REDWOOD CITY — A pickup truck hit and killed a 14-year-old girl Monday morning as she rode her bike to school in what officials said appears to be a horrible accident.
The girl, whose name was not released, was struck around 8:30 a.m. at the intersection of Jefferson Avenue and Alameda de las Pulgas, Redwood City police Sgt. Sean Hart said. She was rushed to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
This is my old city. I used to bicycle extensively there. It breaks my heart to think that this young girl may have been inspired by seeing me riding my bicycle around the city all the time.
She was probably so enthusiastic about riding her bicycle, and believed that she was participating in something greater for the sake of helping our Planet Earth. Her parents probably encouraged her and were happy to see her so enthusiastic about helping the Earth.
And then something brutal and tragic like this happens. And, according to the article, it looks like they are not even finding fault with the driver. I think we have a serious problem. Unless the incident is extremely eggregious, involves flagrant irresponsibility, drivers are almost always left off the hook.
Time and again we are asked to believe that bicyclists just somehow accidently get killed for no reason. Yet anyhone who rides a bicycle knows that there are reasons aplenty. Every day a bicyclist’s life is threatened by hostile and ignorant motorists who, out of impatience, in haste cannot chill out, slow down a bit, allow a little extra space for the bicyclist.
That haste or ignorance results in trauma or death. Who does the government represent? “Law enforcement” is more about maintaining a sick status quo than actually investigating crime.
My prayers go out to this young girl and to her family.
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