A San Francisco area judge has dismissed a lawsuit against a fitness data social networking site after concluding the bicyclist who died while using the site assumed risk.

According to news reports, William "Kim" Flint was killed when his bicycle collided with a car on a downhill stretch of road while he was apparently trying to reclaim his King of the Mountain status through a ride-tracking site operated by Strava. Flint's parents sued Strava, claiming its app encourages dangerous behavior and fails to provide adequate warnings that certain road conditions are unsuitable for racing.

Judge Marla Miller disagreed, saying, "Mr. Flint assumed the risks of bicycling and the defendant has shown that bicycling is an inherent risky activity."

Following the ruling, Strava spokesman Mark Riedy issued a statement for the company: "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. ... We ask all athletes to exercise common sense when they are running and riding and to encourage good behavior within the community."

—Source:  roadcc.com