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Uploaded: Sunday, May 3, 2009, 10:00 AM

Man killed by car while walking on Highway 101
Morning collision in Redwood City kills 35-year-old Rene Linares

Posted by Resident, a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood, on May 3, 2009 at 3:32 pm

How come he was walking across the highway?- even if his car had broken down there was no reason to walk across it. And although we do not expect to see pedestrians crossing the highway and there couldn't have been much traffic there, how come the driver did not see the pedestrian in the headlights and avoid him?

Posted by Accidents Happen, a member of the Palo Alto High School community, on May 3, 2009 at 4:24 pm

I feel sorry for the driver; she's going to have to live with this and because of the stupidity of the pedestrian.

Posted by let's be realistic, a resident of the Barron Park neighborhood, on May 3, 2009 at 5:20 pm

"how come the driver did not see the pedestrian in the headlights and avoid him?"

Ummmm... cars drive pretty fast on a freeway and headlights don't illuminate an infinite amount.

65 mph which equals 90 feet in a second. Low-beam headlights usually only illuminate 100-300 feet in front. Given that the most time the driver would have to swerve away is about ~3.5 seconds.

3.5 seconds isn't a whole lot and the actual time is less because it'll take 0.75 seconds for the driver to realize there's a person in front (perception time) and then another 0.75 seconds for the driver to react by braking or serving (reaction time).

A 2 second time frame is impossible for brakes to stop a car moving at 65 mph. And completing a lane change in 2 seconds would probably result in losing control of the car.

Posted by Indeed, a resident of the Midtown neighborhood, on May 3, 2009 at 5:58 pm

The last comment by 'let's be realistic' was just brilliant!

Posted by Resident, a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood, on May 3, 2009 at 7:56 pm

Lets be realistic

I agree with what you are saying, but it does seem to me that unless the pedestrian was standing waiting to be hit, or jumped out in front of the car, or some other scenario, and wearing completely dark clothing, that the driver may have been able to do something. I would really like to know what speed the car was traveling and whether the driver was also subject to toxicology testing.

I sincerely agree that the driver will have this on her conscience for ever, and sincerely hope that she was as innocent as appears in this affair.

Accidents don't just "happen". There is always a cause. Obviously the biggest cause is that pedestrians should not be crossing a highway. I just want clarification that it was the only cause.

Posted by To Resident, a resident of East Palo Alto, on May 3, 2009 at 9:40 pm

If you're serious about your concerns, why don't you contact the CHP and see what other info they can make public at this time. They'd have done a field sobriety test on the driver if they suspected she was under the influence. She wasn't arrested and likely wasn't even cited. It WASN'T her fault. It's clear your really don't understand how fast these things happen, and the guy could easily be dead if she was going 55 instead of 65, since he was thrown across the freeway, or so it sounds like.

Posted by Midtown resident, a resident of the Midtown neighborhood, on May 4, 2009 at 12:06 pm

I totally agree with Let's Be Realistic. I have a hard time seeing bikers on Middlefield at night who aren't wearing lights and/or reflective gear -- and that when I'm going 25 mph. When you're going 65-70 mph, it's not like your headlights suddenly get stronger to accommodate the increased distance required to avoid hitting something in your way.

Posted by Many Lessons Here, a resident of the Palo Verde neighborhood, on May 4, 2009 at 1:49 pm

I appreciate all for your comments here, especially "Realistic"'s analysis, and "Resident"'s re-iteration of the fundamental rule, never to run or walk across the lanes of a highway. "Midtown"'s extrapolation to bike riders is thoughtful.

We need to learn all the available lessons, and avoid "finding fault with the victim", a natural reaction that comes from what is known as "survivor's guilt".

Page 37 of the California Drivers Handbook has the rules for when you need to stop when on the highway. I have not had flares in my cars, nor read the CDH, in the past 20 years, but I plan to by the end of the day.

We all need to be respectful of the dead, and send our prayers for his family, and for the driver and her family. This is their tragedy.

Let us make sure these costly lessons are not lost.

Posted by anonymous, a resident of Woodside, on May 4, 2009 at 2:30 pm

Dont try and blame it on the driver. This stupid pedestrian was not supposed to be in the freeway. Freeways are meant for cars hello lets be real. The driver is 9 months pregnant and she couldnt have been in any type of toxication. This person (pedestrian) was either on some type of drug, was drinking or just wanted to kill himself. This was not the drivers fault......period. So many of you need to get your story straight.

Posted by David, a resident of Mountain View, on May 4, 2009 at 3:48 pm

Re: Accidents don't just "happen"

Actually they do and they are inevitable. Here is an excellent article from the 2001 New Yorker:

Web Link

Reading this should hopefully make you more cautious and attentive in your driving (and walking:-).

As for this accident, you don't expect a pedestrian to suddenly be crossing the highway and they have a small profile. You can only hope to respond quickly and correctly in such a situation. Pedestrians crossing highways are just taking a great risk. Don't do it!

Posted by Observer, a resident of the Greater Miranda neighborhood, on May 4, 2009 at 5:10 pm

I think it was a designated drinker out for an evening stroll. Such a shame that the driver has to relive the trauma of someone stepping in front of her for the rest of her life.

Posted by Resident, a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood, on May 4, 2009 at 6:09 pm

Of course accidents happen, but they happen for a reason. That is why I say they don't just happen. Whether the reason for any accident is human error, human distraction, intoxication, or act of God (a tree falling infront of the car) there is always a cause. I agree that driving is very hazardous and for most of us we will make mistakes at some stage and generally speaking we get away with it, but there are times when we don't. Also, there can be a number of factors occurring at the time of an accident. A distracted driver can make a mistake at exactly the same time as another distracted driver making a mistake. A pedestrian making a mistake can be in the path of a driver making a mistake.

To class any type of road accident as just one of those things is wrong. Finding the cause is important as a learning tool for the rest of us. Yes, the biggest cause of this accident was a pedestrian being in the wrong place - probably drunk or suicidal. But it is always good to check that there was nothing untoward happening at the same time.

Our highways are reasonably well lit at night and there are few shadows from trees, parked cars, or other obstacles such as could be found on Middlefield Road. We should always be driving at speeds that would mean we can stop within our seeing distance. I was actually out fairly late on Saturday evening on 280 and there was some fog, another factor that can cause accidents.

Yes, this accident should never have happened. If that pedestrian was not on the highway, we would not be discussing this. Yes I do feel for the driver and if she was 9 months pregnant as stated above then this is doubly aggravating for her. I am sure that she will carry this with her forever and she has my sympathies. I am in no way trying to blame her.

My only interest in this accident is as a learning tool for all of us, particularly for those less experienced drivers and those who do take chances as one of those cases where we must realise that we never know just what may happen to us each time we venture out driving our vehicles.

Posted by tinkerbell, a resident of the Fairmeadow neighborhood, on May 5, 2009 at 1:32 pm

this is a tradegy for both families unfortunally but lets be real - yes the pedestrian should of not been there but if she would of driven more slower she would of been able to stop.. she was going 75mph.. come on - and had 4 kids in the van and 2 of them not having seat bell. also no insurance, no license, etc.. come on......

Posted by Lucy, a resident of Woodside, on May 5, 2009 at 2:34 pm

This is what I personally think... I knew Rene for about two years, He was from El Salvador and ever since he got here had a hard time finding a steady job, my ex husband hire him for some time to help him with some landscaping, he was one of the guys that are waiting outside Home depot to be hired for the day, he was a very good worker, and a good friend, he had a 16 yr old girl, a 14 yr old boy and a sick mother waiting in El Salvador,that's why I don't think he jumped in front of the traffic... the sad thing is that he had no family but a cousin in L.A and some friends like us... unfortunately only a family member can claim his body, so god knows what's going to happen... I feel terribly sorry for his family back home and for the woman who hit him because she has to live with that for a long time.