Cyclist killed in Seattle today

[mjb266]

I was down in Seattle for school for a while and gave up riding near the downtown area. Until the city gets a dedicated and protected lane like Vancouver's (w/ parked cars and curbs between moving cars and cyclists) I'm staying away from those areas. Just too dangerous.

[martl]

Originally Posted by 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.

Just looked the location up in Streetview and could't believe my eyes. I wonder what genius designed it.

Originally Posted by mjb266

I was down in Seattle for school for a while and gave up riding near the downtown area. Until the city gets a dedicated and protected lane like Vancouver's (w/ parked cars and curbs between moving cars and cyclists)

We here in Munich (twice the size of Seattle, 10x the ammount of cyclists, same # of casualties) don't have left sided tracks (thank god) but we have a lot of those you describe, that hide cyclists from other traffic. Most accidents happen exactly there when the cyclists arrive from "nowhere" (from a car drivers perspective) at intersections.

A few years ago, a woman was killed at such an intersection. She had the right of way and the lights were green, too. Lorry took a right turn and ran over her. Driver went away from court "not guilty" as an expert proved he had no chance of ever seeing her.

We capaign very hard to get rid of them. A safe cyclist is a cyclist that is seen and noticed.

[Gummee]

Originally Posted by martl

JWe capaign very hard to get rid of them. A safe cyclist is a cyclist that is seen and noticed.

This

M

[aaronka]

I know that intersection, it's a sketchy one. Note in one of the articles where it says cyclists frequently ride in the traffic lanes at the speed of traffic in order to be safer (instead of using the bike lane).

[Louis]

Originally Posted by martl

Just looked the location up in Streetview and could't believe my eyes. I wonder what genius designed it.

Agreed - for a driver visibility sideways and back for a LH turn is sketchy when you're looking for a car. A cyclist with a car on his/her right will have no chance at all.

[Kirk007]

Originally Posted by aaronka

I know that intersection, it's a sketchy one. Note in one of the articles where it says cyclists frequently ride in the traffic lanes at the speed of traffic in order to be safer (instead of using the bike lane).

Yep. Rode through there many times. That's a place to keep speed with the traffic and take the lane for exactly the reason this poor woman was hit. If she was overtaking the truck or riding parallel to its hind quarter, ugh ... not where you want to be.

Riding in downtown Seattle has never been for the faint of heart but it seems so much more hazardous than it was 10-15 years ago. Too many vehicles, too little patience, too many distractions.

[KidWok]

Found out late in the day that the victim was an acquaintance of mine from our running group. Really nice woman who leaves behind a partner and 7 month old baby.



Tai

[PSC]

Tragic situation. I live and ride in the Seattle/Tacoma area and have learned that if I am going the speed of the traffic to pull in the car lane and go with the flow of traffic. I feel much safer and if the speed picks up I pull over to the right to let traffic go by. I am constantly looking at car's turn signals and brake lights for what I feel a car will do, it has become instinct honed over 40 years of riding.

[Louis]

I drive to work 45 min each way (no traffic) so I don't have to cycle on that sort of road.

[kevinvc]

Portland, OR just set up a left side bike lane downtown and plans on doing more, including one on N Williams, the busiest street for bikes in town. The idea is that there is better visibility on the left side and it eliminates right hooks and conflicts with buses. The downside is that drivers aren't used to bikes on the "fast lane" and you've now introduced left hook risks. In these situations I have no problem taking the lane if I think it's safer, mandatory side path law be damned.

[rwsaunders]

It looks like there is a change taking place...taken today at the corner of Pike and 2nd, looking South on 2nd.