Updating yesterday’s post about a widely discussed New Jersey case: “Deliberating just 15 minutes, a Morris County civil jury at 4 p.m. today declared that a Chester Township teenager was not to blame in 2003 when she collided with a bicycling physician while riding her in-line skates.” (Peggy Wright, Morristown Daily Record, Mar. 5). Earlier, it was reported: “The girl was knocked to the ground in the collision and bruised, but her parents have not filed a countersuit.” (“Bicyclist sues child roller-skater over accident”, AP/CourtTV, Mar. 1).
“Jury rules for girl in bike-skate crash”
Updating yesterday’s post about a widely discussed New Jersey case: “Deliberating just 15 minutes, a Morris County civil jury at 4 p.m. today declared that a Chester Township teenager was not to blame in 2003 when she collided with a bicycling physician while riding her in-line skates.” (Peggy Wright, Morristown Daily Record, Mar. 5). Earlier, […]
One Comment
I have bicycled to work on & off since 1990 and been and in-skater since 1994. I have also skated to work on occasion. I suspect that in-line skating makes you a pedestrian (skates are shoes with wheels and the movement is closer to walking) so the pedestrian probably should not have been in the street. I realize that some skaters reach speeds of 30 mph, but I don’t think that is the case here. I believe the larger part of the responsibility should be on the cyclist. As the bicycle is considered a vehicle and I assume this doctor had a driver’s license he should bare the greater responsibility for the safety of others. While on my bicycle I notice many other cyclists not do warn of their approach until they are on top of the pedestrian or cyclist. Any warning should be 10 to 20 feet from whoever you are passing. And whatever you are using for a warning has to be something that can actually be heard by the other person. Cyclists need to consider that the other person might be wearing headphones.