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

[Crosby2010]

Was seeing some on Twitter suggesting they should rename the Lady Byng in Gaudreau's honour. I think that would be a really nice thing

I get it, I think though that there is often these snap emotional decisions that are made or suggested. Kobe Bryant dying in 2020 I can remember brought out the idea that it should be him that is the silhouette for the NBA logo. Well, an equally famous Laker - Jerry West - is the guy with that honour and he was an all-time great. West died recently and led a long life but other than having to trademark an entirely new logo it isn't right to strip it away from someone who rightfully has it in the first place. In Gaudreau's case I know he won the Byng once, and he was a clean player but I am not sure there aren't a couple of dozen guys you might pick to rename it after, despite Gaudreau's sad ending.

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

Some people in here are actually supporting drinking and driving...serious?

 

[Hippasus]

Why are you just assuming he has mental health issues with absolutely no reason to think so? Some people are just vile. We don’t have to try to frame every single person as some kind of mental health victim to explain their actions. Go watch the guy’s court appearance on YouTube. I just watched it. He doesn’t give a single f***, just like I predicted in the post you quoted. He sat there emotionless, and the only thing he was concerned about was whether he had to spend the weekend in jail. Literally the only time there was any emotion on his face was when he looked annoyed when the judge told him he’ll be in custody until next Thursday. An absolute POS, just like I knew he would be. I think we can drop the devil’s advocate routine at this point. The guy is simply a sociopath, not some poor mental health victim.

I don't see it. He seems like a jerk, but I'm trying to look at the picture of how can these sorts of events be prevented in the future. He was being lectured to by the judge and seems to lack empathy. That's not so unusual. It think the mental health angle stands.

 

[ChiHawks10]

Some people in here are actually supporting drinking and driving...serious?

I haven't really seen anyone "supporting" it. Just people pointing out that it's actually a relatively normalized thing in the US. Which it is, and has been for some time.

 

[NotWendell]

I think we might also need to take a look at our sports culture. Our video boards promote people who chug down a 16oz beer with everyone cheering. Some of those fans need to drive home that night. I like 1-2 drinks as much as the next guy, but promoting excess has bothered me for a long time. It bothers me more tonight.

 

[BlueSeal]

Some people in here are actually supporting drinking and driving...serious?

Of course, it's not their fault that they don't take responsibility for their actions. It's always someone else or something else's fault that caused what happened. I'm waiting patiently for folks to start blaming Alcohol Companies for this. We got people blaming cars in general, bikes in general but few are holding the driver accountable. It's crazy.

 

[AKL]

I get it, I think though that there is often these snap emotional decisions that are made or suggested. Kobe Bryant dying in 2020 I can remember brought out the idea that it should be him that is the silhouette for the NBA logo. Well, an equally famous Laker - Jerry West - is the guy with that honour and he was an all-time great. West died recently and led a long life but other than having to trademark an entirely new logo it isn't right to strip it away from someone who rightfully has it in the first place. In Gaudreau's case I know he won the Byng once, and he was a clean player but I am not sure there aren't a couple of dozen guys you might pick to rename it after, despite Gaudreau's sad ending.

Yeah unfortunately not really practical to start renaming things every time a beloved athlete passes.

I think without a doubt all teams should wear patches on their jerseys this year. That feels like the bare minimum. Not sure about jersey retirement, I'll leave that discussion to CBJ and CGY fans. I'd like to see a bit more done this season to honor him, I'm just not totally sure what that looks like.

 

[Three On Zero]

Some people in here are actually supporting drinking and driving...serious?

I think it’s more so people are admitting that it’s a societal norm. We don’t support it but we know it happens far too often.

 

[Squiffy]

I’m gonna sound insensitive and don’t think I’m picking on you, but there’s something weirdly funny about using the phrase “still crushing them” when talking about a guy who killed two people. I sorta laughed in a weird, perverse way.

Yuck, ya sorry, bad verbiage

 

[snag]

I get it, I think though that there is often these snap emotional decisions that are made or suggested. Kobe Bryant dying in 2020 I can remember brought out the idea that it should be him that is the silhouette for the NBA logo. Well, an equally famous Laker - Jerry West - is the guy with that honour and he was an all-time great. West died recently and led a long life but other than having to trademark an entirely new logo it isn't right to strip it away from someone who rightfully has it in the first place. In Gaudreau's case I know he won the Byng once, and he was a clean player but I am not sure there aren't a couple of dozen guys you might pick to rename it after, despite Gaudreau's sad ending.

Additionally...renaming the Lady Byng trophy would be a MAJOR disrespect to Viscount Byng of Vimy who donated it in honour of his wife.

These aren't just the NHLs trophies to rename.

 

[tarheelhockey]

People who are selfish enough to drive drunk often don’t feel bad about who they hurt. It takes a certain kind of person to get behind the wheel drunk, and that type of person often does not give a f*** about anyone else; they only care about themselves

There are a ton of degenerates out there and perhaps this guy is one of them, but I suspect that drunk drivers in general are pretty much just ordinary people without any special selfish personality trait. The problem is that alcohol by its very nature impairs people’s judgment, so they’re evaluating their choices and safety/danger dynamics through a fuzzy filter.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I think calling this an accident, like a lot of people are doing, is being way too generous. This was some version of murder. This guy will almost surely get off from being charged with some degree of intent to kill due to the alcohol he had consumed, but I don't know if I believe alcohol excuses someone who believes they can drive in a manner that shows such a flagrant disregard for rules of the road that very realistically can cause some sort of crash. Would be interested to know what his driving history was like. Has he ever passed someone on the right? Does he speed past cars while passing? If these are normal things for him, I think you have a good idea that the alcohol is only the excuse that will mitigate the amount of jail time he faces.

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

Of course, it's not their fault that they don't take responsibility for their actions. It's always someone else or something else's fault that caused what happened. I'm waiting patiently for folks to start blaming Alcohol Companies for this. We got people blaming cars in general, bikes in general but few are holding the driver accountable. It's crazy.

It's the same thing everytime, until the law changes it unfortunately will never change. Guilty party costs innocent people their lives - in this case 2 innocent people their lives.

The guilty individual will walk away with a slap on the wrist and be able to drive within weeks or months and carry on with their life as if it was a minor accident.

When are these people who are choosing to drive while intoxicated costing other people their lives going to start being thrown in jail for murder? It's not 1st degree murder with intent but it's definitely murder because they killed someone.

Put them in jail for life or give them the death sentence on death row. Then just maybe people will finally think twice about getting behind the wheel when drunk. Until a serious law is enforced this will continue to happen.

 

[Fish on The Sand]

There are a ton of degenerates out there and perhaps this guy is one of them, but I suspect that drunk drivers in general are pretty much just ordinary people without any special selfish personality trait. The problem is that alcohol by its very nature impairs people’s judgment, so they’re evaluating their choices and safety/danger dynamics through a fuzzy filter.

You can usually tell somebody who misjudged their abilities and somebody who didn't care.

Those people will not be driving recklessly independent of their impairment in the vast majority of cases.

I'm this situation tough I get the impression he was an already reckless driver made even worse by being significantly impaired.

I won't be shocked if we find out his BAC is close to double the limit.

 

[AKL]

It's the same thing everytime, until the law changes it unfortunately will never change. Guilty party costs innocent people their lives - in this case 2 innocent people their lives.

The guilty individual will walk away with a slap on the wrist and be able to drive within weeks or months and carry on with their life as if it was a minor accident.

When are these people who are choosing to drive while intoxicated costing other people their lives going to start being thrown in jail for murder? It's not 1st degree murder with intent but it's definitely murder because they killed someone.

Put them in jail for life or give them the death sentence on death row. Then just maybe people will finally think twice about getting behind the wheel when drunk. Until a serious law is enforced this will continue to happen.

The way murder is defined by law, in most states, requires intent, which is why this type of stuff often ends up in vehicular homicide or manslaughter charges, which carry much leaner sentences.

I like the states that have 3rd degree murder definitions, because they allow for harsher sentences without requiring intent like 1st and 2nd degree murder do. Unfortunately only 3 states have 3rd degree murder definitions.

 

[tarheelhockey]

I assume you're speaking only to the bolded part. But the first sentence that you ignored speaks directly to the rural areas. For your second retort, of course protected bike lanes are not practical in rural areas, but the need is still present in urban and suburban areas.

I agree about needing protected lanes in urban and suburban areas. In particular, many suburban areas threw down roads as quickly and cheaply as possible, and the lack of cycling safety is one of the ways they are paying the price for poor quality infrastructure.

Lastly, I've been a long distance cyclist who trains on rural roads for 16 years now. Chances are good I know just as much about this topic as you.

It sounds like both of us are aware that exercise/leisure is the main reason you’d find someone biking on a country road.

 

[T REX]

Such a shame. RIP. For those advocating for more bike lanes or better roads that allow for safe cycling just need to read any of the comment sections of a Pittsburgh newspaper. They don't want them. They are actually very hostile to bike lanes in Pittsburgh. I have family there and follow the local newspapers online and was just there 3 weeks ago. I also just returned from Amsterdam, and it is great how bike friendly that city is. I'm not criticizing Penguins fans or your city so please do not take it as such. I'm just stating facts.

I'll add to this post. There have been several articles(locally) about the Tamps/St Pete area being one of the most dangerous areas to bike and the comment sections on these articles are abhorrent. I am talking about ppl posting how they hate bicyclists and they refuse to give right of way. It's absolutely nuts. It's not anecdotal. It's fact.

Also, having been to Amsterdam recently it is probably one of the best examples of how bicycles can be an option in an urban setting. I had to erase the joke we heard about why the bicycle lane(which is almost the width of a normal street) was red. It's a joke about the tourists. PM if you want to hear it but I deemed it inappropriate for this thread.

 

[tarheelhockey]

You can usually tell somebody who misjudged their abilities and somebody who didn't care.

Those people will not be driving recklessly independent of their impairment in the vast majority of cases.

I'm this situation tough I get the impression he was an already reckless driver made even worse by being significantly impaired.

I won't be shocked if we find out his BAC is close to double the limit.

Agreed, I was careful to distinguish this guy from the general statements being made because this guy sounds like he was an astonishingly dangerous driver even before the alcohol is introduced to the picture.

 

[BMOK33]

I think calling this an accident, like a lot of people are doing, is being way too generous. This was some version of murder. This guy will almost surely get off from being charged with some degree of intent to kill due to the alcohol he had consumed, but I don't know if I believe alcohol excuses someone who believes they can drive in a manner that shows such a flagrant disregard for rules of the road that very realistically can cause some sort of crash. Would be interested to know what his driving history was like. Has he ever passed someone on the right? Does he speed past cars while passing? If these are normal things for him, I think you have a good idea that the alcohol is only the excuse that will mitigate the amount of jail time he faces.

Even if he was sober he was gonna get 18-24 months for this given the moves he made that caused it. The variable here will be if his attorney can show Johnny and his bro were drinking beforehand, if he can it’s gonna make a mess of the sentencing because the judge in the absence of confirmation from other drivers (and eyewitness testimony is never reliable) confirming they were riding outside the highway lanes can go consecutive 10s based on NJ law. This is a case where I’d feel so guilty as a defense attorney as my first task would be find out if these dudes were blitzed riding their bikes. It brings me back to My Cousin Vinny where the prosecutor says he used to be a defense attorney but he couldn’t stomach how many people he was getting off charges and he felt guilty. I’m sure in a case like this it takes a truly cold hearted person to defend this dude

 

[Three On Zero]

You can usually tell somebody who misjudged their abilities and somebody who didn't care.

Those people will not be driving recklessly independent of their impairment in the vast majority of cases.

I'm this situation tough I get the impression he was an already reckless driver made even worse by being significantly impaired.

I won't be shocked if we find out his BAC is close to double the limit.

Typically actions are just amplified by alcohol, I have no doubt he drives the same while sober

 

[snag]

There are a ton of degenerates out there and perhaps this guy is one of them, but I suspect that drunk drivers in general are pretty much just ordinary people without any special selfish personality trait. The problem is that alcohol by its very nature impairs people’s judgment, so they’re evaluating their choices and safety/danger dynamics through a fuzzy filter.

True. Many times I have said to myself "I am probably good to drive"....but don't because of the gamble involved. Then the next day I go to retrieve my vehicle and reflect on how with a clearer mind I realize I WASNT.

It comes to choice and resolve...because judgement when booze is involved is almost always poor/impaired and you need the resolve to overcome the bad judgement by just making the right choice.

 

[BMOK33]

Typically actions are just amplified by alcohol, I have no doubt he drives the same while sober

I said that earlier today. If anything many people if they’ve had a few drinks drive a bit more cautious. I had a cop once tell myself and a bunch of friends at a bar in a college town if you’ve had a few, drive as usual, if I see you going 28 in a 30, making 5 second long stops at stop signs and making perfect slow turns I can sense you’re guilty as hell and I’m going to pull you over more than the guy going 36 in a 30 who rolls through a stop sign

 

[T REX]

I think we might also need to take a look at our sports culture. Our video boards promote people who chug down a 16oz beer with everyone cheering. Some of those fans need to drive home that night. I like 1-2 drinks as much as the next guy, but promoting excess has bothered me for a long time. It bothers me more tonight.

I won't diminish drinking and driving. We have Uber/Lyft so there's no excuse.

In my humble opinion...is that this POS would have done the same thing sober.

He is just one of those POS road rage drivers...sober or drunk...same ish.

Up thread...it's why we should all invest in cameras for our vehicles or demand they become standard on all new vehicles.

 

[T REX]

Typically actions are just amplified by alcohol, I have no doubt he drives the same while sober

This post is 100% spot on. Thank you. I know it is easy to focus on the "drunk driving" but this a hole would have done this sober IMHO.

He's a menace. I hope he never sees the light of day again.

 

[snag]

Typically actions are just amplified by alcohol, I have no doubt he drives the same while sober

That's not entirely accurate....

Personality Change When Drinking Alcohol: Is It Common?

Heavy alcohol consumption can lead to personality changes. For some, these changes can become long-term.

www.healthline.com