Taxi Driver Severs Cyclists Leg in Violent Hit-n-R

[epoh]

 

 

 

Not only in SA!!!

 

Source: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/11/toronto-cycle-car-confict.php

 

 

 

 

http://www.treehugger.com/toronto-road-rage.jpg

 

 

There, but for the grace of God, go I- John Bradford

 

 

 

As more people ride bikes, there are more "interactions" between cyclists and motorists. We previously covered Leah's fight over a beef pattie in Kensington Market, and more recently No Impact Man's impact with a senator;

they both walked away. However last night in Toronto, a cyclist had a

loud argument with a cab driver and the next thing residents heard was

a sickening crunch and a man screaming for help- the cabbie rammed the

cyclist against a pole and severed his leg. Doctors couldn't fix it and

the leg was amputated.

 

 

 

http://www.treehugger.com/taxi-road-rage.jpg

 

The cabbie took off and then three hours later called police and

said he was defending himself against a robbery attempt. From a guy on

a bike? Using the rear end of your car in reverse to defend yourself?

And whenever people talk about how bicyclists contribute to their own

demise, look at the difference, a couple of dents vs a leg. A cyclist

may be wrong to get angry (neighbours say there was arguing) but that

doesn't mean he should get dead.

 

 

http://www.treehugger.com/city-news.jpg

 

click on image to to go to CITY TY News

 

I have cycled on that stretch of Dovercourt Road

in Toronto many times. It is a narrow street with two way traffic and

parking permitted on the west side. Unlike almost every other

intersection in Toronto there is no stop sign at Argyle. I am often

nervous negotiating it between Dundas and Queen because of these

concerns.

 

As Constable Burrows put it: "We're trying to determine the sequence

of events and how this escalated from the sound of voices to what we

have right now, a male in hospital with fairly significant injuries

fighting for his life."

 

http://www.treehugger.com/cycle-argyle.jpg

 

The Globe and Mail quotes a student at the lovely cafe on the corner.

 

Many local residents quickly categorized the incident as a

violent manifestation of the animosity between car drivers and bicycle

riders in Canada's largest city. "This speaks to how badly cyclists get

treated," said John Rodgers, a 24-year-old University of Toronto

student who came to the Luna Cafe yesterday, and was stunned to hear

what had taken place just hours before. "It's an extreme case, but it

shows you the tensions."

 

How about doing something to reduce those tensions. How about

putting black box recorders in taxis, decent north/south bike lanes,

one way streets where they are not wide enough to accommodate such

traffic, and building a bike-friendly city. And maybe some anger

management courses at Beck Taxi.

 

More at CBC, City TV,

 

epoh2008-11-18 05:02:57

[Captain Slow]

Eish!! Not Good news! Hope the cyclist recovers from this ordeal. It won't be easy without a leg!

 

It is definitely a Global issue and some countries at least are doing their best to create harmony between these two groups.

 

[slowpoke]

i hope the taxi driver wraps himself around a pole (without involving anyone else) and loses a limb. w@nker.

 

strongs to teh cyclist and i hope he recovers and gets a decent prsthesis and can continue cycling

[Tumbleweed]

that's an awfully nice thought, slowpoke?

[Eldron]

i hope the taxi driver wraps himself around a pole (without involving anyone else) and loses a limb. w@nker.

 

strongs to teh cyclist and i hope he recovers and gets a decent prsthesis and can continue cycling

 

At the risk of sounding like a bleeding heart drama queen - why is everyone so angry these days?

 

A car hoots at a cyclist and a barrage of swearing and middle fingers ensues. Same thing the other way around - tell a car they're a bit close and you get abused like you're a lepper...

 

Is it stress? Is it the economic slow down? How can it be that a cyclist and driver argue and it ends with someone losing a leg? Bizarre and frightening...

[Mackem]

Lets hope that the taxi driver faces an appropriate charge, not merely one so lame as "failure to render assistance at an accident"!!!!

[slowpoke]

HR and eldron - let's see - someone goes out of their way to deliberately put a vehicle into reverse and sever someone's leg and we should sit back and say "oh dear, what a pity there was a fight"?

and yet when someone says "what a selfish woman for trying to commit suicide" and doesn't even show any sympathy for her there is no comment againt that????

 

HR - you want confusing then you've just one it yourself.

 

Eldron - you want to know wy there is anger - that is why - people seem to have priorities very stuffed up - forgive a guy for severing another guys leg but "who cares" when a woman gets raped.

 

and it's also fine to get aggro about a guy being allowed (of his own free will) to continue cycling, and even more aggro tht it took an ambo more than 5 minutes to get to him when he has a heart attack, but nb they must'nt interfere with the other cyclists' times by slowing htem down to get past

 

so should we just agree that murder/attempted murder and rape are fine and then we can get upset if someone gets upset about those things happening?

[Domestiquehated]

Slowpoke, I think Eldron was asking "Why is there so much anger (in the world) these days?"  and not "Why is there so much anger over someone's leg getting mangled?"

[slowpoke]

domestiquehated, then why did he include a quote of my comment if he was not directing his comment at me or my comment?

[Eldron]

HR and eldron - let's see - someone goes out of their way to deliberately put a vehicle into reverse and sever someone's leg and we should sit back and say "oh dear' date=' what a pity there was a fight"?

and yet when someone says "what a selfish woman for trying to commit suicide" and doesn't even show any sympathy for her there is no comment againt that????

 

HR - you want confusing then you've just one it yourself.

 

Eldron - you want to know wy there is anger - that is why - people seem to have priorities very stuffed up - forgive a guy for severing another guys leg but "who cares" when a woman gets raped.

 

and it's also fine to get aggro about a guy being allowed (of his own free will) to continue cycling, and even more aggro tht it took an ambo more than 5 minutes to get to him when he has a heart attack, but nb they must'nt interfere with the other cyclists' times by slowing htem down to get past

 

so should we just agree that murder/attempted murder and rape are fine and then we can get upset if someone gets upset about those things happening?

[/quote']

 

Slowpoke - you've shoved a whole bunch of words in my mouth and missed my point completely.

 

My question was why the words in the first place? What ever happened to "say Mr. Driver you overtook a bit close and I almost rode into the pavement" - driver responds "sh*t - I'm really sorry - I will be more careful"??

 

Now it's "f*ck you c*nt - you almost rode me off the f*ckin road" - "go and f*ck yourself lycra light - you're lucky I don't f*ckin ride over you". Then someone loses a leg...

 

I never said any of the behaviour was acceptable - whether is be a severed leg, a rape or a heart attack. You obviously have some anger issues going on there...

[Domestiquehated]

Slowpoke, I think Eldron was asking "Why is there so much anger (in the world) these days?"  and not "Why is there so much anger over someone's leg getting mangled?"

[slowpoke]

Eldron, what i'm saying is that to turn around and sever soemone's leg because of a few heated words is overreaction and deserves karma to dish out an equal reaction to it. and if your comment wasn't aimed at my comment then why did you quote my comment specifically to make your statement? i see no "anger issues" with questioning that or pointing out the duplicity of how people react.

 

 

[Eldron]

domestiquehated' date=' then why did he include a quote of my comment if he was not directing his comment at me or my comment?[/quote']

 

domesticated is right - the comments were directed at "the worlds" anger - not yours.

 

I do agree with your post though - people just don't seem to give a sh*t anymore - perhaps part of the problem is that people are getting immune to this kind of thing - we hear about rape/murder/violence on a daily basis and every time we hear it it affects us just a little less...

[Tumbleweed]

HR and eldron - let's see - someone goes out of their way to deliberately put a vehicle into reverse and sever someone's leg and we should sit back and say "oh dear' date=' what a pity there was a fight"?

[/quote']

 

deliberately severed his leg? really?

 

and yet when someone says "what a selfish woman for trying to commit suicide" and doesn't even show any sympathy for her there is no comment againt that????

 

mud dee's sympathy was towards who's being left behind. i agree with him' date=' and shared that with him via pm. i didn't want to comment, as i didn't think it relevant to the thread.

 

 

HR - you want confusing then you've just one it yourself. 

nope, once again i'm flummoxed.

[Eldron]

Eldron' date=' what i'm saying is that to turn around and sever soemone's leg because of a few heated words is overreaction and deserves karma to dish out an equal reaction to it. and if your comment wasn't aimed at my comment then why did you quote my comment specifically to make your statement? i see no "anger issues" with questioning that or pointing out the duplicity of how people react.

 

 

[/quote']

 

We're talking in circles here...

 

I hit the "quote" button instead of the "reply" button. It wasn't aimed at you at all..

 

The reaction is so over the top that it leads me to believe this was more than just words going on here!

[DaSH82]

i hope the taxi driver wraps himself around a pole (without involving anyone else) and loses a limb. w@nker.

 

strongs to teh cyclist and i hope he recovers and gets a decent prsthesis and can continue cycling

 

At the risk of sounding like a bleeding heart drama queen - why is everyone so angry these days?

 

A car hoots at a cyclist and a barrage of swearing and middle fingers ensues. Same thing the other way around - tell a car they're a bit close and you get abused like you're a lepper...

 

Is it stress? Is it the economic slow down? How can it be that a cyclist and driver argue and it ends with someone losing a leg? Bizarre and frightening...

 

Yeah.. i agree.. everyone is so angry and stressed these days... not good for anyone on the road.. whether in a car or on a bike...