San Francisco judge Marla Miller dismissed the negligence suit filed against Strava almost a year ago by the family of Kim Flint, Jr., earlier this week.
The San Francisco Superior Court ruled for summary judgment, noting that “Mr. Flint assumed the risks of bicycling and that the defendant (Strava) has shown that bicycling is an inherent risky activity.”
Flint, 41, collided with a car and died while speeding on his bike in June 2010. In the lawsuit filed June 18, 2012, his parents alleged that he was using the Strava app, which allows users to record ride times and ranks riders on individual segments, and that it encouraged dangerous behavior while failing to warn cyclists competing for “King of the Mountain” that the road conditions weren’t suited for racing.
Strava denied all charges and countersued in October 2012.
Scott Voelz, the attorney representing Strava, declined to discuss the ruling or any details about the case. But Mark Riedy, spokesman for Strava, offered this statement late Tuesday:
“The death of Kim Flint was a tragic accident and we reiterate our sincere condolences to the family. We are extremely gratified by the judge's ruling, which demonstrates there was no case against the company. Every cyclist is responsible for their own safety and the safety of those around them. We ask all athletes to exercise common sense when they are running and riding and to encourage good behavior within the community."
