More bad news. As if we haven’t had enough already.
The Press-Telegram is reporting that a man was killed riding his bike in the unincorporated community of Firestone Park, just outside of South Gate in South Los Angeles County.
The victim, identified as 57-year old Lynwood resident Vicente Lopez, was struck by a driver around 10:10 Friday night as he was leaving a 7-11 parking lot at Alameda Street and Firestone Boulevard.
Lopez allegedly rode out into the path of a large pickup headed south on Alameda.
He was taken to Lynwood’s St. Francis Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead an hour and a half later.
As always, the question is whether there were independent witnesses to the crash, and why he wouldn’t have seen a big truck before he rode into the street.
This is at least the 22nd bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the ninth I’m aware of in Los Angeles County.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for Vicente Lopez and all his loved ones.
This is the wrong part of the country, in the era of the distracted driver, for commuting by bicycle on city streets. In addition to the distracted driving, there is the open hostility directed by motorists against cyclists. We may complain about how it’s the fault of the motorists, but that’s the reality.
Bicycle commuting will never be a safe option in the LA area.
And yet, many people do it every day.
Our prayers go up for the family and friends of Mr. Lopez..
My prayers go out to his family and may you rest in peace