Oh, I am so sad to hear this.

I saw a cyclist hit last week - what horror. People just DO NOT pay attention! If they find, in any accident, that a cell phone was involved, imho they should make the offender do a year (or more) in jail and permanently lose their driver license, just as they do for impaired drivers - the roads are getting ridiculously dangerous!

...and permanently lose the right to a cell phone

That is sad. I try to be extra careful around the bikes. My prayers for those hurt and the family of the one who died.

What a tragedy... There may be another side to it, though. The link didn't work for me, but here's another scenario to consider. I live in a very rural area where roads are narrow and without shoulders and they tend to be hilly and curvy as well. The speed limit out here is 55 mph and that's what people are accustomed to driving if they live here and can anticipate the curves, etc. The last few years groups of cyclists have taken to riding out here and they clump up together, not single file. So there you are cruising along, you come around a curve or over the crest of a hill and all of a sudden you're confronted with one of these groups. It's very dangerous. They don't seem to be out here often enough for people to just automatically drive 25 mph as a matter of course, just very occasionally at random times.

I've read all the comments from the bike riders about "sharing the road" and their RIGHT to be there every time there is an accident, but the other side of it is, there are miles of designated bike trails in nearby areas which would be far safer. And the fact is, regardless of the RIGHTS of bikers, if you get hit accidentally, you're just as injured or dead all the same.

AnnaKay, the problem with bike trails is: Usually they go around a lake.

Hmmm how about that. I can be like a hamster and go around and around... or, I can cycle someplace where I have some business to do anyway.

Sorry, but that one gripes me.

Here is the picture I can get at that link

{{!gwi}}

not very curvy, but it does look like it is mildly hilly.

Moni

Makes me sad!

I have a lot of runners in my area.

AnnaKay we have the same problem here. Just a few days ago I'm driving on a two lane highway with no shoulders, the speed is 55 maybe 60. Anyway I come over the hill top and there is a guy on a bike, not going fast, right in front of me. I'm stressed that this guy is in the middle of the road, right over the hill I'm on!
Love ya Moni, and I don't want to kill anyone, but going 25 all day isn't going to happen either. I think bikers need to be on the shoulder of highways, Not in the middle. That is to dangerous in my opinion.

Two days in a row here in central Iowa a cyclist was killed while riding on country roads.

That's exactly what I'm talking about, toni. This isn't the suburbs, this is The Country! We have two caution lights, a post office and a couple of country stores. It's not like these people are on their way to run some errand. I think they import themselves from some town somewhere, honestly.

I believe in following rules and respecting rights and all that, but I also believe that we all have to behave responsibly and anybody who behaves as if I can see around curves or over the tops of hills is not taking any personal responsibility. News Flash: toni ne can't do that, either!

I did go back and got the link to work the second try, read the comments, including the one that said some other news source said the driver was "distracted". If that is true and had anything to do with a cell phone or a snack, drink, or make-up, I have less sympathy for that person.

Still, sitting your slow-moving self in the middle of a much faster-moving narrow, curvy, hilly road is irresponsible and arrogant. What if I drove one of those tanker trucks that delivers propane to people's houses? Can't stop that thing on a dime.

Well, I hardly need a newsflash. Just wanted to say there are some ways to share the road. Common sense, a nice size shoulder and respect for each other will keep each other healthy
It is sad that the 18 year old was killed on his bike.
Drivers are distracted in many ways, watching for bikes in the middle of a road seems like taking a chance to me.

I have plenty of friends who ride out in the country but they know the risks they are taking. There isn't even a center line because the cars drive almost right down the center anyway, except over the hills. It is a dirt/gravel road by my house, we don't drive as fast as the hwy which is only 1/2 mile away. Thankfully the hwy near here is mostly flat with a good shoulder. Lots of bikers lately!

Toni, sorry, I didn't mean to drag you into my rant. My apologies

I just can't imagine how horrible I would feel forever if I were to hit one of these people! I hope everybody will exercise caution.

Here there is a huge problem between vehicles and cyclists. Our roads where too many cycle are too narrow and no special lanes for just to cycle in.
I almost hit a cyclist trying to see if any cars were coming with the hills it was hard to see and so you need to go over to left to see and then suddenly you see some coming at you and I went back into lane but that cyclist is pedaling so slow going up the hill and I had to slap hard on brakes or I would have hit that person. Its scary.
Also another area very hard to see them in the sunshine as they wear too dark clothing and nothing to show you they are there and they disappear in the shade of the trees that grow alongside the road and then suddenly they appear right in front of you.
And the bike races they have are terrible, they take over the road and its not fair when you have to drive those areas where you live to where you need to go.
And they won't abide any rules either, they won't go one at a time through intersections, they expect all vehicles to stop for them all to go through as they plow ahead.

It is very dangerous on the road for vehicles with cyclists.

I was coming off the right of the interstate on a holiday weekend when just as I was going off a cycle passed me on the right side. I almost had him. He went on down the road on his merry way. A few more seconds and he would have been in the ditch somewhere. Scared the socks off of me.

Twice two local families were hit while setting still at a stop sign. One man died. The other families were left with lingering injuries and one man lost his eyesight. One man that hit the two couples didn't have a driver's license.

I watch all the time. There are some bad cycle drivers but there are also some bad car drivers, too. We all need to be careful and watch. I for one wish cell phones were illegal in vehicles.

we have only one bike path that I know of that doesn't go around in circles, but then it's right beside I275 here in se mi..i can't imagine riding and breathing all the fumes from the cars and trucks...but the bikers do use it...then we have this crazy bike lane that scares me every time we drive by it...it's on part of a 6 lane road (45-50mpr), and the bikers are supposed to use it with cars on either side? and what could be? they have islands of flowers that could be so easy to convert...and still have flowers....

and as for those texters?? omg! for under $200 you can go hands free in the car, and actually talk to people?? had gotten dh a blue tooth, but now he can also use his new gps with the phone...

the problem sadly is the poor planning of roads these days...multi use with the price of gas is becoming critical...

Just yesterday, coming home from being out in the country, on a two lane highway, I came up on a group of four bike riders. Because it was hilly and there was a solid yellow line on my side, I slowed down and stayed behind them. I didn't crowd them in anyway. I didn't get antsy and try to go around them on curves and hills. It's not worth it. I waited until there was plenty of room to see what was coming the other way before going around the bikers. They have just as much right to be there as I do, in my opinion.

I'm very respectful of bicyclists on our winding, hilly roads, most of which have no shoulders. I think they're crazy, but I respect them. I would never ride around here, it's just not safe, I don't even like walking but at least I'm facing traffic and can tell if they see me. I would feel like I had a bulls-eye on my back around here.

Several years ago, one local guy-who should have known better- decided to straighten out a blind-S-curve and he hit a truck head-on, it was driven by a young man who was completely in his own lane. The bicyclist died before he could be airlifted. Then a few months ago, 2 motorcyclists passed me on the double-yellow line, on that very section of the highway. Made me SO mad! If they had hit a vehicle, it would have involved my vehicle too and we could have all been killed.

I've read all your comments. I have one thing to say.....re-read everything you've written but take different perspectives.

Replace "bicycle" with "motorcycle".
Replace "bicycle" with "motorized scooter" (yes, those are on the roads too).
Replace "bicycle" with "car" and replace "car" with "big truck".

The problem is not "bicycle", "motorcycle", "car" or "big truck". The problem is the drivers. People are too freaking confident behind the wheel so they play with their smart phone, read their tablet or fiddle around with the super-neato GPS/Radio/DVD player that came with the car.

PAY ATTENTION PEOPLE!!!

I ride a bicycle, drive a motorcycle, drive a small car and a pick up truck. I can predict what the vehicle 1/2 mile ahead of me is going to do with almost 100% accuracy. I drive like nobody can see me and everyone will hit me. It's a sorry state.