It just keeps getting worse.
For the 12th time in 22 days, someone riding a bicycle has been killed on the mean streets of Southern California.
This time in ostensibly bike-friendly Santa Monica.
According to surf publication Shacked Mag, a 69-year old woman was riding at 19th Street and Idaho Ave around 8:45 am yesterday when she was struck by a driver.
She was taken to a local hospital. Sadly, Phil Gaimon reports the victim, a friend of his, was taken off life support this morning. She has not been publicly identified.
The driver remained at the scene, and reportedly cooperated with investigators.
A street view shows an intersection of two residential streets without lane markings. While it’s been awhile since I’ve ridden through there, I’ve occasionally used Idaho as a quieter alternative to busy Montana a block away.
Twitter/X user Mobility For Who offers a little more information about the crash site.
This is a 2-way stop, that the victim apparently rode through, but it’s also a neighborhood residential street with schools nearby. People have been asking the city for traffic calming measures there for years, from what I hear from residents. Drivers use 19th to cut through the neighborhood to get to/from San Vicente, so I guess the street is just setup to let them do that.
If you’re riding Idaho and crossing there, you’re basically just hoping that a speeding car isn’t coming hidden behind parked cars, so rolling through that stop sign often feels safer, just to get out of there as quickly as possible.
California recently passed a new law requiring daylighting at intersections, which might improve the visibility problem there. But sadly, it comes too late to help the victim of this crash.
This is at least the 47th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 13th that I’m aware of in Los Angeles County.
Update: The Santa Monica Mirror reports the victim was apparently riding west on Idaho, when she was struck by the southbound driver, who didn’t have a stop sign.
Update 2: A Nextdoor post identified the victim as Tania Mooser. A vigil will be held in her honor this Friday.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for Tania Mooser and her loved ones.
Thanks to bikematic, Mobility For Who and Diana Williams for the heads-up.
Sad to hear about this.
Idaho is my main cycling route from Ocean to West LA for 15 years and I find it is usually a safe calm route on wide streets I always enjoy the ride home.
May her life be a blessing.
I think you’re referring to Idaho in Los Angeles (which is the continuation of Broadway in Santa Monica). The victim of this accident died on smaller Idaho one block south of Montana in Santa Monica -whose tree eastern end point is at 26th St. I’m so sorry to hear this news and condolences to all who loved her. We need to better ….
No, I know Idaho well. It’s my favorite route from the beach back home. At 26th you go South to the traffic circle then exit toward West LA.
No, I know Idaho well. It’s my favorite route from the beach back home. At 26th you go South to the traffic circle then exit toward West LA.
Tania had just returned from a bike tour through Ireland. She was a serious bike rider, cautious and dedicated. She leaves behind a loving daughter, son, and a devoted sister along with a huge number of mourning friends. A retired teacher, devoted mother, loving sister, loving friend, and missed by so many. This tragedy took a vibrate and healthy beautiful woman.
And what a friend she was! She taught me so much and I will miss her beyond……
Thank you Rosanne and Jamws, I’m glad to hear her name. I live on that corner. She saw she was appropriately helmeted. Compared to many cars going through on 19th, I can’t believe he was going very fast. It was truly a horrible accident. The lesson should be that in Santa Monica, driving more slowly is a must. I don’t like stop signs when riding my bike…but it is also the price of living in this lovely city. Finally, although 19th and Idaho has allowed firetrucks from the station to make it to north of Montana more quickly by not stopping, it is the price to pay.
I still had so much to talk about with beloved Tania. She taught me so much. We are heartbroken. Bereft. May her memory be a blessing.
I worked with Tania and we remained close even after she retired. I just found out about this horrible accident yesterday. I was so looking forward to hearing about her trip to Ireland. I agree; she taught me so much about everything, and I will miss her forever.
Hi Stephanie – I went with her to Ireland. We had a trip of a lifetime, so said Tania. She was so happy. ♥️ and I can’t even imagine how much we’ll all miss her.
I am so glad you both had a wonderful time. Hold those memories close. I know I will treasure every memory of the time we spent together.
James, as I said when I saw you just outside the vigil at Ken Dapper’s garden, I’m so sorry for your loss–and ours, as it turns out that she lived a stone’s throw from me in one of the more interesting neighborhood homes. Thought you might find this news of interest (linked from today’s update on the biking in LA blog). https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2023-11-03/arnold-schwarzenegger-sued-cyclist-crash
I’m not sure why the City is asleep at the wheels. I live off of Montana and most intersections along Idaho, Washington, Alta, Margarita and others are dangerous owing to 2 way stops rather than 4 way stops. When SM was a sleepy town, it might have been fine. Now the entire East LA, South LA comes to work and play in SM. Drivers go fast, don’t care about cultural courtesy or laws. It’s the state of the country really. In the past few months, Washington Ave, a notorious street with barely any 4 way stops, much like Carlyle, offering impatient drivers a preferred route, finally got 4 way stops after innumerable wrecks. Idaho remains a rogue outpost. This tragedy was needless.
I agree about the need for more 4 way stops or roundabouts like the one at 26th & Washington. But I think entitled drivers from the car dependent streets of Brentwood and the Palisades represent a bigger menace to cyclists and pedestrians in Santa Monica neighborhoods north of Wilshire than “the entire East LA, South LA.”
Andy I think entitled motorists from the car-dependent parts of Brentwood and the Palisades represent a much bigger threat than “the entire East LA, South LA” to cyclists and pedestrians in Santa Monica, especially north of Wilshire. But we’re in agreement about the need for more 4 way stops or roundabouts.
Completely agree with you Andy!! I live a few blocks from 19th and Idaho is full of blind spots and poorly planned. I refuse to cycle on Idaho.
Such a tragic loss of life.
I am trying to arrange for a ghost bike to honor her memory.
He should lose his license permanently and irrevocably and pay damages to the family of the victim. Assuming he is a person of means he can hire a driver or ride share services. If not the city may provide transport for necessary trips like groceries or medical appointments.
City of Santa Monica has failed its residents concerning safety traffic enforcement and crime from 14 th Colorado where I see people cut off train to 14 th pico officer laughed as I was cut off – I don’t believe city does anything positive for the residents if. You look at intersection of 14 th pico you can see misleading lane cause a collision to 17 th which is a nightmare? Our community has been abandoned it seems .
Traffic circles is a pipedream, but reduces injuries
@Joey there’s already a couple traffic circles in Santa Monica north of Wilshire. One is at 26th and Washington; the other, which unfortunately has different rules, is 6 blocks away at Lipton and Berkeley.
I just passed by here walking my dog 30 minutes ago saw candles, balloons, memorial etc. this is a tough intersection because cars DRIVE TOO FAST and blow stop signs in this area. this includes construction workers headed to the monster mansion jobs north of Wilshire and residents cutting through these side side streets. I just had a near miss with a mercedes nearly hitting myself and my dog and I was in a marked crosswalk at Wilshire in SM!
Can anyone help us to place a ghost bike at 19th and Idaho to honor her memory? I live 3 streets away and can be a point of contact.
I worked with Tania for many years in the Glendale Unified School District. She was my mentor when we both worked as English Language Development teacher specialists. She was always so helpful, competent, hard-working, and dedicated, all mixed with a great sense of humor. She always talked about her family, and about her bike riding adventures.
For few years, my neighbor Linda & I bugged the Santa Monica City Mgr. (or whoever is responsible for stop signs. What could possible be an excuse for not having on Washington (like a ini-hwy during rush hr. am & pm! Cars whiz by frighteningly.
Idaho has always seemed a bit better to we Washington @ 19th residents, but Tania death shows me we were 100% worn. Such an unnecessary tragedy for an experienced biker—WITH a helmet, a shockingly uncommon thing around here! We will watch even more carefully when on 19th between Idaho & Washington & all over the neighborhood, 7 my Tania spirit live on.
Many of the streets here, including Montana Ave (and especially Wilshire, that one’s nuts!), need far more safety measures for pedestrians and cyclists. Such as lower speed limit, wider bike lanes, etc. So sad to hear about this—and hopefully can be avoided in the future. Let’s hope some bold decisions are made!