You knew it wouldn’t last.
After a rash of bicycling deaths in July and early August, we somehow managed to go over a month without a fatality in Southern California.
Or at least, none that managed to make the news.
That came to an end last night, when a man was killed as he rode his bike in Compton.
According to the City News Service, he was riding on a dark section of Rosecrans Ave, west of Aprilia Ave, around 11:15 pm when he was rear-ended by a driver changing lanes.
The victim, identified only as a 40-year old man, was pronounced dead at the scene.
No word on whether he had lights on his bike, or if there was some other reason why the driver failed to see him. And no word on how fast the driver was going.
But at least he stayed at the scene.
A street view shows six lanes with a center turn lane on Rosecrans, with a frontage road on the south side. That suggests the victim may have been riding west on Rosecrans, if he was on the main roadway at the time of the crash.
This is at least the 39th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the ninth that I’m aware of in Los Angeles County.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for the victim and his loved ones.
Thanks to Sindy for the heads-up.
