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24-year-old attempting to rollerblade across the entire US killed in hit-and-run (www.kctv5.com)
submitted 1 month ago by to c/fuckcars@lemmy.world
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SALINE COUNTY, Kan. (KWCH/Gray News) — A Norwegian man attempting to rollerblade across the U.S. was killed in a hit-and-run in Kansas, officials said.

The Saline County Sheriff’s Office identified the man as 24-year-old Joachim Lanham.

Lanham was documenting his rollerblading journey across the U.S. on Instagram. According to a post from his family, he was hit by an SUV on day 22 of his journey from New York to Los Angeles

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[–] 5 points 1 month ago (12 children)

I don't understand why people keep trying to achieve this. We have had several similar stories of people attempting cycling across the US:

https://www.wrbl.com/news/cross-country-cyclist-killed-in-lee-county-while-riding-from-california-to-georgia/

https://eu.naplesnews.com/story/news/2025/09/15/naples-crash-leaves-bicyclist-dead-hit-and-run-driver-arrested/86163292007/

It also seems that the major cause of death for American competitive cyclesports athletes are getting killed by car while training:

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/may/19/gwen-inglis-cyclist-dies-fatally-struck-colorado

https://edition.cnn.com/2023/04/08/sport/ethan-boyes-death-cycling/

https://www.today.com/news/magnus-white-cycling-team-killed-rcna97356

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  • [–] 34 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

    Because people should be able to move freely? Why are you blaming the victim?

    I ride my bicycle from one end of my rural state to the other every year, because I like gravel touring and it allows me to experience the world in a more direct and authentic way.

    If some asshole in a truck kills me while I'm out doing this, please shut the fuck up about how I had it coming, 'kay?

    Edit: The more I read about this, the more awful it is. He was hit by an 82 year old woman who left him to die in a fucking ditch.

    She told police she "thought she hit something, turned around to check the area, and didn't see anything so she went home." How is that an acceptable defense? She probably won't even face charges. It just makes me so angry.

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  • [–] 35 points 1 month ago* (4 children)

    Are you blaming the victims here? It sure feels like you're trying to blame the victims.

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  • [+] -13 points 1 month ago (3 children)

    It's no different than, say, seeing a lot of people die climbing Everest and asking why people still do that. Cause of death, and fault, are irrelevant to the reaction of "hey this is dangerous, maybe don't do it"

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  • [–] 7 points 1 month ago

    It is different because Everest is Everest, but roads are not supposed to fucking be like that. Driving is a god damn privilege - it literally says so in any driving instruction manual. Walking is a right. It is absolutely every motorists responsibility to exercise the utmost caution to prevent these kinds of accidents, and the fact y'all so routinely fail in this basic fucking responsibility is why drastic reforms are needed, and the majority of people do not deserve to drive, period.

    Ban the shit. We need to get the ugly monstrosities out of cities full stop.

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  • [–] 17 points 1 month ago (1 child)

    I think there's a big difference between cycling and climbing Everest. One is something people might do every day just to get by, and the other is an exploitative ritual carried out by the wealthy. You think these cyclists died just because they were going so far? What happened to them could have happened to anyone in that time and place on any given day. We only noticed because they were doing something noteworthy at the time. How many others died similarly but didn't get noticed because they weren't on a publicity stunt? Should we not care about them just because of the stunters? About all the people who have to cross any given busy street on any given day?

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  • [–] 18 points 1 month ago

    The cathedral of St John does an annual "blessing of the bicycles", where they read out the names of the people killed riding bikes in nyc that year. When I went it was like 90% Hispanic names, because yeah, most of the miles and therefore most of the risk is borne by delivery people. They don't make national press.

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  • [–] 4 points 1 month ago

    It feels weird comparing this to Cairn, a climbing game I just played.

    Everyone tells Aava “There is about a 95% chance of you dying climbing this mountain. And there’s nothing at the top.” She still does it, and it feels like a remarkable achievement against nature. Yet any achievement on US Highways just feels kind of gross by comparison.

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  • [–] 7 points 1 month ago (4 children)

    dude how the fuck did terry fox run across canada ? canada is just as car-centric as the usa and Im guessing it was just as car centric back when he ran than it is now.

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  • [–] 8 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

    Large chunks he was either directly followed by police cars or by his support team in a car. Plus once he really go going the media hype meant everyone knew.

    0 chance that could be repeated today here.

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