As a cyclicst, one thing I’ve never worried about is a coked up motorist who wants to run me over. After seeing this set of photos, however, I might have to reconsider.
Jesse Campos, a 29 year old American, was arrested after hitting the cyclists, who were competing in the third annual Matamoros-Bagdad Cycling Tour in Matamoros Mexico on Sunday. One American rider was killed in the incident, while five others (including a 14-year-old) remain in a critical condition in hospital.
The close up photo after the jump is crazy!
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June 2nd, 2008 at 8:55 pm
That is crazy!
June 3rd, 2008 at 8:53 am
That is one of the craziest if not the craziest thing I have ever seen. I hope everyone in critical condition makes it and this driver gets fried.
June 3rd, 2008 at 12:50 pm
Holy crap
June 3rd, 2008 at 1:51 pm
This makes me absolutely sick.
June 3rd, 2008 at 2:16 pm
That’s not even funny. I hope that bastard dies in a mexican prison.
June 3rd, 2008 at 2:51 pm
Why do so many people think it is not a big deal to drive drunk? DUI jail sentences are a joke. Usually not more than 3 or 4 years in jail if someone dies and no time at all if it is only dui and not a fatality. It is time to pressure law makers to send drunk drivers away for a long time. This driver needs to be put in a room alone with the family members of those injured and killed in this incident.
June 3rd, 2008 at 5:35 pm
Keep in mind when you read this that I’m an avid cyclist. A real diehard, biking in adverse conditions. Go easy, everyone. It was an accident. I don’t understand why people think there’s safety in numbers. People don’t see something the size of a semi, and hit it with their car, why would bicyclists be more visible even in a group? I once spotted a group of cyclists in a rain storm on the road in front of me. They were barely visible. The car behind me didn’t see them, and started to pass. Half the pack was almost run down. My heart went out to both sides. Now, if the persons attitude was “so what, it was an accident”, they need a real attitude adjustment, along with jail. Remember, the driver is a US citizen in Mexico. The cops were probably more drunk than the driver, spilling their Tequilla all over him.
June 3rd, 2008 at 6:55 pm
tj
June 3rd, 2008 at 7:05 pm
What i want to know is.. Who was taking the photo? and how did they get it? Just seems odd. I know it is an obvious accident but what is the story behind the photographer?
June 3rd, 2008 at 7:31 pm
Take note of the lead car (police car). What’s he doing on the wrong side of the road? The coward veered hard to the left to avoid the drunk and let the peloton take the full impact of the Chevy. His job was to protect them but he saved his butt instead. If he had plowed into the Chevy it would have stopped it cold. Sure the lead riders would have run into the back of the cop car, but I’ll take that over a head on any day.
June 3rd, 2008 at 8:13 pm
yeah really, I have to go with laura on this one, who grabbed their camera and thought to snap a picture right as they collided? Thats strange…but anyway my prayers go out to those in the accident and their families.
June 4th, 2008 at 1:00 am
im sorry nick and laura you are two dump people … the person was there to take pics of the race .. if you read the article and not just look at the pics you will see .. and then maybe re-thinking about ever posting again on a web site where you look dumb……..
June 4th, 2008 at 1:12 am
Did they drop any good loot?
June 4th, 2008 at 9:23 am
Thanks for the wider photo showing the police car. My first thought when I saw the cropped photo was “Where is the traffic control/police?” It answers my other question as why didn’t the racers see the oncoming car?
They were behind the police escort car and couldn’t see it till he vered out of the way.
Both drivers should face criminal charges.
June 4th, 2008 at 10:01 am
Jim’s point is excellent: police ‘protection’?
Why bother putting police in front if not to save the riders… too bad for that officer: he should be off-duty permanently…
Ww
June 4th, 2008 at 10:45 am
Mickey, a guy with a video camera was on the spot, busy filming the riders
June 4th, 2008 at 12:41 pm
Not to take the real blame and focus off of the puke that is responsible for this tragedy–but…ideally the cop would have stood his ground and protected the riders…obviously that is what he was there for, but I think my first reaction when a car was coming at me head on would be to swerve out of the way too! Too bad he did not have the wherewithal to think through the consequences of him giving up his ground. probably a split second, thoughtless knee-jerk reaction he will regret for the rest of his life. AND his swerving at the last minute undoubtedly made it so that the bikes did not see the car coming until it was too late. Sad situation
June 4th, 2008 at 1:33 pm
This is very bad and sad. We all need to keep our heads on a swivel at all times. Which means looking in all directions every 30 second or so. Because the folks in the cars think that they have more rights to the road.
Bicyclist you are bigoted. Your comment that the driver was American (as if to say we American should have compassion for him because he is) and that the Mexican police where most likely more drunker that he. Just does not fly man. I think you should educate yourself a little more.
June 4th, 2008 at 4:59 pm
A LOT of colorful cyclists in broad daylight (look in the background of the close-up), this driver must either have been blind, or psychotic. I’m going with the latter since I can’t see brake lights, as that is what sane people do when they lose control of the vehicle.
June 4th, 2008 at 5:54 pm
The police escort could have prevented this from happening.His job is to do exactly what he didn’t do.
There are photogrephers all over the place im sure they seen it coming a mile away
June 4th, 2008 at 9:06 pm
Cops are cowardly lions in costumes complete with shiny cars with scary lights… Just like Columbine, they put their swat suits on and ‘rushed’ the school after the kids wasted everyone! Cool. Same stuff, different day… Cool Dodge Charger cop car! Wusatolla driving it!
Cops are lilly-livers! Pathetic.
Probably caused it by scaring the cokehead driver! Who should be shot, on the scene, and call it an accident!
June 5th, 2008 at 2:37 am
I lol’d.
June 5th, 2008 at 10:03 am
The reason why everyones being so hard on him was because this WASNT an accident! The guy was drunk and apparently asleep at the wheel. Was it an accident that he kept drinking. I’m sure he wasnt thinking of anyone but himself when he said “can I have another?”. So,yes, I agree with most, he should be left alone in a room with the family members of those he’s killed/injured.
June 5th, 2008 at 10:16 am
Such a great picture, but what an idiot, its amazing that only 1 person died.
June 5th, 2008 at 10:28 am
Why was that COP in the wrong lane? Looks like to me that the COP caused the driver to swerve into the pack of cyclists.
June 5th, 2008 at 10:35 am
whats with everybody saying the driver should be killed!? :O wtf is that all about? you cant kill someone as a punishment for an accident! just think, if you had such an accident, the guilt alone would be punishment enough, i’d even like to say he should’t be punished at all, thats the meaning of an ACCIDENT
June 5th, 2008 at 12:43 pm
They should give the guy a medal. Too bad he only got one. The more of these idiot we get off the road the better.
June 5th, 2008 at 2:15 pm
I hate gangs of bikers that take up a whole lane of the highway and act like they own the roads. They think they are in the Tour De France when they really are just impeding traffic and act like jerks and think they are better than everyone else. Well if you want the road you can have it – you get the risks involved too. Don’t think you are better than everyone else – if you are dumb enough to think you can take on a 2 ton piece of moving metal and you are on a 5 pound bike, I guess you aren’t as smart as you thought you were. All of you just piss people off and this is what happens…go find a bike path and get off of the roads!
June 5th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
I have been to Mexico and have indeed seen and heard drunk/corrupted federalis (officers). Not to say that is the case here, but there are a LOT of drunk mexican police! Go to T.J. sometime and look around.
June 5th, 2008 at 3:57 pm
If that happened around my group there would be no need to call the cops on that bandido.
Accident my ass. People are going to remember that ride for a lifetime of hurt.
June 5th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
BikerHater…you’re a moron.
June 5th, 2008 at 6:07 pm
i live about an hour and change away from where this happened. what’s with everyone wanting to know about the “mysterious camera man”? if you MUST know, this was an annual race from Matamoros to the Baghdad Beach (that’s just the name of it, no ties to Iraq rocket scientists), and it was being covered by photojournalists since they need something to put in their newspaper between the Army vs Drug Cartel violence and the executions of high ranking police officials. The name of the photographer is Jose Fidelino Vera Hernandez (say that 5 times fast), who works freelance for El Mañana de Matamoros and it was released through the Associated Press.
June 5th, 2008 at 6:08 pm
BikeHater, your ignorance & lack of education is staggering. You’re wrong on about 4 fronts. As a matter of fact, cyclist DO belong on the road. They have EXACTLY the same rights & obligations as a car–read up on your law–but you don’t know that because you’ve never bothered to learn the facts about anything your entire life. YOU’RE the one who thinks he’s better than everyone else, not the cyclists. You’re the one who honks at the people who have just as much a right to be there as you. And yes, they can take up as much of the road as they want, just like a car–it’s just a courtesy we give you by pulling over as far as we can. And furthermore, when it’s a race, there are police escorts (look at the pic, bozo) so they had a right to the whole road specifically in this case. But even so, yes, they have the same rights as a car–such as the right to not get hit by a drunk driver who’s plowing along in the wrong lane. And trust me, most cyclists can control their bikes much better than you can control your car. It’s people like you who think you can’t get around cyclists on the road when you actually can just fine–you just haven’t bothered to work on your driving skills enough. We should chuck you into the jail cell along w/ the jackass who was behind the wheel. People with attitudes like yours have no place in decent society…
June 5th, 2008 at 8:33 pm
My take on it. When you’re racing a bicycle you’re concetrating on what’s directly infront of you, not down the road. From the way things were flying the car was probably going pretty fast. It’s a wide road and the cop car was probably staying in the oncoming traffic lane to get traffic to move over to the shoulder and stay out of the way of the cyclist. Not much you can do when confronted with a coked up (or something, probably) kid driving a big American car. I feel sorry for the cyclists and I pray the driver gets (censored) justice.
June 6th, 2008 at 1:31 am
@george dillaway – when you’re racing competitively, you don’t actually look at the road immediately ahead. in fact, you look further ahead, like when you’re driving a car. the cyclists had to have seen the car coming, but probably didn’t have enough time to get out of the way and probably didn’t expect the guy to really plow through them.
June 6th, 2008 at 2:01 am
Wow, the comments by scuba Steve and Bikehater are both thoughtless expressions coming from two very ignorant archaic beings whose geneology hasn’t quite evolved. My theory…grey matter of about 200CC or less, a subdural hematoma from falling off their tricycles at age 3(no helmet), or perhaps parental detachment anxiety from weaning off the teat and training wheels late into their adolescence. Yup,,Magic 8-ball says “outlook does not look good”…they just never fully recovered and couldn’t fit in with society. Sorry dudes, but my real prediction says you failed your driver’s license test several times…are now a couch potato sloth, live at home with your parents and play Halo all night.
P.S. I hope you idiots haven’t reproduced or have no plans to do so. Your the ones we need to remove off the road and send back to pre-K.
Signed,
Avid Mountain Biker…I guess I just have a single track mind.
June 6th, 2008 at 12:03 pm
Matthew is on point….pay attention people!!!
June 6th, 2008 at 12:30 pm
OMG ! this is terrible, no video ! Oh well at least some new wallpaper for windows, funniest thing since I was lucky enough to witness a bike geek stoppie over a dog and face plant on the pavement ! Bowling for bikers ! STEEEE-RIKE !
“As a matter of fact, cyclist DO belong on the road. They have EXACTLY the same rights & obligations as a car–read up on your law”
Yeah right, as long as you don’t have to abide by traffic laws, stop signs, red lights, etc.
No more to be said except maybe BWAAAA-HWA-HWA.
June 6th, 2008 at 9:06 pm
ok look at biker hater’s comment how retarted can one person be? it is a BIKE RACE they get the whole lane retard why the hell would there be no cars on the road? the driver was DRUNK idiot! he went on a closed road that was reserved for the bike race! you need some eyes or go to a mental facility! IT IS A F****** bike race!
June 7th, 2008 at 12:07 am
I cannot believe this happened. I know it was an accident, but… was it an accident this person CHOSE to drive his car; it was a (not so conscious)decision, not a good one, but a decision that he chose. No on forced him behind the wheel. I know personally that I have slept one off in the car, or wherever to avoid driving drunk. 15 years ago I would have done this, but not now. I am well versed in stupidity ask my parents. I guess wisdom and compassion come with age. AS FOR Bowling for Bikers GFY and hold the KY.
June 8th, 2008 at 7:12 pm
Christ, bloggers are the scum of the earth. You didn’t even CREDIT http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,23802024-5001021,00.html let alone REFRAIN FROM STEALING THEIR CONTENT. You maggot-worm-shit-cunt-troll-fuck-bacterium. Die.
June 17th, 2008 at 1:50 pm
So sad… but LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Why cant the bikers that ride the winding country roads with 55mph speed limits that I drive down get hit like this?
June 25th, 2008 at 9:56 am
And three in a row makes a turkey.
September 9th, 2008 at 12:53 pm
what the heck
what i an idiot, thats what happens when you drink, you do stupid things like drive
September 30th, 2008 at 2:03 pm
holy crap how the hell did that happen
October 13th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
lol funny, this is ftw like bugs on a wind shield lmao rofl!!!
October 13th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
bryan peewee, this is serious bidness.
its not bugs on a windshield its a combo breaker!!!
October 13th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
yea… your right… hes not gonna win the tour de france lmao thats what happens when you wanna use the front of a car as a ramp, its like mario cart extreme, the car was playin pac man.
KILLTACULAR, KILLIONAIRE, Extermination, killjoy! SPLATTER SPREE,
October 23rd, 2008 at 9:57 pm
Take a look at http://www.cyclingjack.blogspot.com
March 27th, 2009 at 10:47 pm
wow yea i kno the 14 well now hes 15 hes in my 4th period class in san benito texas his name is omar castrillo
April 1st, 2009 at 12:28 pm
Bikes do NOT have the same rights as cars, no tax, no insurance, no road worthiness tests, NO RIGHTS, DIPSHIT. You amaze me, someone has a different point of view to you so you call them retarded and insult their ancestry. Yet you advocate gangs of people beating a man when you don’t know the facts. The article makes no mention of drink or drugs, you just assume. Maybe he was in a diabetic coma, maybe he had a heart attack, there are more possibilities than you can consider. Also, if you look, the guy at the FRONT actually got out of the way of the car. If the others were too stupid to follow his example then they deserved what they got.
May 26th, 2009 at 3:23 pm
Know i’am better and i am already riding again
and this is just a message for the people that think that getting run over is going to stop them from the things they do.
May 26th, 2009 at 3:26 pm
o and i forgot to tell you that i am the one in green or yellow jersey on top of the car i hope that the other cyclist get better like me
May 26th, 2009 at 3:37 pm
and for those that talk shit like bikerhaterlover i wish that this happens to him and that he actually gets hurt
November 28th, 2009 at 10:09 pm
I am a motorist. I am totally in support of a properly organized, safely escorted bicycle race. Bicyclists are part of the traffic too. This is a really bad tragedy seeing as it is part of an organized sporting rally, and the negligence of the police escort and the errant motorist totally unforgiveable. My condolences to the family who lost a loved one. However, that being said, I have daily come across only too too many bicyclists who are unmindful of the frightful vulnerability of their situation, riding weaving & bobbing exposed amidst streams of huge speeding motor vehicles, sometimes changing lanes without signalling and without even LOOKING BEHIND!!
April 7th, 2010 at 6:39 am
thats horrible but those people are really luckey
June 3rd, 2010 at 4:42 pm
this is the funniest thing ever!