Hit and Run Victim Recovering

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By Mel Showers/ WKRG Staff

M50o93H7pQ09L8X1t49cHY01Z5j4TT91fGfr Hit and Run Victim Recovering

Published: Sat, June 28, 2008 - 11:55 am
Last Updated: Saturday, June 28, 2008 - 10:57 pm

It was just before 5:00 o’clock Friday Morning when Rudy Smith was hit while riding his bike on Airport Boulevard, just east of University Boulevard.
The driver never stopped.
Police on the scene estimate the impact sent Smith flying 50 feet.
A passerby, Lee Dunn, who happened to be walking in the area saw Smith lying unconscious in a ditch and called police.
Dr. John Clardy says Smith was on his way to the Clardy home to join him and meet up with other bicyclists.
Clardy says his friend was extremely safety-conscious.
“He had like 12 different lights on the rear of his bike... All flashing. So it would have been real hard not to have seen all those flashing lights. Says Clardy.
Smith was taken to the USA Medical Center where he is in fair condition.
Police are hoping someone who may have witnessed the incident will give them a call.

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i am very sorry about what happened to this gentleman and i really do hope he recovers fully. i really do hope the person who did this is brought to justice, but i do know that the road is no place for a bicycle. if everybody rode one that would be different. the roads were built for cars, truck, etc. i saw a lady going down the middle of the road in a wheel chair one day. it was very dangerous, but i can see it was her way of transportation, there were no sidewalks. if we had bike trails or a special lane for alternative things such as bicycles, wheelchairs, that would be great.

Posted by rosepetal on 07/04/08 - 10:45 am • Report Abuse

There seems to be a blind spot in a lot of motorist minds when it comes to Bicycles,Motor scooters, Motorcycles and such! They just don’t seem to think they belong on the road with automobiles and for bicycles there usually isn’t a choice but to use the roads. In my case I was side swiped on a slight incline in the road on which 4 or 5 of us were riding by a motorist who I guess was irritated with us not traveling fast enough for him. His bumper pulled me off the bike and dragged me a short distance before he stopped and at which time he put his car in neutral and jumped out to get me out of his bumper and the car rolled back over me. I can still remember the bottom of his gas tank being muddy as it passed over me. It pulverized one leg and is held together by pins, But I still try to ride my bicycle every day because I like too. After my medical bills I got $1500 and I guess I’m lucky I got that. I sure would like to see friendlier roads for bikes,it would save a lot of gas.

Posted by carl on 07/04/08 - 6:55 am • Report Abuse

I am writing this on behalf of the Rudy Smith bicycle incident. Despite the self-righteous that would suggest this accident to be deserving for riding on a street, we should, instead focus on the fact that the #1 problem is that any motorist should pay attention to what is in the road and avoid hitting it. There was an obvious attempt by Mr. Smith to do his part in safety and he is certainly not the type of person to “roulette-ride.” This event should have us all concerned that an innocent man was left for dead. For those who may not know, Rudy has done great things for Mobile with his profession and deserves nothing other than encouragement and prayer.

Posted by viken on 07/04/08 - 12:31 am • Report Abuse

My family is very close to Rudy Smith and his family. Are thoughts are with all of his loved ones, and we hope that someone is arrested for hurting such a wonderful guy.

Posted by fm1775 on 06/30/08 - 10:23 pm • Report Abuse

I was under the impression that bicyclist were required to observe all the rules of the road when on the road. Very few places have side walks or bike paths but should be used when available, so that leaves only the road to use. I’ve thought many times bicycles needed to be tagged if on a major road and then accorded all the rights of a motorist, but that would ruffle the feathers of many motorist who wouldn’t like to go that slow behind a bicycle, so we’re back to where we started unless a law was passed requiring bike paths or side walks in all the city’s limits.

Posted by carl on 06/28/08 - 8:08 pm • Report Abuse

I am not for violence on a bicyclist at all, but there should never have been a law passed for them to ride on streets with cars. You would be really ignorant to get back on the streets now with cars after hearing of deaths in Baldwin and Mobile counties and also hit-and-runs. I don’t care how much your bike is lit up, when you ride your bike on a street with cars you are actually threatening suicide. I have driven Springhill Avenue and Dauphin Street between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. in the morning and 99% of bicyclists never stop at a red light. If I’m supposed to treat them like a car, then they need to respect signs and signals like a car. Otherwise they should be arrested like a citizen in a car when running a stop light or stop sign. They should also go the speed limit of that particular street or get on the sidewalk. I live on a rural road in the county and I would not get on the highway with my bike and I sure as heck wouldn’t be bicycling on Springhill, Dauphin or Airport!

Posted by Kris on 06/28/08 - 1:23 pm • Report Abuse