a shorty) fully in my lane to the pavement’s edge. The bus made contact with my left side just past the drivers position. I managed to lean in enough to avoid the berm and stay upright.   Yesterday, I returned and saw a long bus go through. He did the same thing and might actually have a problem negotiating the curve with an oncoming car. From the bus driver’s perspective, they have a good view of oncoming traffic obscured lightly by a 3-board fence. A cyclist should be plainly visible. Drivers simply do not process a bicycle despite bright clothes and lights as they are tuned to threats to themselves and students.   Tuesday, I watched the bus slow and then accelerate off to the South. There is simply no way the sound of my body impacting the side of the bus or my screams were inaudible.     The point is I saw the bus but did not anticipate their taking my lane to negotiate the curve at higher speeds. They appear to do this as a matter of routine, so be extra careful.   -- -- You received this message because you are subscribed to "Pedalers". To post a message, send email to: peda...@googlegroups.com <mailto:peda...@googlegroups.com> To unsubscribe, send email to: pedalers-u...@googlegroups.com <mailto:pedalers-u...@googlegroups.com> To post a message to the group owner, see: http://groups.google.com/group/pedalers/post?sendowner=1 <http://groups.google.com/group/pedalers/post?sendowner=1&hl=en> &hl=en For more options, see: http://groups.google.com/group/pedalers?hl=en --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Pedalers" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to pedalers+u...@googlegroups.com <mailto:pedalers+u...@googlegroups.com> . To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/pedalers/766E2770-B3D9-4FFC-B966-29DB55206FFE%40gmail.com <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/pedalers/766E2770-B3D9-4FFC-B966-29DB55206FFE%40gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> .

Doug Scott <doug...@gmail.com>: Jun 15 04:38PM -0400 We are not very far on the Old Bucklodge incident..... It has been over a month since I put in a request for a copy of the police report and nothing. I did not fill out the “Risk Managment” woman’s request to investigate beyond giving her the bus #, date, time and police report number. I simply no longer believe in institutions government or otherwise “self regulating” and risk management departments as I know them from the private sector have zero to do with getting to a fair and just outcome. If that is the County’s intent, it is a most unfortunate use of the term.   We will see, I am optimistic the lack of a final report means there is a serious review that is taking time.   Doug

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Status of MD Beach Dr closures

"Mike and Joan Divine" <mikeandj...@erols.com>: Jun 15 03:45PM -0400 While going thru Facebook, I noticed Montgomery Parks posted a notice relating to the closed MD sections of Beach Dr. It also mentioned the closed section between Knowles & Cedar Lane, but not those between Cedar and Conn. Ave. It referenced some change as of June 21. It seemed confusing so I went to the Montgomery Parks website and found nothing. An internet search also revealed nothing. It's possible that it was incomplete and was taken down since it isn't there at all. Anyone have intelligence re: Montgomery Parks is thinking/doing on this?

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