Make that seven dead cyclists in the last eight days.
No one wants to think about a fallen rider as a statistic. But it’s hard not to when the body count keeps piling up on a nearly daily basis.
Word is just breaking that a bike rider in Fullerton has become the latest to lose her life on the mean streets, train tracks and racing venues of Southern California.
According to KNBC-4, a woman, described only as a Fullerton resident in her 20s, was riding east on Nutwood Ave when she was struck by a Fed-Ex delivery truck traveling north on Ladera Vista Drive around 2:15 pm.
The truck was turning left onto Nutwood; judging by the position of the truck and bike in a photo accompanying the story, it looks like the truck may have cut the corner, possibly hitting the victim’s bike nearly head-on. The story notes the cyclist appeared to have the right-of-way.
The driver was reportedly cooperating with investigators.
This is the 38th bicycling fatality this year, and the fourth in Orange County. It’s also the second bike death in Fullerton in the last two years.
My sympathy and prayers for the victim and her loved ones.
Thanks to Danny Gamboa for the heads-up.
Update: The victim has been identified as 22-year old Chelsea Kashergen of Fullerton.
Our sincerest heart felt prayers go up for the family and friends of the victim.
I live in Riverside, CA and encounter this almost daily when I ride my bike on city streets. The absolute worst thing is to come to a corner where oncoming traffic is approaching from my left and the driver at my left, attempting to make a turn into the oncoming traffic, looks down the street to see when it is OK to turn and merge, and never ever looks at me until he is already making his turn. So, I have learned to never ever go into the crosswalk until I absolutely 100% make eye contact and he/she has given me the OK to go ahead.
Well, that’s common sense, Rick. You shouldn’t be riding off of the sidewalk until it’s safe. You do not have the right-of-way. You are no different than a car pulling out of a driveway in the situation you’ve described.
I’m so sorry to hear about this. Chelsea was a rare Grade-A first class musician who played Sax, Clarinet and sang Patsy Cline songs with us whenever she was able to do so. She was so talented and so young. We all loved her dearly at the Senior Center. Our prayers go out to her family. We’re all hart broken.
Fullerton College posted a detailed appreciation of Chelsea’s life here:
http://fullertoncollegecentennial.com/alumni-stories/chelsea-joy-kashergen.html