Bill Meltzer: RIP Gaudreau Brothers

I saw the rumour circulating at 11pm. I didnt want to believe it. Unfortunately true. Just brutal to hear.

This is beyond awful. I cannot imagine the pain the family is experiencing. No one should ever have to go through this.

Those who drink and drive are a scourge in the world. Lock them up and throw away the key.

This is beyond awful. I cannot imagine the pain the family is experiencing. No one should ever have to go through this.

Those who drink and drive are a scourge in the world. Lock them up and throw away the key.
- Scoob

fcs

Beautiful writeup Bill. Breaks my heart that his kids will have very few memories of him if any. I know how important my dad was to me when I was young. Always there to show me the way and support me. Just a sad day.

😭(frank)

This is the guy...

https://nypost.com/2024/0...assy-eyed-in-new-mugshot/

Thank you Bill for this fantastic write-up and tribute to the two brothers. You really captured what many of us are feeling. For me, sickening saddness.

No you didn't get it and your research sucked. Your friend doesn't know what he is talking about. This is just you using an appeal to authority fallacy.

The verse is very simple. The thief and Jesus are not the same in the verse. It is simply about being prepared for something that will happen. To encourage to be ready for the coming of God. To live your life in a Christian manner and to do good deeds to prepare for your time.

Only you PT, only you.
- MJL

Spot on! The thief is death itself, a time when God will ask you to make an account of your life and be judged. The point is you never will know when the thief will come so you need to be prepared at all times. That is why I thought it appropriate to post in response to this horrible trajedy, for those who might be looking for some solace in faith.

Spot on! The thief is death itself, a time when God will ask you to make an account of your life and be judged. The point is you never will know when the thief will come so you need to be prepared at all times. That is why I thought it appropriate to post in response to this horrible trajedy, for those who might be looking for some solace in faith.
- jd250

Why are you dragging this over here

Bill Meltzer: RIP Gaudreau Brothers
- bmeltzer

Just tragic - RIP.

I saw the rumour circulating at 11pm. I didnt want to believe it. Unfortunately true. Just brutal to hear.
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

Omg. Terrible. No words. Bill, it’s in times like these that you shine the brightest. Well said.

Spot on! The thief is death itself, a time when God will ask you to make an account of your life and be judged. The point is you never will know when the thief will come so you need to be prepared at all times. That is why I thought it appropriate to post in response to this horrible trajedy, for those who might be looking for some solace in faith.
- jd250

Dude, you have to stop this. Move your own posts. Not mine. That conversation is happening on the other thread.

This is the guy...

https://nypost.com/2024/0...assy-eyed-in-new-mugshot/
- Tomahawk

The guy seems to have been remarkably detailed in his recounting of what happened. Classic alcohol fueled impatience.

Why did the SUV in front have to swerve to avoid hitting the bikers? Please tell me they were not riding side by side, talking to each other.

The guy seems to have been remarkably detailed in his recounting of what happened. Classic alcohol fueled impatience.

Why did the SUV in front have to swerve to avoid hitting the bikers? Please tell me they were not riding side by side, talking to each other.
- PT21

Where does it say the SUV swerved?

Where does it say the SUV swerved?
- Tomahawk

Higgins passed the sedan and tried to reenter the northbound lanes when the SUV in front of him moved into the middle of the roadway in order to safely pass the bicyclists on the right side of the road. He then tried to move past the SUV on the right, and struck the brothers from behind, troopers said.

EDIT: There is a bike lane on that road, afaik. The two brothers should have been right on it, hugging its side. I can see a car having to slow as it passed them, out of caution, but not have to change its trajectory.

Where does it say the SUV swerved?
- Tomahawk

They were riding their bikes on a dark country road, I hope they had some sort of lighting on them.

I move over for a single biker. They didn't have to be side by side to make someone move over.

Higgins passed the sedan and tried to reenter the northbound lanes when the SUV in front of him moved into the middle of the roadway in order to safely pass the bicyclists on the right side of the road. He then tried to move past the SUV on the right, and struck the brothers from behind, troopers said.
- PT21

Moving over to give the folks traveling on the shoulder some space is not swerving.

I move over for a single biker. They didn't have to be side by side to make someone move over.
- WhiskeyMan

This.

The guy seems to have been remarkably detailed in his recounting of what happened. Classic alcohol fueled impatience.

Why did the SUV in front have to swerve to avoid hitting the bikers? Please tell me they were not riding side by side, talking to each other.
- PT21

Try reading again.

The SUV in front (traveling behind Johnny and Matt going northbound) was not swerving to avoid them, but slowly passing around them on the left (moving into the opposite southbound lane), apparently in a safe manner as necessitated by law. Apparently the drunk asshat, who's already impatient, thinks that this SUV is trying to block him from passing via the southbound lane (in other words he wanted to get immediately in front of the line of cars, Fck everyone else), so asshat swerves back into the northbound lane where he struck the Gaudreau Brothers.

SUV in front was doing the right thing, according to FL traffic law, at least; I'm sure there's something similar in the NJ books: When passing much slower non-motorized traffic like cyclists, then you must do so leaving at least a certain minimum amount of buffer space (5 feet?) between the side of the vehicle and the traffic you are passing.

I don't like doing it when riding with others, but riding abreast is perfectly legal, also at least in FL. The law allows for lane sharing for MC's and bicyclists. The onus is for the passing traffic to provide the safe buffer while passing, even if the rider is all the way on the left side of his own lane. When on the road, cyclists are to be treated just like any other vehicular traffic, with the only extra care being that extra buffer when passing them. That said, in group rides with others when on the open road, we always travelled single file.

But I don't think them being abreast or single file probably mattered much in this particular instance.

Moving over to give the folks traveling on the shoulder some space is not swerving.
- Tomahawk

Well I was really emphasizing the movement, not the speed of it. He moved to the "middle of the roadway." That seems possibly excessive. Normally, cars will slow down, maybe move a little. But if the bike is on the shoulder/bike lane, should not need to move too far.

Also, if they were riding single file, would they both have been struck so severely, simultaneously? Its possible, but another bit of unlikelihood gets added in.

...and now for a two hour argument about the meaning of the word "swerve"

Try reading again.

The SUV in front (traveling behind Johnny and Matt going northbound) was not swerving to avoid them, but slowly passing around them on the left (moving into the opposite southbound lane), apparently in a safe manner as necessitated by law. Apparently the drunk asshat, who's already impatient, thinks that this SUV is trying to block him from passing via the southbound lane (in other words he wanted to get immediately in front of the line of cars, Fck everyone else), so asshat swerves back into the northbound lane where he struck the Gaudreau Brothers.

SUV in front was doing the right thing, according to FL traffic law, at least; I'm sure there's something similar in the NJ books: When passing much slower non-motorized traffic like cyclists, then you must do so leaving at least a certain minimum amount of buffer space (5 feet?) between the side of the vehicle and the traffic you are passing.

I don't like doing it when riding with others, but riding abreast is perfectly legal, also at least in FL. The law allows for lane sharing for MC's and bicyclists. The onus is for the passing traffic to provide the safe buffer while passing, even if the rider is all the way on the left side of his own lane. When on the road, cyclists are to be treated just like any other vehicular traffic, with the only extra care being that extra buffer when passing them. That said, in group rides with others when on the open road, we always travelled single file.

But I don't think them being abreast or single file probably mattered much in this particular instance.
- Bendecko

No one is suggesting it is anybody's fault except the drunkard.

It is however prudent, as a bicyclist, to go above and beyond the legal mandates to ensure safety. At that time of the night, I would wear reflectives, and would ride single file if I was cycling with another, and would be right by the side of the road. I would definitely not stray into the lanes.

Higgins passed the sedan and tried to reenter the northbound lanes when the SUV in front of him moved into the middle of the roadway in order to safely pass the bicyclists on the right side of the road. He then tried to move past the SUV on the right, and struck the brothers from behind, troopers said.

EDIT: There is a bike lane on that road, afaik. The two brothers should have been right on it, hugging its side. I can see a car having to slow as it passed them, out of caution, but not have to change its trajectory.
- PT21

Nope.

Looking at the latest Google Street View from April 2023, there's no bike lane. There's hardly any pavement edge outside of the white lines. Happened on CR551 (Pennsville Auburn Rd) where Stumpy Ln intersects it (https://maps.app.goo.gl/nHKMomRcWrt4SiEW8). Bros going northbound with traffic behind. Even single file on the edge, traffic behind would have to slow down and give some buffer (enter a portion of the SB lane) to pass a cyclist (despite the laws nationwide giving cyclists the same rights as motorized vehicles on a road).

Nope.

Looking at the latest Google Street View from April 2023, there's no bike lane. There's hardly any pavement edge outside of the white lines. Happened on CR551 (Pennsville Auburn Rd) where Stumpy Ln intersects it (https://maps.app.goo.gl/nHKMomRcWrt4SiEW8). Bros going northbound with traffic behind. Even single file on the edge, traffic behind would have to slow down and give some buffer (enter a portion of the SB lane) to pass a cyclist (despite the laws nationwide giving cyclists the same rights as motorized vehicles on a road).
- Bendecko

If that is where the incident occurred, there is no shoulder, and the first part of my speculation is unwarranted.