Bay Area San Francisco Bicycle Accident Attorneys
On June 19, 2010, William Flint was traveling at roughly 40 mph down a road in Grizzly Peak in an effort to maintain his “King of the Mountain” title he earned on the amateur online racing website, Strava. The San Francisco-based company hosts virtual races by allowing cyclists to track their time using GPS technology. Cyclists compete by tracking their time along stretches of road, providing other Strava users with the time to beat along certain roadways.
William Flint lost his life while trying to reclaim his “King of the Mountain” title. Mr. Flint held his title for the time he posted along South Park Drive in Berkeley’s Tilden Park. When he learned another Strava user had beaten his time, he headed back to the hill to regain his title. Although the posted speed limit along the hill where Flint was killed is 30 mph, he was clocked going over 40 mph moments before his accident. According to reports, Mr. Flint was forced to brake suddenly in order to avoid hitting a car. As a result, his bike flipped over and Mr. Flint sustained fatal injuries.
Negligence, Strava, and Liability
In the wake of Mr. Flint’s death, his family is suing Strava, the social media website they believe enabled the fatal accident that killed William. According to the Flint’s family attorney, Susan Kang, Strava is liable for failing to check roads for potential dangers: if a road is dangerous, Strava has a duty of care to remove it from its website.
Here, Mr. Flint’s death may raise an issue of foreseeability: are there hazards and dangers a reasonable person should foresee, given the purpose and use of Strava? Can a case be made that by providing a forum for the “King of the Mountain” title, Strava encourages or promotes cyclists breaking speed limits and taking risks on Bay Area roads?
As others have pointed out, this isn’t the first time Strava has been involved in a death involving a cyclist and the use of its website. A pedestrian in the Castro District was hit and killed by a cyclist tracking his time on Strava.
Contact Bay Area Personal Injury Attorneys at Weber & Nierenberg
If you’ve been injured in a pedestrian knockdown, bicycle accident, or negligence on the part of a company, contact Bay Area personal injury attorneys at Weber & Nierenberg today.
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