Cyclist killed in Seattle today

[rwsaunders]

All this talk about RKP and then something like this comes along. Thoughts and prayers to the victim and her family.

http://blogs.seattletimes.com/today/...tle-collision/

[MattTuck]

Tragic. If she was in the bike lane when the incident occurred, that is really sad.

I don't get why the article states, 'it was not yet known if she was wearing a helmet or not". Seriously? What purpose does that serve?

Will wait to learn the details, but it really is terrible when a rider is using the dedicated space for bikes, and something like this happens.

[one60]

I am familiar with that street...2nd Ave is a one-way street heading downhill with a grade around 3%. A shared bike lane exists on the lefthand side of the street but it is a difficult street to navigate on a bike. There are parked cars, drop-off zones, taxi zones AND every other street has the potential for vehicles making left hand turns. The pedestrian traffic in this area is very high, so often cars are unable to make a left turn due to foot traffic & block the bike lane.

Not sure a protected lane would have helped in this situation since it would need to be unprotected or open at each cross street.

Condolences to the family.

[SBash]

This is sad! I had a auto repair and a bicycle shop in Seattle for years and knew many of the messengers that had been hit/doored or whatever. Those boys were animals and took many risk...I doubt they ever used a bike lane. Unfortunately some think bike lanes are safe...You still need to ride with peripheral vision and anticipate what's ahead especially intersections. Don't trust anyone!
Respect for the family in their loss.

[notoriousdjw]

Very sad and personally scary since my wife commutes by bike within 1/2 mile of the collision. Sincere condolences to the family of the victim.

[tumbler]

Originally Posted by MattTuck

Tragic. If she was in the bike lane when the incident occurred, that is really sad.

I don't get why the article states, 'it was not yet known if she was wearing a helmet or not". Seriously? What purpose does that serve?

I think the helment/no helmet info is relevant, just like telling us whether someone killed in a car accident was wearing a seatbelt. It's a horrible situation, especially as you mentioned, if she was in the bike lane, but I think it's reasonable to use information like helmet/no helmet or seatbelt/no seatbelt in our own risk assessments. I confess that I worry a little more after hearing reports of cyclists killed while obeying the law and wearing a helmet. If I learn that the cyclist was riding carelessly or not wearing a helmet, my personal risk assessment is probably not going to change much. Just my thoughts.

[Dead Man]

Originally Posted by MattTuck

Tragic. If she was in the bike lane when the incident occurred, that is really sad.

I don't get why the article states, 'it was not yet known if she was wearing a helmet or not". Seriously? What purpose does that serve?

I also hate seeing this detail, as if it's relevant at all. It'll be relevant if an autopsy could somehow determine conclusively if a helmet would have made a difference, but until then- let's focus on the fact that someone smashed a multi-ton vehicle into a cyclist. f'in'a

[Drmojo]

Buy a jersey, socks, donate!
And don't forget Big Ride in 2016
So many tragedies, so many families shattered.
We can all make a difference.
And the World's Bike Fair is in California in 2017...

[rwsaunders]

Originally Posted by Drmojo

Buy a jersey, socks, donate!
And don't forget Big Ride in 2016
So many tragedies, so many families shattered.
We can all make a difference.
And the World's Bike Fair is in California in 2017...

Dr. Mojo...try this link below.


http://www.rideofsilence.org/main.php

[gone]

Updated story http://seattletimes.com/html/localne...killedxml.html

[verticaldoug]

It's always sad.

There have been so many fatalities in London with trucks and buses turning and clipping cyclists riding in the blind spot, that many now have signs on the back end warning cyclists to stay back and not ride in the blind spot. Many still do.

A blind spot is no excuse for a driver who causes injuries, but as a general rule, cyclists need to learn how to forecast better where the trouble spots are while riding to avoid these.

[Drmojo]

Originally Posted by rwsaunders

Dr. Mojo...try this link below.


http://www.rideofsilence.org/main.php

Impaired am I, can't figure how to post links, thank you.
I can't think of many better causes for cyclists
Mojo

[KidWok]

Yeah...that sucks. I used to commute down that way to get to Pioneer Square. 2nd is tricky and a person with some traffic sense would know not to spend any time hugging the left side of that one-way road. I think there is a bike sharrow there, but still...

I had always thought that 3rd was the preferred commuter route. It's limited to transit traffic only during that time of day and bus drivers seem to be way more bike traffic savvy than typical motorists.

Tai

[cnighbor1]

Cyclist killed in Seattle today
Years back I was hit in nearly the same place. It is a one way street and you ride on the left side of the street. the woman that hit me was having engine problems and was looking for a place to park her boy friends car. so has I looking at a buildings garage that exited unto 2nd avenue and into my lane I missed her passing me and heading for an open parking spot and cutting me off. so with no place to go I hit the left side of her car. I went to a local hospital No damage just bumps and bruises she was in trouble has her boy friend was wanted for a crime. felt a bit sorry for her has she was just trying to get off the road.
I tried riding that street a few more times and decided to use the parallel bike path closer to the waterfront. than cut up the hill which must have been over 12% I would nearly fall over at the top. later I changed to cutting thru flat china town
Later I moved and getting to north Bend was a 2:45 hour ride
There was once at the top a great bike path paralleling I-90 to Bellevue .

[tiretrax]

Very sad indeed. RIP.