Cutting off bicyclists is not illegal? That's news to me. Cars own the road.

This is intolerable. Cyclists have no protection, either on the road or in the courts. It is quite apparent that if you want to kill someone without penalty, wait until they get on a bicycle. As long as you are drunk and stay at the scene, there is zero chance that you will be prosecuted. Disgusting.

What was she wearing that day while cycling? Not being able to see someone due to light and shadow is not the fault of the driver. The driver is not responsible for the road conditions.

Drivers are responsible to drive safely given the current conditions. If visibility is poor should you just step on the gas and hope for the best? Should roads just be a free for all at sunset and sunrise?

I find it hard to accept Mr. Cannon's comments.

I am pretty sure Joy Covey saw the vehicle that suddenly turned left in front of her. I hope it is not expected that whenever a cyclist sees a car moving in the opposite direction they have to jam on the brakes.

While it is sometimes difficult to see bicyclists on Skyline, I have biked and motorcycled Skyline for 40 years. I doubt if any bike, motorcycle or car has ever passed me in the opposite direction that I "didn't see".

So I tend to equate "didn't see" with "didn't look". I call that negligence.

Why are all the commenters remarking against the driver convinced that they know more about this case than the authorities did? What WAS she wearing? Did it contribute to poor visibility? By reading previous accounts, I recollect that the driver turned when he thought it was safe to turn. I'm always grateful when cyclists wear clothing bright enough to be seen in shade.

When will people start considering how dangerous some of our beloved outdoor activities can be? Dying while hiking, falling and dying while hiking, getting killed while cycling, while out walking - these are the tragedies affecting locals.

Are local cycling groups lobbying for improved safety? Or, do they accept that what they're doing is unsafe?

Hmmm good points. The Jr. attorney's always know more about the law than the attorney's who are charged to prosecute cases. A lot of people believe if a crime has occurred, then there will be a conviction. NOT true. Juries do not always find guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. This is a sad case and my heart goes out to both families. The driver of the van will live with this accident for the rest of his life.

C'mon people none of you were there. You didn't witness the collision, you have no idea what the rider or driver were doing, and you didn't experience the conditions.

Could it be, just maybe, that this was an unfortunate ACCIDENT -- instead of some great conspiracy to murder bikers?

Would you be rising up in the same righteous indignation -- and making wildly unfounded allegations -- if the biker had killed a pedestrian?

Of course not, because that wouldn't fit your world view.

This was a horrible accident. Sometimes these things happen. Deal with it and move on.

OOPS isn't an acceptable excuse past adolescence. Failing to yield the right of way is not "just an accident". Tired of people not taking the responsibility of driving seriously. These types of okay no drugs, no alcohol, not racing equals "just an accident" doesn't help things. People just need to slow the hell down, take the extra second or so to make sure it's safe to proceed. Someone's at fault in most collisions. The true can't be avoided accident is rare.

If it was a bicyclist that failed to yield resulting in someone else's fatality people would be more outraged not less, they get less slack on news forums. As was the case in SF last year when the cyclist killed a pedestrian. Pedestrian hit by car is just business as usual. Far less outrage, fewer pages of forum ranting. Matt you're revealing your own bias.

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@Doop. Where does it say speed was a factor. Are you saying the bicyclist needs to slow the hell down? The Van?? The Van driver did not see the bicyclist.

@stevec exactly. If you are driving and have poor visibility of the road, it's your responsibility to slow down. The speed limit isn't just the number posted, it could be a slower speed depending on conditions. If it's foggy, or there's glare, or it's otherwise hard to see, the driver should slow down.

He was Making a TURN! same applies to the bicyclist.

Arguing that the same applies to the bicyclist is a false equivalence. A driver who is turning is responsible for making sure that they will not collide with oncoming traffic. If road conditions are such that there is not a great deal of visibility, it is still on the turning vehicle to make sure the turn can be made safely. It sounds like SteveC is arguing that it is somehow the bicyclist's fault that the delivery van didn't see her. That is flat out wrong, and if you don't believe me, go look at a driver's manual. It's pretty basic rules of the road.