In Memoriam Johnny Gaudreau & Matthew Gaudreau killed by drunk driver while cycling (MOD WARNING. No Flaming, Trolling, or Politics.)

[Frank Drebin]

That is just complete bullshit. Your roads are definitely up to par for cyclists. What isn't up to par is your driving habits, drivers education and overall attitude. This is coming from a northern european who has spent months in north america and closely observed the driving culture around europe, asia and north america.

this road really wasn't up to par for sharing the road with cyclists. I don't know if you saw the picture from google maps but it had less than a foot of shoulder before it went to a gravel ditch.

 

[JKG33]

That is just complete bullshit. Your roads are definitely up to par for cyclists. What isn't up to par is your driving habits, drivers education and overall attitude. This is coming from a northern european who has spent months in north america and closely observed the driving culture around europe, asia and north america.

Nah this ain't it. North America and Europe are designed completely different.

For everyone's safety and sanity bikes belong in dedicated bike lanes where they aren't interrupting the flow of traffic. As a cyclist I have no interest in being on the same section of road as a motorist for my own safety

 

[B33R LEAGUE]

Apparently Laine had a charity organization with Johnny.

I wonder if they were close. I know Monahan was close to Johnny.

I feel terrible for Laine. Sounded like he was just getting over his fathers passing.

 

[norrisnick]

Except that there have now been several clarifications that the comment was explicit and to be taken at face value.

If you’re not willing to accept that, it’s a matter of putting words in my mouth and I can’t help you with that.

Again, tagging on "no offense" doesn't make a statement not offensive.

If you don't understand that a statement of “X is a dangerous place to be, I would avoid it because of incidents like this one” doesn't come packaged with an implicit judgment of someone that would choose to be there, maybe just keep it to yourself.

If a choice shouldn't have been made yesterday evening it was to drink and drive recklessly. Taking a bike-ride with your brother is not a bad choice to make.

 

[Waterbuf]

Awful tragedy.

Dont want to get into bickering about the logistics of what happened but will say that after reading the description of the incident, I couldn't help but wonder how safe of a road it is to be cycling on. I live in a city with a lot of cycling infrastructure and cyclists, I'm a cyclist, and I am pretty picky about the streets I'm willing to ride my bike on. Please don't read this as victim blaming of any kind, just reflecting on bike safety and you can't trust the strangers you're sharing the road with.

 

[TheBeard]

I'm the kind of person who wants to view prisons as more reformation than punishment, but this guy is pretty irredeemable with the information that he was actively drinking when driving. It may just be IMO but actively drinking while driving is a step up from just driving drunk.

I didn’t read he was drinking while driving. Is this true?

 

[takimaki]

That is just complete bullshit. Your roads are definitely up to par for cyclists. What isn't up to par is your driving habits, drivers education and overall attitude. This is coming from a northern european who has spent months in north america and closely observed the driving culture around europe, asia and north america.

That’s the problem. Our roads are designed for sensible, responsible drivers. We have to either completely redesign them for the large proportion of irresponsible, low skill, selfish drivers now quickly becoming the norm; get serious about changing that through policy (much better drivers ed, enforcement, etc) or more realistically do a mix of both.

 

[GirardSpinorama]

Self driving cars cant come soon enough. Its ridiculous how much burden the government puts on tech like self driving when everyone knows its easier to improve tech than remove morons like this guy.

 

[dire wolf]

As a hockey fan and human being, I am horrified and saddened by this. I've been a Johnny Hockey fan since his college days.

As a cyclist, this pisses me off beyond words.

 

[M88K]

Awful tragedy.

Dont want to get into bickering about the logistics of what happened but will say that after reading the description of the incident, I couldn't help but wonder how safe of a road it is to be cycling on. I live in a city with a lot of cycling infrastructure and cyclists, I'm a cyclist, and I am pretty picky about the streets I'm willing to ride my bike on. Please don't read this as victim blaming of any kind, just reflecting on bike safety and you can't trust the strangers you're sharing the road with.

There's a picture of the road earlier in the thread. It's a typical rural road with a thin shoulder

 

[GirardSpinorama]

That’s the problem. Our roads are designed for sensible, responsible drivers. We have to either completely redesign them for the large proportion of irresponsible, low skill, selfish drivers now quickly becoming the norm; get serious about changing that through policy (much better drivers ed, enforcement, etc) or more realistically do a mix of both.

Self driving cars.

 

[Three On Zero]

this road really wasn't up to par for sharing the road with cyclists. I don't know if you saw the picture from google maps but it had less than a foot of shoulder before it went to a gravel ditch.

If the original vehicle is moving over to give the cyclists room, the road is not adequate for cyclist safety

 

[TheBeard]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1829571326149005813

That one got me. NGL

 

[alliuk12]

Ok, well, now double all that since he took two souls

But look at the damage to the children wife mother father grand parents just so he could pass another vehicle on the road

 

[NyQuil]

If the original vehicle is moving over to give the cyclists room, the road is not adequate for cyclist safety

I recall one time giving a cyclist 2m of room only to have a cyclist going the other way give me the finger for veering into the middle of the road. They clearly didn't see the other cyclist that my car had blocked visually.

It's crowded out there.

In any event, this case is a pretty cut and dried case of reckless driving, driving while intoxicated and vehicular homicide.

 

[S E P H]

Alcohol isn’t the problem. I do think America has a weird drinking culture though.

My thoughts are if somebody is DUI-ing, they have had a problem with alcohol for a long time (except if you are a Pejorative Slured kid). It's like when a judge told my friend after a speeding ticket that if you got caught speeding, then you have sped for most if not all your life...you just got caught that "one time."

Alcohol is a relaxant, especially in people with traumatic memories. It is for people who do not wish to go to a psychologist/psychiatrist. The biggest loser in all of this is that mental illness is still being given a negative position in the Western world society. I truly believe we all face our own mental demons, going to get it fixed by a psychologist instead of deepening your sorrows in alcohol is the right way to do things. I wish more people realised that.

 

[SoupNazi]

I didn’t read he was drinking while driving. Is this true?

The police report says he admitted to drinking while he was driving.

 

[Frank Drebin]

Self driving cars.

I think one day we will look at auto deaths the same way we do about smallpox deaths.

 

[guitarguyvic]

Driving like this guy was is predatory. And you see it on the roads regularly. These are people who have no f***ing regard for the comfort, safety, or well being of others. I’m sure some of them are simply Neanderthals who can’t comprehend that their two ton block of metal can actually kill someone, but ignorance/stupidity has never been a valid defense for criminal acts. f*** these people, both aggressive and drunk driving should be felonies first offense.

 

[Xirik]

You know what really sucks? There’s no way states or the fed gov will ever impose harsher penalties on DD because of how much money the liquor industry brings in. Bars wouldn’t want it either because people would, you know, actually drink less. they could always make parking free and rideshare Pennies on the dollar but again these companies that profit would never go for it.

If we teach kids early in life about the dangers of drunk driving early in life before they ever get behind a wheel we can definitely make a difference. For me personally those times peoples from MADD came to talk to my school or class stayed with me to this day.

Even if it looks impossible we shouldn't surrender and stop pushing for change through our Government. If we give up nothing will change, However if we keep on trying there is always a chance.

 

[TheBeard]

The police report says he admitted to drinking while he was driving.

Life in prison. No parole.

 

[Three On Zero]

I recall one time giving a cyclist 2m of room only to have a cyclist going the other way give me the finger for veering into the middle of the road. They clearly didn't see the other cyclist that my car had blocked visually.

It's crowded out there.

In any event, this case is a pretty cut and dried case of reckless driving, driving while intoxicated and vehicular homicide.

Unfortunate incidents like this highlight issues with our infrastructure. We can’t control drunk drivers, people have free will over what they do. What we can control is how we build our roadways

 

[Matty Sundin]

His 2021-22 season was one of the most impressive seasons in the post lock out era. He was a monster….

GP: 82
G: 40
A: 75
Pts: 115
……..
Even strength points: 90
+\-: + 64

RIP Johnny Hockey. Was never much of Flames fan but he was always on my radar ever since he entered the league. It was hard not to admire Johnny regardless of what team you cheer for.

 

[M88K]

I recall one time giving a cyclist 2m of room only to have a cyclist going the other way give me the finger for veering into the middle of the road. They clearly didn't see the other cyclist that my car had blocked visually.

It's crowded out there.

In any event, this case is a pretty cut and dried case of reckless driving, driving while intoxicated and vehicular homicide.

In general cyclists are like every asshole car driver. They just don't have near the level of destruction at their fingertips

 

[Fish on The Sand]

I've always felt conflicted about drunk drivers. On one hand, when thinking of it rationally, I do believe that more often than not it's someone who is making a huge mistake, rather than being a bad person at heart.

Then again, when anything of this sort happens, I can't help but feel immense amount of anger about how one can so selfishly put the lives of other in danger. Although I've never had issues with alcohol myself, it's a touchy subject because of certain family members, so I'm probably unable to really think of it subjectively.

In any case, rest in peace Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau, and may their families find some peace.

I generally take the same position. Most drivers who are drunk made a true error in judgement and it was a true mistake. These people usually end up with a DUI and learn their lesson the hard way, but ultimately nothing besides their pocketbooks is harmed.

Sometimes though, like this case, it's not a simple judgement error with disastrous consequences.

This is a callous indifference for human life. It's so far beyond the pale that question if he truly feels any guilt, and also suspect that had there not been witnesses, would have fled the scene.