Lauren Perdriau Ward
Lauren Perdriau Ward
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Age: 47
Location:
Alpine Road near the on-ramp to northbound Interstate Highway 28
Palo Alto , CA
United States
Lauren Ward was run over and killed by a big-rig truck while biking on Alpine Road. The crash was the third fatal collision for the big rig's driver, Gabriel Manzur Vera. But as with the past crashes he was not charged according to this article.
Vera was also responsible for the death of John Myslin.
Lauren's family filed a lawsuit against the driver.
A rememberance of Lauren's life was plublished in the Mercury News.
Lauren wrote the following 2009 letter to the editor of a local paper:
Rules of the road:
respect, understanding
Wow. It sounds like there is some real resentful, bitter, maybe even
hateful feelings from the two ladies in Los Altos Hills who seem to feel
cyclists are all rule-breakers and do not deserve to ride on the same
roads with cars (Town Crier, Letters to the Editor, Dec. 31 and Jan. 7).
I also live in Los Altos Hills. I drive and ride a bike. I have
children who ride, and one is about to learn how to drive on roads where
unpredictability is in fashion. I have lived here for more than 40
years. I, too, have seen the changes in people’s attitudes on the road.
However, I see it in all walks of travel.
Just so these ladies understand, not all cyclists are bad. I happen
to take great pleasure in chasing someone down, on my bike, when I see
him or her run a light or stop sign. When I catch them, I ask them to
please follow the rules of the road and not endanger others.
However, it’s not just a few cyclists that seem to flagrantly disobey
the laws. Have you noticed that even after all the new flashing
crosswalk lights that have been installed on San Antonio Road,
pedestrians still cross between them?
Unfortunately, I see way more infractions with autos than I do with
cyclists or pedestrians. The police should be heavily enforcing laws to
ensure that automobile drivers obey, and there should be greater fees
and penalties for broken rules. I would suggest a starting penalty of
$200 for driving while on a cell phone and have it escalate from there.
Remember what it may be like to ride a bike alongside cars. Most
people are not out there to ruin your day by getting in your way. A
bicyclist is very vulnerable, like a pedestrian, to any sort of
accident.Why some of these people choose to disregard laws of safety is
beyond me. Maybe it’s Darwin’s theory of natural selection in action?
If we could all have more respect and understanding toward others, life might get a little bit nicer.
Lauren Ward
Los Altos Hills
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Age: 47
Location:
Alpine Road near the on-ramp to northbound Interstate Highway 28
Palo Alto , CA
United States
Lauren Ward was run over and killed by a big-rig truck while biking on Alpine Road. The crash was the third fatal collision for the big rig's driver, Gabriel Manzur Vera. But as with the past crashes he was not charged according to this article.
Vera was also responsible for the death of John Myslin.
Lauren's family filed a lawsuit against the driver.
A rememberance of Lauren's life was plublished in the Mercury News.
Lauren wrote the following 2009 letter to the editor of a local paper:
Rules of the road:
respect, understanding
Wow. It sounds like there is some real resentful, bitter, maybe even
hateful feelings from the two ladies in Los Altos Hills who seem to feel
cyclists are all rule-breakers and do not deserve to ride on the same
roads with cars (Town Crier, Letters to the Editor, Dec. 31 and Jan. 7).
I also live in Los Altos Hills. I drive and ride a bike. I have
children who ride, and one is about to learn how to drive on roads where
unpredictability is in fashion. I have lived here for more than 40
years. I, too, have seen the changes in people’s attitudes on the road.
However, I see it in all walks of travel.
Just so these ladies understand, not all cyclists are bad. I happen
to take great pleasure in chasing someone down, on my bike, when I see
him or her run a light or stop sign. When I catch them, I ask them to
please follow the rules of the road and not endanger others.
However, it’s not just a few cyclists that seem to flagrantly disobey
the laws. Have you noticed that even after all the new flashing
crosswalk lights that have been installed on San Antonio Road,
pedestrians still cross between them?
Unfortunately, I see way more infractions with autos than I do with
cyclists or pedestrians. The police should be heavily enforcing laws to
ensure that automobile drivers obey, and there should be greater fees
and penalties for broken rules. I would suggest a starting penalty of
$200 for driving while on a cell phone and have it escalate from there.
Remember what it may be like to ride a bike alongside cars. Most
people are not out there to ruin your day by getting in your way. A
bicyclist is very vulnerable, like a pedestrian, to any sort of
accident.Why some of these people choose to disregard laws of safety is
beyond me. Maybe it’s Darwin’s theory of natural selection in action?
If we could all have more respect and understanding toward others, life might get a little bit nicer.
Lauren Ward
Los Altos Hills