Recommended Posts

Posted

Cigar merchant takes stand in impaired driving trial

http://www.metronews...d-driving-trial

A Cuban cigar executive admits he drank at least four ounces of 45-proof Cuban rum shortly before his minivan struck a Toronto cyclist, but says he did not feel impaired.

Jose Lugo-Alonso, 61, president of Havana House Cigars and Tobacco Merchants, took the stand in his defence Thursday.

"I was not concerned because I was feeling fine and I did not notice any symptoms," he testified through a Spanish interpreter.

The accident in July 2008 left cyclist William Crawford, 57, partially blind and hearing impaired, forcing him to give up his civil service job.

Lugo-Alonso has pleaded not guilty to impaired-driving charges.

The married father of two testified he was visiting a friend when the friend insisted they share a drink.

Later that night, Lugo-Alonso got in his Toyota Sienna minivan to drive back to his apartment near Bay Street and Queens Quay West. He said he never saw the cyclist before the collision on Lower Jarvis Street.

"I assumed I had hit something because I saw something hitting the front glass of my vehicle, but I wasn't sure," he said.

post-4-0-46787000-1312625302.jpg

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

"I assumed I had hit something because I saw something hitting the front glass of my vehicle, but I wasn't sure," he said.

Serioulsy :smartass:

Posted

Wow...Really? you assume that you hit something because you saw something hitting the glass and your STILL not sure? Really?

Posted

WOW!! What the hell did he think happened people were falling from the sky??? 4oz my ass. He couldn't comprehend what the loud thud was, followed by a body coming thru his windshield..... More like 40oz :thumbsdwn:

Posted

I remember this case, it is not surprising to me that he did not see the person if anyone has ever driven in the downtown core of Toronto they know how crazy the cyclist get, now don't get me wrong i am not defending any one or taking side i do admittedly hate the cyclists in Toronto they need to start obeying the laws and rules of the road if they choose to ride there. they often times weave through traffic don't obey traffic signals at intersections often times ridding right into oncoming traffic. I have been hit by three different cyclist crossing the street once near to where this happened and two times closer to the downtown core not that i was a pedestrian crossing the street and was still hit. this just goes to show the recklessness of the cyclists in Toronto it is unfortunate what happen but at the same time I have to think what actually happened and what was cyclists position on the road as well as countless other details that I would need to pass complete judgment

Posted

they need to start obeying the laws and rules of the road if they choose to ride there. they often times weave through traffic

Next time one of them try to weave past you at a light, just fling your door open!! That will teach them! :football:

Posted

Next time one of them try to weave past you at a light, just fling your door open!! That will teach them! :football:

And that's how they do it in the big D. :lol3:

Posted

I remember this case, it is not surprising to me that he did not see the person if anyone has ever driven in the downtown core of Toronto they know how crazy the cyclist get, now don't get me wrong i am not defending any one or taking side i do admittedly hate the cyclists in Toronto they need to start obeying the laws and rules of the road if they choose to ride there. they often times weave through traffic don't obey traffic signals at intersections often times ridding right into oncoming traffic. I have been hit by three different cyclist crossing the street once near to where this happened and two times closer to the downtown core not that i was a pedestrian crossing the street and was still hit. this just goes to show the recklessness of the cyclists in Toronto it is unfortunate what happen but at the same time I have to think what actually happened and what was cyclists position on the road as well as countless other details that I would need to pass complete judgment

What has the world come to that a man can't throw back a bottle of rum with a mate and then drive home safe in the knowledge that he does not have to worry about cyclists falling from the sky!!!

In all seriousness though, I have to agree with nick on this. Cyclists in Toronto have become extremely aggresive in the downtown core city streets in the last few years. They act as if they own the road and have right of way over everyone else, irrespective of rules of the road. They even cut off the road up onto sidewalks full of pedestrians without so much as a by your leave. This is all a byproduct of the bleeding heart NDP city government that had been in power here in Toronto until recently that promoted and glorified those that ride bike's around the city to the point that the cyclists feel that they are above the law. I for one will be getting spikes that extend out from the side of the wheels of my car at the push of a button to deter these reckless law breakers.

Posted

I have no compassion for people who drink and drive, throw the book at every single one of them, get them in jails and off roads...

Posted

I agree with Diamondog on this.

Bad car drivers? Bad cycle drivers? Bad pedestrians? Everything depends in which category you place yourself. When I am on my bike, I have noticed as many bad car drivers as bad fellow cyclists (and I do not count the few pedestrians who decide to cross the street without looking either to the left or to the right). To sum up: on the road consider everybody as a potential danger and you will be (reasonably) safe.

Michel

I have no compassion for people who drink and drive, throw the book at every single one of them, get them in jails and off roads...

Posted

Because he was drinking I hope he gets just punishment. It'd be very different if he was sober and some cyclist came out of no where.

Posted

I agree with Diamondog on this.

Bad car drivers? Bad cycle drivers? Bad pedestrians? Everything depends in which category you place yourself. When I am on my bike, I have noticed as many bad car drivers as bad fellow cyclists (and I do not count the few pedestrians who decide to cross the street without looking either to the left or to the right). To sum up: on the road consider everybody as a potential danger and you will be (reasonably) safe.

Michel

Must agree with this.

I nearly hit a teenage girl the other day.

She cut across the street without looking, was too busy playing with her cell phone.

We are taught at my workplace that all accidents can be prevented.

Problem is we do too many dumb things.

Sometimes we get lucky, at other times this sort of thing happens.

Posted

To follow up on this story I just read in the local newspaper that the guy was found guilty.

See http://www.thestar.com/news/crime/article/1037516--guilty-verdict-for-man-who-hit-cyclist-leaving-him-partially-blind

Cigar merchant takes stand in impaired driving trial

http://www.metronews...d-driving-trial

A Cuban cigar executive admits he drank at least four ounces of 45-proof Cuban rum shortly before his minivan struck a Toronto cyclist, but says he did not feel impaired.

Jose Lugo-Alonso, 61, president of Havana House Cigars and Tobacco Merchants, took the stand in his defence Thursday.

"I was not concerned because I was feeling fine and I did not notice any symptoms," he testified through a Spanish interpreter.

The accident in July 2008 left cyclist William Crawford, 57, partially blind and hearing impaired, forcing him to give up his civil service job.

Lugo-Alonso has pleaded not guilty to impaired-driving charges.

The married father of two testified he was visiting a friend when the friend insisted they share a drink.

Later that night, Lugo-Alonso got in his Toyota Sienna minivan to drive back to his apartment near Bay Street and Queens Quay West. He said he never saw the cyclist before the collision on Lower Jarvis Street.

"I assumed I had hit something because I saw something hitting the front glass of my vehicle, but I wasn't sure," he said.

post-4-0-46787000-1312625302.jpg

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

"I assumed I had hit something because I saw something hitting the front glass of my vehicle, but I wasn't sure," he said.

Serioulsy :smartass:

Posted

In NYC its bad too. I've never been to Toronto so I can't make a comparison, but cyclists are out of control. Wrong way through traffic and pedestrians and they have a yearly protest where cyclists shut down streets and mess up traffic. It's in an effort to promote awareness of alternative means of transportation but it just annoys everyone else

Posted

I can't believe you've all turned a case of DRUNK DRIVING into an anti-bicycle rant.

I too, as a cycler who follows the rules, am fed up with bad behaviour, but NOWHERE in this case has the cyclist been blamed.

And how about solutions to the problem instead of just hate?

Posted

I can't believe you've all turned a case of DRUNK DRIVING into an anti-bicycle rant.

I too, as a cycler who follows the rules, am fed up with bad behaviour, but NOWHERE in this case has the cyclist been blamed.

And how about solutions to the problem instead of just hate?

Couldn't agree more. Drivers in Toronto are not exactly the best in class. Still too many idiots on their phones, eating, putting on makeup and weaving in/out of traffic like Schumacher. There are dumb cyclists as well but they don't wield 3 tons of bone crushing power. Truth is they have the right to a whole lane, but there's way too much intimidation from cars following too close. Drivers are belted in an shielded from a lot of external elements. Cyclists are not. they're dead meat if they make a mistake...and for God's sake..don't take Rob Ford's arguments to heart..a worse example would be hard to find. If anyone should ride a bike its' that dude.......

Posted

God I hate cyclists who don't follow the rules of the road.

I've got nothing against cyclists who play by the book but some of them are their own worst enemies.

I was driving out to visit my Brothers grave one Saturday morning.

It's a long stretch of country road and the speed limit is 100 kph, I suddenly came up behind a pack of cyclists doing about 30 kph and were completely blocking the road, both sides.

They refused to let me through and just sat there in a display of arrogance.

I was furious and almost felt like turning them all into roadkill.

People like this shouldn't be surprised when someone loses it with them.

Posted

I can't believe you've all turned a case of DRUNK DRIVING into an anti-bicycle rant.

I too, as a cycler who follows the rules, am fed up with bad behaviour, but NOWHERE in this case has the cyclist been blamed.

And how about solutions to the problem instead of just hate?

Hear, hear!

From the follow-up article: "as Crawford [the VICTIM] was waiting to turn left from Jarvis St. onto the Esplanade." See that word there, gang? "WAITING?"

The cyclist had head injuries sufficient to impair both his hearing and vision AND was forced to quit his job as a result. Yet somehow, the thread got turned into a gripe-fest against people who ride bicycles.

The case is sadly reminiscent of one in Colorado a couple of years back. A cyclist (who was at the time an emergency room physician) was struck by a drunken millionaire, whose connections let him get away with a slap on the wrist:

http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20101104/NEWS/101109939/1078&ParentProfile=1062

Posted

God I hate cyclists who don't follow the rules of the road.

Me too - and I'm a road rider. Inconsiderate cyclists are a bane of my life too, for we are all tarred with the same brush. My attitude towards all other road users is one of deference and respect, for any of them and their dog could kill me. In return, I am deeply grateful to those drivers who grant me a little care too - especially when they're operating heavy vehicles. I have found that most drivers return courtesy and good road manners in kind, God bless and keep them.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.

Community Software by Invision Power Services, Inc.