Driver Hits Pack Of Bicyclists While Drunk, Asleep

MONTERREY, Mexico — A car has plowed into a bike race along a highway near the US-Mexico border, killing one and injuring 10 others.

Police investigator Jose Alfredo Rodriguez says the 28-year-old driver was apparently drunk and fell asleep when he crashed into the race.

A photograph taken by a city official shows bicyclists and equipment being hurled high in to the air by the collision.

Rodriguez says Juan Campos was charged with killing Alejandro Alvarez, 37, of Monterrey.

Authorities say the wreck happened 15 minutes into the race along a highway between Playa Bagdad and Matamoros.

Campos says he is an American citizen living in Brownsville, Texas. U.S. consulate spokesman Todd Huizinga said officials were looking into whether Americans were involved.

Comments

[LafnBacstage]

Cyclist Versus Car, Part Two:

Any time you mix transportation modalities, you are asking for tragedy. To avoid mishaps, pedestrians are prevented from some roadways; aircraft can not taxi on streets; small motorcycles are prevented from using freeways and turnpikes; the list is endless. I feel that cyclists and/or vehicles should be restricted from some roadways thereby preventing a mix of transit modalities. Lane striping is not enough. Raised meridians or separated roads are needed. But how do we pay for this? Vehicles pay road taxes at the gas pump. How can bicyclists contribute to infrastructure improvements? Should road access be determined by ability to pay? Or does society owe all citizens equity access and safe passage to the commons?

[MauricioBabilonia]

1. Cyclists are already prohibited on the vast majority of limited-access roadways.

2. Only about half of the cost of roadways is borne by fuel taxes in most states. The rest is paid out of general tax revenues. Also, most cyclists own cars and pay fuel taxes and licensing fees in addition to income and sales taxes.

3. If motorists don't follow the letter of the law as they imagine cyclists should. That's why over half of cycling fatalities are motorists' fault. Enforce the traffic laws and you'd save more cyclists than you would with medians, and you'd also save a bunch of the 30-some-odd thousand motorists who die every year in roadway crashes.

[AnnaCaroline]

I think the most disgusting thing about this is that people are actually turning this into a debate about cyclists in the street.

This jerkoff was driving while under the influence.

This is all tantamount to "Well, I'm sorry Susie was raped, but she shouldn't ahve been wearing that short skirt."

Drunk drivers can all rot in hell as far as I'm concerned.

[watchingthings]

A drunk driver has no place in society. If he gets behind the wheel of a vehicle-he instantly becomes a mennace.

[doctordawg]

Or if he has multiple DUIs in Maine and Texas, he's elected President.

[LafnBacstage]

Cyclist Versus Car, Part One:

This was an unfortunate tragedy in a sanction race for victims and the perpetrator; a life lost and other lives changed forever. Unfortunately, sh*t happens and outrage follows. I doubt that any law protecting cyclists rights or penalizing drunk driving would have changed this situation.

The problem of cyclist-vehicle relations is not endemic only to Mexico. A recent incident in Australia had a driver pulling in front of a pack of racers and then slamming on his brakes with many bikes rear ending the car; the driver felt justified because the cyclist had delayed the driver. In a different situation a Portland Oregon cyclist felt his cycling rights impeded by a commuter bus so he pulled in front of the bus and prevented its progress. Eventually, several bus passengers tiring of the cyclist's protest forcefully removed the cyclist from the roadway.

My point is there is plenty of arrogance and disrespect to go around. When I bike, I sometimes feel threatened and frustrated by some drivers lack of awareness. When I drive, I am often dismayed by the sense of entitlement by some cyclist and their flagrant disrespect of traffic laws.

Continued.....part two.

[MauricioBabilonia]

While your comment about widespread lack of respect is well-taken, the flagrant disrespect of traffic laws on the part of some cyclists has nothing to do with this crash. This was a legally-sanctioned, police-escorted ride, and there has been no evidence reported that the cyclists were doing anything illegal.

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

Bingo. Succinctly put.

Ironically, the police escort may have been a contributing factor to the accident. (See below, circa 1 pm.)

[lisakaz2]

I thought that photo HAD to be a fake at first. Shocking sight. Often roads are closed for a sanctioned bike race. Were they not able to do that here or did this bozo blow by a roadblock or "protection" for the cyclists.

My condolences to those injured/killed by this fool. Hope he spends a long time in jail.

[guajiro]

Most likely the bozo was speeding. As this road is the only road leading to the beach, drunk drivers coming back from the beach and speeding at well over 100 mph (not kph) is a common occurrence and since it is also the main artery for businesses and people living east of the town of Matamoros, it cannot be closed for any bike race.

[lisakaz2]

Thanks for the explanation.

[Passenger57]

Maybe now it's time to make alcohol as illegal as marijuana...?

[Moxo]

So, will the Right-Wingers who hate foreigners be splashing this headline around: "Drunk American slams into crowd of Mexicans"?

[doodlefarbe]

Moxo asks, "will the Right-Wingers who hate foreigners be splashing this headline around: "Drunk American ..."

Well, given the drunk American's name is "Juan Campos", I'm sure they'll find other excuses...

[Moxo]

Well, given the drunk American's name is "Juan Campos", I'm sure they'll find other excuses...
------------------------
If Panama-Juan McCain becomes POTUS, I guess the GOP rhetoric against those born south of our border will be toned down!

[thos]

That didn't take long.

[RicTexas]

Not all...they'll just remind you that drunk driving illegal aliens kill Americans everyday.

[thebanana]

Whatever the Mexican police say happened, you can bet on just the opposite to be true.

[Moxo]

I'm sure Lou Dobbs will report that a bunch of sober Mexicans attacked a drunk Amerocan motorist.

[doodlefarbe]

"Lou Dobbs will report that a bunch of sober Mexicans attacked a drunk Amerocan motorist."

Headline: "Notorious Mexican Ten-Speed Mafia Strikes Again!"

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

I just blew up the photo!

The black and white is a POLICE CAR !!!!

On the WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD !!!

[doodlefarbe]

Hi RIMR, I've read followed your posts below, but look at weight distriubtion/chassis angle of the cop car. Looks like he had swerved out a bit to his left and is currently (at the time of the photo) swerving back toward his right. I think he was shadowing the lead racers in the center-most oncoming lane of the motorist, who likely was expected to have passed by the race on the right-most oncoming.

In other words, the cop was there to make oncoming motorists use the far right lane instead of the center-right lane nearer the cyclists.

Not sure about all the claims of the Mexican authorities, of course they could be lying to save face, but that's how I read the photo.

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

Points well taken.

Perhaps it's a 4-lane road (as opposed to a 2-lane with wide shoulders), and the police car is still in the oncoming lane, even if the oncoming fast lane if two. Doing what? Encouraging 2 lanes of oncoming traffic to squeeze into 1? By driving head-on at 30 mph?

Perhaps there's a small swerve in the police car chassis, but if so, it's understandable, and truly minor.

[doodlefarbe]

Dang, phalangeal dyselxia (sic) strikes again.

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

HOLY SHIT !!!!!!

I just blew up the photo!

The black and white is a POLICE CAR !!!!

On the WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD !!!

H-O-L-Y SHIT !!!

[wadenelson1]

And instead of ramming the drunk driver and possibly saving cyclists lives, instead he allows the motorist to head right into the pack. Great work Jose.

[lisakaz2]

Maybe he was the escort and the drunk driver was going too fast to be stopped. The local who posted above gave me some insight on speed that might explain this.

[serialcoma]

The police car was escorting the riders in a sanctioned ride that has taken place in this location for several years.. the drunk was trying to avoid the police.

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

(Part 2 of 2)

Next, another story says the Mexican authorities have asserted the driver of the impact car "admitted" to being on COCAINE. I guess he didn't get the drunk and sleepy memo. And they're holding off on the story alleging epilepsy until the next news cycle.
http://www.kgbt4.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=142039

The Mexican authorities are talking out of their *asses. Do they even have a BAC test?

BTW, I have read nothing to suggest this was a "closed course."

This guy doesn't just need a lawyer. He needs C-o-l-u-m-b-o.

(JUAN CAMPOS or his friends: Please post contact info. I have colleagues who do accident reconstruction professionally. This was indeed a tragedy. But I know there's more going on here.)

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

As a lifelong cyclist, and a licensed Professional Engineer with a hobby in engineering forensics, I must point out that the photo shows a black and white car on the WRONG SIDE of the road, apparently PASSING the peleton.

THAT car would have been oncoming at the impact vehicle.

Ya think THAT mighta had something to do with it?

Note also the speed limit sign. 60. It's a long straightaway. It's 8:30 AM on a clear and sunny Sunday morning. Dry road.

Which implies the peleton WOULD have seen the guy coming had he been on the wrong side for more than a split second and hit the ditch. See theory about black car.

SO CLEARLY THE IMPACT VEHICLE DRIVER WAS A-W-A-K-E, and had perfectly normal reactions to an ONCOMING CAR that itself may have just popped out from BEHIND the peleton. Last, note the ANGLE of the impact vehicle. And NO SKID MARKS. Again, the dude was NOT asleep. He was REACTING.

(Part 1 of 2)

[CaptainObvious]

Given the choice between hitting the car or the cyclists, I would have hit the car. If the oncoming car was passing the cyclists, I would have veered off of the R-I-G-H-T side of the road. And the fact that there were no skid marks lends credibility to the suggestion that he was drunk, on drugs, or sleeping, or all of the above. Presumably, if he had been alert, he would have locked up his brakes when he saw the oncoming cyclists.

That being said, there is no evidence in this photo that would conclusively indicate the the driver was trying to avoid hitting the black car - perhaps the black car was trying to avoid hitting him.

The photo does provide evidence that there was no police escort for these cyclists as there would be if they had an event in the States. So, at best, I think perhaps the Mexican gov't and the driver would share some blame in this.

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

Assuming our posts are passing, and per above you haven't seen the police car yet....

I'd like to think I too would have swerved RIGHT.

But the sedan driver's looking at one clear lane on the far right or -- mistakenly -- two on the left. And I don't think anyone operating on instinct, impaired or not, can be expected to absorb a head-on crash.

The lack of skid marks speaks to underestimating the speed of the oncoming bikes, while trying to tuck back in behind the police car. Maybe.

[wadenelson1]

There's one cyclist who didn't get hit, standing by the side of the road.

He was probably the lead cyclist.

Riding in a peloton it's entirely possible he was the ONLY one who saw the car approaching.

All I see in the pelo is the wheel of the guy in front of me. Except when I'm in the front of it.

[WasteNJ]

I ride a BMX bike everyday and most drivers are just a-holes to riders. No respect, room, or consideration. Many are on the phone or just not paying any attention, so as we say, we've got to keep "our heads on a swivel".
My rule is, if you're close enough to me that I can spit on your car, you're too close.

[WAstateliberal]

I think we need more bike lanes. I live in a small, fairly back-water community, and it is not safe for anyone to ride here. Not just because of our epidemic of oversized trucks, but no room. Seriously, if we want people to drive less, we have to share the road.

[newworldman777]

I have been wishing for some time that engineers had had the forsight to design our roadways with bike lanes. That would have required such designs to have been given high priority regarding the allocation of taxpayer money. Of course, I am sure that the added expense prohibited the construction of such amenities; but with the rapid rise in fuel prices, I for one would gladly ride my bike around town, if I could ride in safe lanes to avoid the idiot drivers who have no respect for cyclists.

New bycle designs with carbon fiber shells -- for reducing wind friction -- enable them to cruise along at remarkable speeds. It's a shame that we don't have many safe roadways on which to ride our bicycles.

[Economike]

Amen I commute by bike to Downtown LA everyday and people are outragousely rude, I can't wait till the cell phone law takes effect next month. Those damn SUV's hog a whole lane also.

[doodlefarbe]

"I ride a BMX bike everyday and most drivers are just a-holes to riders. No respect, room, or consideration. "

I also ride a lot and while a lot of drivers are either jerks (purposefully) or just dangerously inattentive, I'd also like to point out how angry I get at other cyclists who fail to follow the ROTR.

People like me (and you, I presume and hope) who follow the rules get less respect from auto drivers at least in some part due to the multitude of cyclists who refuse to follow the rules. If a cyclists can't be expected to stop at a stop sign, or seem to think they have an inherent right to run through red lights (while the cars sit there), how can they demand respect from the motorists?

[vmonter]

Because stop signs and stop lights have no impact to other motorists, presuming the path is clear and you are not obstructing traffic by doing what all cars wish they could do.

When cars cut off bikes, or when cars do not give bikes space, (and vice versa) is disrespectful.

If we're both approaching a stop sign, and there are no cars elsewhere to be seen at all, and the bike blazes through it, well you're not being disrespected, you're just jealous. ;)

[OhioJan]

Well, since this Campos idiot was drunk-driving in Mexico, HOPEFULLY they will sent him to a Mexican prison for LIFE! Maybe THAT would be a "wakeup call" to crack down on DD's and those recidivist DD's! We ALL know better than to drive drunk, some are allowed to get away with it - even AFTER they've kiiled innocent people (ie: Lorain County, OHIO!!!)!

And to YOU "people" who say the bikers shouldn't have been on the road, you're refusing to use common sense: Oraganizers of events like this ALWAYS take precautions to block off traffic - USUALLY traffic flowing TOWARDS the bike path. They just didn't factor into the path or race for this idiot drunk driver! I used to ride a similar route for Muscular Distrophy every year in the late 70's...We NEVER had to worry about being murdered by a drunk driver - NOW a-days, we DO!!!!

[KOisGod]

I suggest we take every A-hole who is a drug addict, acoholic, wife abuser and whatever else ails their infintile moronic minds, and dress them up in a GI Joe uni' and drop them off in downtown Baghdad in one of their favorite stupors.

And wish them luck

[Kenji]

Isn't that the Bush Doctrine?

[FrankenPC]

I'm an alcoholic. And I've never driven while drunk. I've paid a LOT in taxi fees to be sure. In my mind, when you know you have a disease, there is no excuse to do stupid things like driving while drunk. Just like having unprotected sex while infected with AIDS. It's a choice.

[zenlikejen]

I was kinda suprised at all of the comments that stated bikes don't belong on roadways - so if they'd all been in cars and this drunk douche hit them head on - that would be fine with you? As gas prices continue to climb, we ALL need to be more aware of what's on the road these days - bikes & scooters are going to be more popular.

[WAstateliberal]

Agreed. I don't have a bike, but I respect those who do. They are not contributing to our current energy crisis.

[Economike]

Yeah and if your on a motorcycle you can catch up and kick there side view mirrors off.

[Forester]

I clicked on this image to register my complaint. This is a tragic event, and IMO an image only makes it prurient.