Topic: Don't ever stop for ducks...

[2wheels]

Quebec isn't in Canada.

Bailiff - whack his pee pee    (if you remember cheech and chong)

[Retro Rocket]

I posted the link to this story because I thought it was interesting, I see both sides. 

Yes, it's against the law for the woman to stop on a highway.  And if your riding your bike and you run into someone in front of you, it is typically your fault.
I'm wondering why the rider didn't see the car stopped n front of him?

Before telling my wife of this story, I asked what she would do if she saw ducks crossing the road?  Without hesitation, she said she would stop.  I probably would too.

Not to mention THE GUY WAS SPEEDING, which last time i looked, was against the law also....

The animal saviour was dumb enough to park her car WITHOUT the caution lights on. This makes her car completely invisible.

What a load of rubbish, this is your opinion/assumption, I've been riding bike as a primary form of transport for a very long time and have come across a few broken down cars in the fast lane as well as been behind accidents right in front of me, I know if i were speeding, my chances of avoiding the situation would have been harder if not impossible, I am NOT saying that the lady is devoid of any responsibility, I'm saying they are BOTH responsible, you can't break the law and be devoid of responsibility, as Steve said, if you run up the back of someone for any reason you are usually at fault....

So lets say you were following a truck. Then the truck suddenly swerves out to avoid a dead deer ahead of him. Keep in mind the truck swerved at the last second. U have less than 2 seconds to avoid it. But because you fixed your eyes on the truck due to your safety u now have 1  second. This isnt enough time tto react.

Ok dude, a "truck suddenly swerves" lol, i think i could out maneuver a truck in a shopping trolley for a start, be real, you are making it up as you go along, IF a truck started to swerve dramatically in front of me, and it is glaringly obvious when a truck takes evasive action,  I would be stopped , changed lanes or slowed before it even had time to change lanes, where did you get "1 second from...? and fixating, while it maybe a bad habit for some, is a fault and extremely dangerous, I DON"T FIXATE, it gets you killed...   ... Change of scenario, it wasn't ducks she was trying to save but a boy lying on the median strip, or a child standing on the median strip and this woman did the same thing...?  Jim, you're liberal interpretation of the story is amusing at best...what if, what if, what if, IF the bloke on the Harley was doing 20 over the limit and only "4 or 5" car lengths behind as you put it then he's a complete idiot and an accident waiting to happen, hows he supposed to miss anything at 70-80 MPH, why did the car in front swerve at the last minute, or did it, was she using her phone?, who knows  I watched a guy on a Harley ride into the back of a boat on a trailer and died at the scene, the leg of the outboard motor split his chest wide open, it was his fault, he locked the rear brake and slid straight into the boat, poor riding skills, making excuses for one person while defending the other when both broke the law and you really don't know the full story is a little presumptuous don't you think, after reading your posts i think you also need a defensive riding course.................

[brooze72]

[quote author=TwoTired link=topic=138717.msg1568049#msg1568049 date=1403541680

That's a very good point.  But, I expect the jury of her peers did have all the relevant information and found her guilty.

Not that that matters to anyone with a supreme opinion thousands of miles of distance between the incident, and the actual facts of the matter.

Here in the US, this is called arm chair quarterbacking, for disengaged observers to project how the game should have gone in their perfect world, and looking to place blame on their favorite villain du jour.

As for prison, I doubt that will be the actual penalty.

I expect you are right about that.  After the hoopla subsides and those in power feel their message has been sent to the masses, she will be shown "mercy" for the empowered to gain the needed recognition.

The villain becomes the victim to be saved by a voter's hopeful.  ...and all is "right" in our corner the world.  Sleep well children.
[/quote]

Interestingly I had a slightly heated conversation with 10 friends on this subject just yesterday.  Most opinions voiced here were also spoken as well.  Our ( but maybe just my) conclusion was a) car driver was a moron but a full weight sentence ( she WAS convicted and the judge polled the jurors who agreed unanimously)  of up to 14 years was probably too harsh b) she should have her license revoked for life but we were unsure if that was possible.

I would probably agree with Demon that the rider should share some responsibility, but whatever small percent one chooses, has been more than paid for with two lives and the suffering of the mother who witnessed it all following on her bike.  In reality, I have no idea how much, if any, jail time will be served by the air head driver, but think that some sort of severe punishment is deserved.  I side mostly with TT on this one.

Other comments need correcting, Quebec IS part of Canada and has been for 137 years, was part of Upper Canada before that.  Smiley faced was noted and ignored.  Drivers in Toronto are equally as stupid as in Quebec, I have lived in both provinces.

[bwaller]

Rarely is this kind of incident one persons fault. It was an accident but lives were lost, I won't comment further.

Not to dredge up Canadian politics, but I need to say this. I'm an English Quebecer. My fore fathers settled here. I farm the same land they did, generations have been involved. If I could pick up my few hundred acres and move it elsewhere it would have been done. I hate the politics here, I hate the separatist ideal and it's not simply a French issue. I'm often embarrassed with the stupidity of the whole thing. I don't blame the rest of Canada for being fed up with the same Quebec rhetoric, I'm fed up too. These separatists are a minority but seem to be able to keep their agenda in the media. Just don't paint us all with the same god damn brush.

[demon78]

Of course the question I have to ask Mr Bwaller is would you stop for a turtle, duck,
how about a frog. (yes I am a wicked old man) I had a friend with a Quebecois girl/lady friend and she claimed that the anglos had been suppressing Quebec's aspirations for centuries and probably that I was personally responsible because I was part of the establishment, they stayed for the weekend well at least long enough for her to sing Mon Pays at me and I suppose that was the final insult from me (other than laughter) that I didn't fall to the ground weeping. It was interesting I also met a guy in Ottawa that was a dyed in the wool  separatist who explained pointedly to me I could do nothing to stop the movement and that Canada would be thankful to allow free "trade" with the new country and the states would help Quebec assume it's rightful place on the world stage. I suppose now that I'm older and wiser, well at least older, laughter seems to work the best. I still wonder about the old vet I saw in shopping plaza in Montreal he was in the legion and an ex Van Doo and he had enough ww2 "gongs" to make him lopsided, I was going to stop and talk to him and ask him what he thought about life, the universe, and the Parti Quebcois, but my wife wouldn't let me, ah well.
Bill the demon.

[bwaller]

Bill, I've heard that my whole life, it always the fault of Canada & the English. Truth be known it IS partially true, but two wrongs don't make a right! If you travel through this province you'll notice every little village everywhere has the biggest church in the middle of town. This is the "big thumb" that kept this population down IMHO.

[dhall57]

This doesn't involve ducks, turtles, or other animals, but yesterday coming home from Pilot Mountain this made me think of the duck situation. I was running along about 70 when the car in front of me started braking and slowing down instead of switching lanes to let a car merge into the right lane as in was coming down the ramp to get on the interstate. So I had to make a quick lane change a avoid hitting her

[krusty]

I have trained as a riding instructor and there are two key safety points I keep in mind when I am riding.
1. Keep a 3 second gap between yourself and the vehicle in front
2. Ride at a speed at which you can stop within the distance you can see.
I reckon the Harley rider had neither in mind.
When I am carrying a pillion, the missus, I am even more cautious as I am responsible for another persons' life as well as my own.

[70CB750]

I have trained as a riding instructor and there are two key safety points I keep in mind when I am riding.
1. Keep a 3 second gap between yourself and the vehicle in front
2. Ride at a speed at which you can stop within the distance you can see.
I reckon the Harley rider had neither in mind.
When I am carrying a pillion, the missus, I am even more cautious as I am responsible for another persons' life as well as my own.

All that and in our area of small country roads - do not go fast where you can't see.  There can be a tractor, log across the road, stupid minivan, patch of gravel - you name it.

[Stev-o]

I have trained as a riding instructor and there are two key safety points I keep in mind when I am riding.
1. Keep a 3 second gap between yourself and the vehicle in front
2. Ride at a speed at which you can stop within the distance you can see.
I reckon the Harley rider had neither in mind.
When I am carrying a pillion, the missus, I am even more cautious as I am responsible for another persons' life as well as my own.

All that and in our area of small country roads - do not go fast where you can't see.  There can be a tractor, log across the road, stupid minivan, patch of gravel - you name it.

Deer and cattle are my big concerns around here.

[70CB750]

Cattle is contained in Virginia, but buddy of mine actually hit black bear with his truck 

[demon78]

Brent the thing that got me was the establishment thing my mom and dad were "working class" all their lives and I and my wife were the same in fact if I won the loto max I couldn't have servants and would still have do everything myself so I'm just the same as any other working stiff french, english, mexican, portugese german  whatever, so me crushing the poor sad quebecois is bull #$%* I have no power so how could I crush SFA I pointed this out but like any three year old it was still my fault. Any how enough about the habitants. Except to say it must be a bugger living amongst that. Back to helping critters across the road of course if it can be done safely I'll do it although I much prefer helping young ladies across the rd to a life of debauchery.
Bill the demon.

[bwaller]

Back to helping critters across the road of course if it can be done safely I'll do it although I much prefer helping young ladies across the rd to a life of debauchery.
Bill the demon.

I agree and I was a scout for many years. Little old ladies, or pretty young thangs, even ducklings. 

[Retro Rocket]

I have trained as a riding instructor and there are two key safety points I keep in mind when I am riding.
1. Keep a 3 second gap between yourself and the vehicle in front
2. Ride at a speed at which you can stop within the distance you can see.
I reckon the Harley rider had neither in mind.
When I am carrying a pillion, the missus, I am even more cautious as I am responsible for another persons' life as well as my own.

All that and in our area of small country roads - do not go fast where you can't see.  There can be a tractor, log across the road, stupid minivan, patch of gravel - you name it.

Deer and cattle are my big concerns around here.

Kangaroo's over here, they have been known to knock the air conditioners off the top of prime movers on the highway....

[Stev-o]

Cattle is contained in Virginia...

Some counties in Texas are open range, the cattle are controlled by cattle guards...

[brooze72]

In my urban area

Cows = SUVs
Moose = transports/buses
Deer = cars
Roos = pedestrians
Cattle guards = streetcar tracks
Pretty young thangs = danger/distraction

Open roads = I don't know, can't see any