Comments on: 60 Year Old Visitor Dies After Cycle Collision

By: Cindy

Cindy — Sun, 25 May 2014 13:21:12 +0000

Condolences to the family. Key West and other destinations you mentioned drive on the right side of the road. We drive on the left. Give them a larger vehicle then they will start killing us by riding into us. Let them catch the bus or hire a taxi. My husband and I along with our family have rented cars, used public transportation, and rented taxis when we travelled. We have travelled to both Americas, the Caribbean, and Europe. You cannot trust visitors to make good judgement calls with the special skills needed to maneuver on our roads. Even to lose one tourist whether it is a single vehicle accident is one too many.

By: Smh

Smh — Sat, 24 May 2014 13:38:07 +0000

I don’t understand it honestly. Why are these cycle shops allowed to rent bikes to some tourist who clearly cannot handle Bermuda roads. They come here on vacation n leave either in a box or full of road rash. It’s crazy!!! They make them do test rides so it’s not like they don’t see that the tourist aren’t sturdy on the bikes. Something needs to be done. To the family, u have my condolences. Very sorry for your lost.

By: peace

peace — Fri, 23 May 2014 19:40:04 +0000

My condolences to the family of Mr. Laubacher

By: hmmm

hmmm — Fri, 23 May 2014 18:07:04 +0000

My condolences to the family and friends of Daniel Laubacher.

By: Be Like Me

Be Like Me — Fri, 23 May 2014 16:41:24 +0000

Duane.. I’m not sure how the reference to the Bahamas comes in here. But…. Travelling to the Bahamas on a regular basis I agree driving a scooter is insane.. However, tourists do rent scooters in Nassau and there is NO requirement for safety helmets.

By: Triangle Drifter

Triangle Drifter — Fri, 23 May 2014 16:32:43 +0000

Bermuda is not the only place where mopeds can be rented. They are nothing strange or unheard of to visitors. Try going to places like Key West, Block Island, Ocean City, Myrtle Beach to name just a few. They are mixed in with traffic going much faster than the top speed of these bikes.

Sure there are crashes but that is no reason to deny people a service they want & choose, risks & all, on their own.

By: Kindley

Kindley — Fri, 23 May 2014 14:52:01 +0000

My prayers to the family.

When we lived in Bermuda the scooter/cycle was our transportation. However, less traffic and my husband was experienced with the cycle. When we returned for a visit, we saw an accident before the tourist left the square at St. George’s. The next visit, although afraid, my husband rented a scooter and it took him some time to get his scooter legs back and to feel comfortable with me as a passenger. We were fortunate to have a safe and wonderful time but I will say I was afraid the whole time on the scooter. For US citizens, it is hard to remember which side of the road. For this reason, we had our children follow us.

By: JUNK YARD DOG

JUNK YARD DOG — Fri, 23 May 2014 14:39:41 +0000

@Sickofantz

Good Morning.

Bermuda is the island on NO !

Do not give the Government any more reasons to say NO !

Do give the Government excuses legislate our visitors .

By: David

David — Fri, 23 May 2014 14:36:36 +0000

There are 4 wheeled bikes with airbags available that can be rented to tourists, lets look after our tourists better.

By: JUNK YARD DOG

JUNK YARD DOG — Fri, 23 May 2014 14:27:43 +0000

RATE HIKE !
Taxi drivers got their 25% rate hike, no wonder our VISITORS look for other means of transportation.

The taxi owner can’t see the wood for the trees as the buses and others take away the business.

Are Taxi fares negotiable ?

” Half a cake is better than no cake at all”.

This Recession is by no means over by a long shot,yet business continues to engage in raising their prices,for cheep oriental junk.

No wonder the working man and single mothers can not make ends meet.

May be the RILING GOVERNMENT would like to sit down a have an economic summit.

There is a need for a workable policy the first thing at the top on the list, 27 + TAXES.

We all have to do with less, the Government need to do the same its called SACRIFICE.

By: Barnacle Bill

Barnacle Bill — Fri, 23 May 2014 14:18:12 +0000

Please don’t be sad that he is gone….be happy that he was….

By: Unearthed

Unearthed — Fri, 23 May 2014 11:32:55 +0000

The Government needs to start letting tourist rent sturdier bikes. Those cheap rental scooters are deathtraps. We should let tourist rent bikes like the Scoopy or Sym. Or we could let them rent the really small cars. The government can impose a limit as to how many cars could be rented. The government could also impose a rental tax for the cars.

This would make Bermuda a much better tourist destination and even appeal to the wealthy. Especially if they could rent the MINI Roadster or MINI Cooper.

The Public transportation system doesn’t work very well for tourist. Let’s keep in mind the majority of hotels are not situated in the City of Hamilton and all the major beaches and tourist attractions are spread out. Cold you imagine getting on a bus with sandy feet and a wet bathing suit? That’s no fun.

By: Tunnocks

Tunnocks — Fri, 23 May 2014 11:07:58 +0000

Condolences to this gentleman’s family and friends.

Triangle Drifter – I agree completely. Am about to leave for the short ride to the office, during which I can guarantee seeing half a dozen near misses, accidents only avoided by the car driver in the correct lane has to swerve to avoid a fool with a death wish in the wrong lane.

Where are the police while this daily occurrence goes on? Where are the prosecutions?

By: Cardine Alice

Cardine Alice — Fri, 23 May 2014 10:49:14 +0000

That’s what post mortems are for.

By: Hurricane

Hurricane — Fri, 23 May 2014 10:14:27 +0000

I’ve done a fair amount of driving in the USA and England and whilst I agree with you for the most part. I have to say that I would rather driving there in the big cities and on those highways any day compared to riding on Bermuda roads. And it’s not all to do with the way Bermudians ride/drive. Our roads are dangerous. My sympathies to the friends and family of the gentleman.

By: Ujs

Ujs — Fri, 23 May 2014 10:04:15 +0000

Condolences to the family no one comes on vacation for this. Now I’m just saying and correct me if I’m wrong but this man is FAR from the first visitor to die on our roads maybe just maybe! And I Dnt kno the full circumstances of this sad situation but GOVERNMENT should come dwn on the rental places that lil ride around the parking lot may not be enough for everyone! A parking lot or cones r not the same as public roads! Just a thought

By: Angel

Angel — Fri, 23 May 2014 09:58:10 +0000

Sad news, but it is time for tourist to start catching the bus, ferry,etc!

By: Sickofantz

Sickofantz — Fri, 23 May 2014 09:47:54 +0000

Please how many more deaths do we need. ALLOW TOURISTS TO RENT SMALL CARS WHICH THEY CAN ONLY DRIVE BETWEEN 9AM AND 4PM AND THEN AFTER 5:30. This would allow more visitors to come to the island (ie, those with families and prevent these senseless deaths).

By: The Dark Knight Returns

The Dark Knight Returns — Fri, 23 May 2014 09:01:09 +0000

So sad, my condolences to this gentleman family and friends.

By: bermydelight

bermydelight — Fri, 23 May 2014 07:19:36 +0000

My condolences, but in all honesty we can only put this on the person who still allows these things to be used by people that do not know our roads. How is it that it takes a week for a sixteen year old to learn..and a couple of hours for them. Makes NO sense.

By: Triangle Drifter

Triangle Drifter — Fri, 23 May 2014 05:30:57 +0000

Do any of you who are so anti visitor riding mopeds around the Island EVER get off that narrow minded little rock?

Have you never traveled to the US or Canada, gotten off the plane, rented a car & plunged yourselves into driving on the other side of the road, at speeds 3 times the Bermuda limit, on multi laned roads where being in the right place at the right time IS important, where people DO signal & others expect that signal intention to be carried out while driving something much larger than is even seen in Bermuda?

BTW, yes I have. Over 125,000 miles in the past 7 years driving something far larger than anything on Bermuda roads. I feel far safer at 65mph sharing the road, mostly, with people who respect road rules.

The worst hazard to the visitor on a moped is the Bermuda driver. Idiots who have not a clue about real driving. No, these visitors are not used to silly little mopeds. They are much more likely more used to a 1200cc real motorcycle & people around them on the road who know how to drive & comply with simple road rules.

By: duh

duh — Fri, 23 May 2014 05:09:58 +0000

China has many 3 wheeled bikes… and they are small, and electric so maybe time for a change! !!

By: Topaz

Topaz — Fri, 23 May 2014 04:04:57 +0000

Our sincerest condolences and prayers go to the family and friends of Mr. Laubacher.

By: Duane P Santucci

Duane P Santucci — Fri, 23 May 2014 03:48:26 +0000

I also look very carefully to the way they apply their brakes and if they are not doing it correctly,I get there attention and pull them over and tell them the correct way of applying the brakes, because I have witness far to many that panic,because of our dangerous drivers an then the first thing the tourist does is pull hard on the front brakes or hard on the back and either way it is a accident waiting to happen, and worse if the roads are damp or wet.

By: Duane P Santucci

Duane P Santucci — Fri, 23 May 2014 03:44:07 +0000

I think it is very cruel that you are so insensitive, especially now that we are dealing with a death of one of our visitors,my concern is not for the cycle liveries but for the lives of those who are constantly in danger not only because of the un-steadiness on the cycle, but because of many of the lunatics that drive and ride on our roads,

I love the Bahamas but you wont find me on a scooter, to damn dangerous, I don’t even ride a bike in Bermuda for that same reason. Our condolences go out to the family and friends, along with the staff of the cruise line who would have befriended this gentleman.

By: Bella

Bella — Fri, 23 May 2014 03:28:49 +0000

This is devastating. My heart goes out to the family of Mr. Laubacher. God rest his soul & heal his loved ones.

By: D

Fri, 23 May 2014 03:22:23 +0000

Very said news I know the bikes look fun to the tourist. To ride but our roads r tough I’m. Solo sorry rip

By: Redo

Redo — Fri, 23 May 2014 02:39:23 +0000

That was not needed. Shut the heck up butthole.

By: Solar P

Solar P — Fri, 23 May 2014 02:19:51 +0000

Ya that would work if the BIU would stop being ignorant and actually provide a service that is reliable.

By: Jayne

Jayne — Fri, 23 May 2014 02:03:57 +0000

While I agree many tourists are not up to the task of riding a cycle, local riders are often even more dangerous to others on the roads.
I was a guest worker in the late 80′s early 90′s and rode a scooter. I still ride one today for my commute in Sydney, Australia.

I visited the island 2 years ago and rented a scooter – I have 2 comments regarding this: 1. the scooters rented out by Eve’s cycles in Dockyard are dangerous! (bad seating position). returned after 1 day despite being experienced riders and rented from Oleander.
2. the local riders are insane! Too fast, aggressive, and with a death wish in so many cases. I saw riders do anything to get ahead, on more than one occasion just missing a head on collision.

By: PSJ

PSJ — Fri, 23 May 2014 00:53:27 +0000

Praying for his recovery

By: Oh no

Oh no — Fri, 23 May 2014 00:15:33 +0000

Oh no hope he gets better soon.

By: Annie

Annie — Fri, 23 May 2014 00:14:25 +0000

Is it possible that the accident was caused by the chest pains and not the other way around? He could have had a heart crisis that caused the accident…

By: Annie

Annie — Fri, 23 May 2014 00:12:59 +0000

@Family Man: Too bad they didn’t teach you in school not to grow up to be such a mean-spirited d**chebag.

By: in the news

in the news — Fri, 23 May 2014 00:09:46 +0000

Idea, I totally agree with you 100%.

By: SML

SML — Thu, 22 May 2014 23:25:15 +0000

Mr Santucci, you couldn’t have said it any better. I cringe sometimes when I see tourists on mopeds and say a silent prayer for their safety. I see the recklessness of some of our local drivers going right up behind them and tooting because they are riding to slow. The other day I witnessed a police go right up behind one on a bike towing a child and put on his siren, I thought for sure the tourist was going to hit the sidewalk. I actually put on my brakes out of fear and I was across the road. I pray for this tourist recovery.

By: idea

idea — Thu, 22 May 2014 23:19:06 +0000

Maybe that could be some ones job. maybe a summer student. someone to ride around with the vistors until the feel good. atless they will get more than 5 mins gudence. maybe they could give a tore of the area near the rental place

By: Timothy Hickey

Timothy Hickey — Thu, 22 May 2014 22:56:14 +0000

Hmmm, really Duane? I have read more stories over the past year from various Bermuda news feeds about BERMUDIAN cycle accidents than tourist accidents!!

By: Use public transport

Use public transport — Thu, 22 May 2014 22:34:43 +0000

It’s been made clear that tourist can not handle these bikes that we are giving them. I think that we should get rid of the option of them even having a bike. In addition, I know there have been ideas and suggestions of thenm being able to rent cars but let’s be honest do we need more cars on the road? No! Tourist just need to take full advantage of the public transportation system. Them doing so will make the roads safer as well as their visit safer AND bring in money for the government or our taxi drivers

By: Family Man

Family Man — Thu, 22 May 2014 22:23:27 +0000

Stay in school kids, study hard, pay attention in English class and you can work your way out of the lively hood into a lucrative livelihood.

By: Awake

Awake — Thu, 22 May 2014 21:42:14 +0000

Very sad news. The corners by Spar Lane are treacherous. Most of our visitors aren’t used to riding mopeds to begin with and then you put them on a motor bike for a 5 minute “lesson” and expect them to handle ours roads. Prayers that this man makes a full recovery.

By: Duane P Santucci

Duane P Santucci — Thu, 22 May 2014 21:19:21 +0000

I know this is a lively hood for some but I have never been in favor of tourist with mopeds, while there are those who can handle the cycle, far to many I see are not stable on our roads, and I do everything in my power to get in front of them so I don’t need to be a witness to something that did not need to take place.

I also think it is a bad idea based on the reckless driving that many locals do that puts these tourist more at risk, and finally how the cycle liveries are still teaching the tourist how to only use one brake, when they should be applying both gradually.

Our prayers go out to this individual and the family.

By: Are you kidding me.

Are you kidding me. — Thu, 22 May 2014 21:09:16 +0000

So sorry ….wich him speedy recovery..