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

[swiftwin]

To be fair, a person stating to use caution or be proactive when doing certain activities isn’t necessarily judging the victims. Some might be trying to foster an environment where there are less potential victims.

Except is definitely is judging the victims.

Everyone knows that getting hit by a car as a cyclist is often deadly, and everyone knows that visibility is reduced at night.

They obviously knew the risks, as does anyone who does this.

 

[Zerotonine]

This thread sounds like many many people have never drove after 5 beers - that is a positive surprise out of this terrible news.

The guy allegedly failed road side sobriety test. Will have to wait for more information.

I'm still baffled any body would be riding bikes on that road any time let alone at night.

Also sounds like the driver was clipping along prettty fast.

 

[tarheelhockey]

The air where you tossed it.

Words have meanings. Even when misused (the inherently in the post I'm quoting right now for one). And statements have meanings, explicit and/or implicit. What isn't said can be just as direct as what is said.

"X is a dangerous place to be, I would avoid it because of incidents like this one."

What's the implication about the person that does choose to be at X? By saying it is dangerous and you wouldn't choose to be there, you've already made a value judgment of X. You don't need to say the extra words. What you've said lets everyone know how you feel. You just don't like being called out on it so you hide behind "But I didn't say that!".

Again, I have directly said a LOT of times in this thread that the driver is 100% accountable for what happened here. There’s no blame transfer going on.

The fact that you’re literally telling me I don’t feel the way I feel, and you concluded this from a thing I didn’t say, is completely ****ing insane. I cannot help you if this is how you interact with people.

 

[swiftwin]

I mean, if I were in that situation I’d be absolutely mortified and despondent over taking the lives of two people due to my own recklessness, I wouldn’t be responding with an exacerbated sigh as if I were a teenager that just got told I couldn’t go out with my friends tonight

Yeah, that's super f***ed up. At first I thought "this guy must feel horrible", but he clearly does not. f*** him. Let him rot in jail.

 

[Hanji]

The fact that you find this surprising is concerning to me. I think I've only ever known one person to do this.

To be clear I'm not implying that you do this.

Actually I find it surprising also. I'm from Wisconsin. Sadly, drunk driving is almost a way of life here.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

I’m not sure about the States, but if this happened in Canada and the guy pleaded guilty, he’d honestly probably be sentenced to 3-5 years, which is an absolute joke.

From what I've read about Canadian laws, he'd barely serve even a year. To say the Canadian legal system is a joke isn't even accurate, it's far worse than a joke.

 

[ManofSteel55]

This thread sounds like many many people have never drove after 5 beers - that is a positive surprise out of this terrible news.

Or some have and learned the hard way...

 

[TheBeard]

Not sure if posted, but if anyone feels like donating to Matthew's wife Madeline and their unborn child, here's the gofundme

Donate to Support Madeline and Baby Tripp After Tragedy, organized by Friends of Madeline

We are heartbroken to share the devastating news that the Gaudreau … Friends of Madeline needs your support for Support Madeline and Baby Tripp After Tragedy

www.gofundme.com

 

[Pavel10]

From what I've read about Canadian laws, he'd barely serve even a year. To say the Canadian legal system is a joke isn't even accurate, it's far worse than a joke.

It's worse than that in Canada. Some people don't even have to go to prison. They have alternative arrangements based on background.

 

[Coffey]

This just tears me up so much...

 

[Cloned]

Except is definitely is judging the victims.

Everyone knows that getting hit by a car as a cyclist is often deadly, and everyone knows that visibility is reduced at night.

They obviously knew the risks, as does anyone who does this.

I don’t necessarily agree.

We tell our children to be careful around strangers. We tell adults to hike in groups. These aren’t statements made in judgment, they’re words of advice given in the hopes of avoiding tragedy and grief.

 

[PaulD]

I believe these stats. Nobody thinks about the length of prison sentence they will get if they get caught or hurt someone, because people who drive drunk don't think they will be caught or hurt someone. Simple as that.

yup

 

[93LEAFS]

Actually I find it surprising also. I'm from Wisconsin. Sadly, drunk driving is almost a way of life here.

I would expect it to be much more common in areas that are rural, exurban or suburban. Not that it makes it any more justifiable, just a reality of places where people primarily rely on cars as their mode of transportation compared to dense cities where there are a plethora of transportation options.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

I don't know if this was already posted, but the entire police report is here:

NJ man charged in deaths of NHL star and brother who were in town for family wedding

The 43-year-old New Jersey man charged with vehicular homicide in the deaths of National Hockey League star Johnny Gaudreau and his younger brother, Matthew, allegedly caused the crash because he had been, and still was, drinking, and that made him both reckless and impatient, according to a...

www.nbcnewyork.com

This POS was drinking WHILE driving after already consuming alcohol elsewhere. He reportedly approached the two slowed-down vehicles at a "high rate of speed" and then apparently gunned it to the right of them after they moved over to avoid the cyclists.

He also has a prior DWI from 2005.

Also loved to speed. But yeah he seemed more concerned about telling them being drunk and driving made him impatient and angry, like really? How about the fact that getting behind the wheel while drunk was already a crime, you don't get to act like it was a f***ing inconvenience. What a piece of shit all around.

 

[ManofSteel55]

From what I've read about Canadian laws, he'd barely serve even a year. To say the Canadian legal system is a joke isn't even accurate, it's far worse than a joke.

I don't know what he would serve, it depends on how they charged it - Dangerous Operation of a Motor Vehicle Causing Death can be up to 14 years, or Impaired Driving Causing Death can get life in prison. I won't pretend to know what actually would happen, but that's right from a lawyer's website, so there is a small chance that he could get a more harsh punishment than a year.

 

[PaulD]

Just gross. Internet anonymity can bring out the absolute worst in people.

in some people. Yes

 

[Honour Over Glory]

I don't know what he would serve, it depends on how they charged it - Dangerous Operation of a Motor Vehicle Causing Death can be up to 14 years, or Impaired Driving Causing Death can get life in prison. I won't pretend to know what actually would happen, but that's right from a lawyer's website, so there is a small chance that he could get a more harsh punishment than a year.

I googled a few cases just now and there's some where there's no jail time at all.

 

[ChiHawks10]

I'm obviously exaggerating a little bit. I even admit to it in that last paragraph. But you're also exaggerating in the opposite direction, cherry picking extreme examples that form a small minority of accidents.

Way too many people default to "There was nothing I could do about it, it was an accident" when in reality, the vast majority of the time, it should be "I had a small lapse in judgement at an inopportune moment, I should have acted/reacted better".

These errors are on a very very long sliding scale, ranging from not recognizing that the truck in front of you has unsecured cargo, to forgetting to scan the sides of the road for wild animals to forgetting to check a blind spot, to texting and driving, to driving aggressively, to driving drunk and overtaking on the right. Some are forgivable and understandable, but as you slide up that scale, they become less so. People need to make an honest effort every day to stay as close as possible to one end of that scale. Too many people don't give a shit, and when they cause a crash, calling it an "accident" absolves themselves of that responsibility. We need to stop using that word.

I'm not so much exaggerating as refuting the idea that you stated, that accidents essentially don't exist in any form. That any and all of these things comes down to recklessness and poor choices. That's irrevocably untrue.

Yeah, they're on a sliding scale. You don't have to recognize it has unsecured cargo. A strap can break and something falls off. Or again, wind blows something into the road. These are acts outside of your control that can cause an "accident". And you say these are just extreme examples that form a small minority of accidents... well I've witness all of these wrecks related to my examples first-hand, and I'm 40 years old. If they were that much of minority as you're depicting, that wouldn't be the case.

Accidents do exist. There's no reason to get rid of the word or idea behind it.

This tragedy is obviously not an accident, in case I needed to point that out.

 

[ManofSteel55]

I googled a few cases just now and there's some where there's no jail time at all.

That's absolutely pathetic. It makes me sad.

 

[Kimota]

This breaks my heart in a thousand pieces. Johnny's sister was about to get married today. Both brothers dies. Leaves his pregnant wife and their kids. I cannot imagine anything worse.

My sympathies to the family and friends. May the Heavens welcome you with open arms Johnny and Mathews Gaudreau.

 

[Lshap]

View attachment 904131
This is my mood.

I respect honest expressions of emotion ("I'm feeling sad and angry because of this tragedy!"). I don't respect using this tragedy as an excuse to dump outrage and blame onto the general public. Too many people get too much pleasure out of scouring the internet, searching for people to hate. It's social media at its worst.

 

[Maurice of Orange]

This tragedy happened only 20 minutes from my house.

I haven’t posted yet in this thread, still trying to find the words.

See the pictures at Hollydell Arena and it tells you how much the Gaudeau brothers meant to southern New Jersey.

This is incredibly saddening.

 

[swiftwin]

I don’t necessarily agree.

We tell our children to be careful around strangers. We tell adults to hike in groups. These aren’t statements made in judgment, they’re words of advice given in the hopes of avoiding tragedy and grief.

Except we don't have any facts. For all we know, they could have had full reflective gear, lights and everything.

Unless your suggestion is simply to not bike at all?

 

[New User Name]

I googled a few cases just now and there's some where there's no jail time at all.

and I'm sure you can find cases in the US and elsewhere where no jail time is served.

That said this isn't about bashing Canada for lax prison sentences.

 

[Hanji]

I would expect it to be much more common in areas that are rural, exurban or suburban. Not that it makes it any more justifiable, just a reality of places where people primarily rely on cars as their mode of transportation compared to dense cities where there are a plethora of transportation options.

Without question. A cursory google search shows the worst drunk driving states are rural. Montana, N and S Dakota, Wyoming, etc.
There is also a cultural acceptance to it too, which is quite prevalent where I'm from. Albeit it's rightfully dying out with younger generations.