Comments on: L.A. road rage doctor to be sentenced Friday

By: Jessalyn Johnson

Jessalyn Johnson — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 21:02:22 +0000

I for one appreciate the insight. Thanks for taking the time to write about and share your process.

By: patrick

patrick — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 14:06:00 +0000

To: “confused” and “danny from downunder”….First to confused: I am not sure u got the whole series of events. The California Dr has repeatedly harrassed cyclists on the road – the 3 events (incidents) were documented and presented during the case. The final incident, where he seriously hurt 2 riders (to teach them a lesson) is what got him arressted and the sum of his past deeds landed him in jail…and a long prison term, loss of his business and economic chaos. Imgaine if it were U on the bike and he hit you / forced you off the road and put YOU in a coma for the rest of ur life. The judge found his action / act due to his rage was not to far off that possibility!To Danny from downunder…I can only deduct from you tone you are NOT a regular cyclist and/or harbor ill will towards cyclist. If I follow your rational your “rule of the jungle” (not the rule of law) mentality goes something like this: Big, huge trucks “top of the food chain”…followed by an array of descending size and weight vehicles..then motor cycles, scooters, cyclists, joggers, our kids on bikes and pedestrians! Wow…sounds like a very self-center attitude that the cyclist / motor scooter..etc is in your way so since you drive the bigger car your gonna run them over! vs…thinking there just maybe is human being in front of me! Don't forget Danny, it may be YOU who is driving slowly someday around town…so I hope you own a HUGE cement truck my friend!I think most avid cyclists know they take a risk riding on the road…but the point here is (at lest in the states) that BICYCLES are legally entitled to share the road. BTW…I have never, even seen a bicycle RUN a motor vehicle off the road….nor have I ever seen a kid on a bike impede a vehicle to the point the driver of the car could justify running / killing that kid! Of couse using Dannys logic that would have been an ok thing to do…since the rule of the jungle vs rule of law (not to mention compassion for another human being) applies in Dannys and the Dr in California world.The bottom line here is we must have respect for other humans regardless of what they are driving and not how important our impatience is. Think of it this way: that could be your father/ brother or son or daughter/mother or wife who that jerk decided was in his WAY and needed to be taught a lesson!

By: dannyfromdownunder

dannyfromdownunder — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 07:47:11 +0000

yes it is rather excessive what Thompson did, however bike riders needs to understand they cannot travel as fast as most speed limits, so therefore form a single file oppose to hogging up the entire road! I wont lie, some of you mullets deserve to be taken off the road. Just remember you are at the bottom of the food chain when it comes to the road – next is scooters, then motorcycles, cars, 4WD etc…. SHOW SOME RESPECT or next time 'accidents' like these will continue to occur all over the world!

By: icfantv

icfantv — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 20:30:53 +0000

if anyone has any inkling of a feeling of sorrow for Dr. Thompson, all you need to do is read what he did and the injuries he caused to squelch that feeling right back down.

i particularly like how he's painting himself as the victim (again) in sentencing in order to get leniency.

i'm not saying that all cyclists are polite and courteous when it comes to drivers and traffic laws, but that doesn't give a driver a reason to use their car as a weapon.

By: chainwhip21

chainwhip21 — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 19:55:45 +0000

Part of me applauds the verdict, but part of me wonders if we would all be better off (cyclists or not) finding a way to lessen the prison time (OK, I'm being selfish as the cost of prisons in CA apparently outweighs what's spent on education and my wife's been partially furloughed from her UC job) BUT determine civil restitution and permanently suspend Dr. T's drivers license. While it's clear his judgement as a driver stinks, there is some indication he's a pretty good doctor serving a less than upscale clientele. Let him keep doing some good when his punishment ends.

By: Jacob

Jacob — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 19:47:03 +0000

Intent. If you passed another driver and slammed on your brakes it would be your fault, unless the were outside circumstances like a child in the road. The doctor stated that he wanted to “Teach them a lesson.” You really don't see anything wrong with his repeated actions?

By: Bad Lawyer

Bad Lawyer — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 19:46:23 +0000

Awesome job on coverage Charles, it's a relief to see Dr. Thompson is going to get some hard bunk time. His remarks at sentencing do not inspire much of a sense that “he gets it.”

By: fer67

fer67 — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 19:39:33 +0000

Dear Velo4eva, With all my respect but you need to chill out!!! please.

By: Confused

Confused — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 19:30:00 +0000

But the driver didn’t hit the cyclists — he stopped suddenly and they hit him from behind. If the cyclists were another car, it would have been their fault for tailgaiting. So I’m not sure why it’s the doctor’s fault that the cyclists hit him.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 19:06:00 +0000

The Dr. has coronary artery disease? Maybe he should be sentenced to some serious cycling…

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 18:41:00 +0000

No dude, NO ONE won in this thing. You’re not seeing straight…

By: velo4eva

velo4eva — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 18:40:33 +0000

not only can this guy not spell, he doesn't make any sense LOL!

By: velo4eva

velo4eva — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 18:38:28 +0000

So Rose Long didn't take responsibility for her own safety? Is that what you are saying? Don't mix up stuff up like this dude, it makes it look BAD.

By: velo4eva

velo4eva — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 18:35:16 +0000

What does waiting 10 seconds accomplish? What happens during those 10 seconds? Do the cyclists magically hover over traffic while you pass? Cyclists know what they are doing for the most part. Don't get annoyed and just go around them. Cyclists, don't shake your head or make a hand gesture. That kind of s*** is what provokes road rage and ultimately the sad story we are reading now where EVERYONE loses.

By: velo4eva

velo4eva — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 18:28:14 +0000

Campbell, he's going to jail as a convicted felon. Can't you read?

By: velo4eva

velo4eva — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 18:25:22 +0000

Thanks DocinTex

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 18:24:00 +0000

“…a clinical psychologist who has concluded that Thompson has exhibited symtoms of post-traumatic stress disorder since the July 4th incident…”

And having been convicted of slaying both of his parents, the murderer threw himself on the mercy of the court as being an orphan.

While this one case makes me feel as if there is some small amount of justice in this world, I know full well that there hundreds, if not thousands, of such rage cases that go unpunished for every case such as this where justice is served.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 17:55:00 +0000

Instead of a slap on the hand, why not ask him to cycle to work everyday as punishment? What do to think of this?

By: ILT

ILT — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 17:23:53 +0000

I relate. As a father of 3 young children, I went from riding outdoor ~12 hrs/week in San Diego, CA to ~3hrs in Austin, TX due to lack of bike lanes, insuffient road infrastructures, and a profound lack of common sense from too many drivers. The outcome of 165lb vs 2+ tons is very obvious, and my family doesn't have to pay the price of some idiotic drivers who chose that I was not worth sharing the road with because I wear some spandex and decided to “teach me a lesson”.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 17:04:00 +0000

As a bicyclist and a a citizen, I hope he gets the max—–that behavior is uncalled for—-an MD none-the-less!