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Riverfront Times story on Michael Katz

St. Louis' alternative weekly, The Riverfront Times, included a story this week about the cycling death of Michael Katz last year and some other incidents involving cyclists in the St. Louis region.

The story really doesn't tread new ground for those of you who regularly read St. Louis cycling bloggers or cycling forums, but it does a good job of introducing RFT readers to the issues cyclists have encountered in the past year.

The story quotes several people -- including Michael's widow, Susan -- about their concerns that St. Louis County prosecutors dropped the ball in not filing felony charges against Robert Rush, the driver of the vehicle that killed Michael. Here's a quote from the story:

"We felt that the decision that the county prosecutor has made not to pursue a charge of negligent homicide in this case is typical of a prevailing attitude, that inattention on the part of motorists is excusable," says Russ Willis, a member of the (St. Louis Regional) Bicycle Federation's board of directors. "Cyclists do have a right to be on the road, essentially the same rights as motor vehicles, the way they're described in the state statutes."

The story brings up the June accident that killed Jeremy Rowlatt of Ballwin, Mo., the three people injured by a hit-and-run driver during this year's Moonlight Ramble and the controversy involving a guest on Bernie Miklasz's KSLG-AM 1380 radio show in which the guest said the best place for a cyclist was "under my car"

If you're not familiar with the issues here, I encourage you to read the story.

Roger 0 comments 10:43 PM