La Tuna Canyon Cycling Death

I received an e-mail yesterday from a friend letting me know of a death on La Tuna Canyon road. Harvey Hetland, a retired professor from PCC was struck by a car on La Tuna Canyon road Wednesday. He did not survive. The driver who hit Harvey did not stop either. Unfortunately for the driver there is rumored to be video of the accident, taken by a resident of the canyon road who is angered by the way people drive on said road. I don't blame that resident one bit for being angry. If you've ever ridden La Tuna Canyon, you know why... You can click here for a full article on the incident from the Pasadena Star News.

I spent a good portion of yesterday brooding about this incident, thinking about what to write and how to write it. I don't really have anything to say I'm so disgusted. I used to ride La Tuna Canyon almost every week. I've seen the way people drive on that road. Most drive with reckless disregard for human life. Motorist fly by cyclists at up to 60+ miles an hour, giving little to no room to pass. What disgusts me the most is how drivers seem to forget that the person riding the bike is still a person, and that their actions as a motorist could result in tragedy for so many.

A memorial service for Harvey Hetland will be held on Thursday, March 13th, at 11:00 a.m. at the Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1757 N. Lake (at York), Pasadena, CA.

Rest in Peace Harvey.