Frivolous!!!

I am really bothered, sometimes upset, by the fact that many people in America tend to think cause and effect is someone else's problem and not a result of the poorly thought out actions.

Buying hot coffee (which is what most people want), placing it in your lap (not the smartest move, but I do it with drinks), and then getting upset when you spill and burn yourself...What does one do?  Easy, sue the company that provided the hot coffee.

Play football (American), hit your head into other heads and bodies for years, refuse to admit you are injured, continue to play...What does one do?  Easy, sue the NFL for allowing you to do such a stupid act.

How do those two statements relate to cycling???  Good question.  There is now a lawsuit against Strava.com due to the death of a cyclist in 2010.  I will not go into the details, you can read them from the above link.  However, I will give my thoughts on the matter.

Anytime I hear of a cyclist, or person for that matter, having an untimely death I feel horrible for the family.  Even though death comes to us all, no one expects its arrival.  Worst of all, parents never expect to outlive their children.  I do not know the details of the cyclist's family...Was he married, did he have children, were his parents still alive???  Regardless, there are now people in the world who will live with his memory and not him.  I sincerely wish the best for his family, but hope the lawsuit is thrown out of court before a single word is spoken

What bothers me is that the family somehow believes, or has been convinced by someone, that this is the fault of a cycling website.  Unless I am wrong, this person chose to descend the road at high speed, this person chose to take risks on the descent, and this person chose to "compete" for a KOM. 
To my knowledge, Strava has never commanded anyone to take undo risk or intentionally break the law to earn a KOM.  I love using Strava, and will try and improve my positioning on KOM leader boards.

Before I started using Strava, and since I have been using Strava, I always tried to go fast and faster.  I always knew my best times for a given route.  I always knew how long it took me to climb.  I always knew how quick I descended.  I ALWAYS have tried to better those times.

Trying to best my times, or a friends time, has nothing to do with Strava.  Rather, it has to do with my competitive nature.  Ask anyone who knows me, I HATE TO LOSE...I want to be the fastest!  If something happens to me, which I hope nothing does, it is not the fault of Strava, or any other website!  It is my fault for taking a risk and competing against myself, my friends, or a name that I saw with a better time.