Archive for Injuries and Fatalities

Santa Ana mountain bike rider collapsed and died in front of South Coast Global Medical Center

January 12, 2018 / / One comment

Even being in exactly the right place at the right time isn’t always enough.

The Orange County Register is reporting that a man, who has not been publicly identified, collapsed with riding his mountain bike on South Bristol Street in Santa Ana around 6:30 this morning.

He fell directly in front of the South Coast Global Medical Center, and was eventually taken inside where he was pronounced dead.

There’s no word on why he collapsed or the cause of death.

According to the paper, so many motorists stopped to help the victim that police initially thought he must have been hit by one of them.

Too often we only hear about the conflicts between people on bikes and in cars, whether verbal or physical, intentional or otherwise. As sad as this news is, it’s heartwarming to see that there are still people who care about others on our streets.

This is the second bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the first in Orange County.

Unfortunately, issues medical issues like this can arise at any time, often with little or no warning. So let this be a reminder to see your doctor on a regular basis, especially if you’re older or have health issues, to ensure that you’re healthy enough to ride.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for the victim and his loved ones.

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , ,

Morning Links: SoCal bike deaths drop, green bike lanes coming to Mar Vista, and cycling won’t make you limp

January 12, 2018 / / One comment

Sixty-two.

That’s the number of people who died riding their bikes in Southern California last year.

Which is an improvement in some ways, because it represents a significant drop from the 73 people killed in the seven-county area last year. And an even bigger drop from the 86 people killed in 2014.

But it’s still 62 too many.

LA Curbed examines last year’s deaths, including the 26 people who died in Los Angeles County last year, including my fears of what’s behind the decline.

And be forewarned before you venture into the comments there, or on Reddit.

………

Westside Councilmember Mike Bonin forwards word that the protected bike lanes that were installed on Venice Blvd as part of the Mar Vista Great Streets project will be getting green paint to make them more obvious to some of the more oblivious drivers and bike riders.

As we’ve noted here before, these bike lanes were installed as a one-year pilot project, with adjustments made as needed when issues arise, or opportunities for improvements become evident.

This sounds like a little of both.

………

Relax, guys.

A new study from UC San Francisco says riding a bike does not cause erectile dysfunction or infertility.

In fact, the study showed that not only does cycling not affect men’s sexual or urinary health, but that men who rode over 25 miles a day actually had better erectile function.

So you can spend all the time you want in the saddle and still get it up have kids.

………

Local

You can’t ride on the 10 Freeway in Santa Monica, but you may be able to ride in a park over it someday.

A West Hollywood study suggests a number of safety improvements that could reduce bicycle and pedestrian crashes on Fountain Ave by 25% to 55%. However, bike lanes don’t appear to be among the recommendations; the street currently has sharrows despite the heavy, often high-speed traffic.

 

State

The bicyclist who posted video of the massive homeless camp along the Santa Ana River Trail now wishes he’d been a little more sensitive.

Ebike maker Haibike is moving to Simi Valley after relocating to Denver just a year ago.

Santa Maria considers a makeover of its downtown to create a bicycle and pedestrian-friendly atmosphere. Although they may discover that a $300,000 grant doesn’t go very far.

Bike Bakersfield has a new executive director.

The mayor of Mountain View is one of us, riding his bike around town and taking his helmet with him into meetings.

An armored truck hit a tree in San Francisco after driving down a separated bike lane instead of the traffic lane.

It’s always polite to fist-bump the cop who manages to chase you down on your bike before busting you for possession.

 

National

Bicycling profiles Ben Serotta as he returns to framebuilding, and examines what fear does to your body when some jerk nearly runs you off the road.

HuffPo considers how bicyclists got screwed out of their measly $20 a month bike commuting benefit in the new GOP tax bill, while drivers got to keep a $255 monthly deduction.

The people who work behind the scenes keeping dockless bikeshare working are getting screwed by the outsourcing gig economy. Or at least the ones working for Ofo.

An Idaho self-help author turns his attention advising drivers on how to coexist with bicyclists, with surprisingly good results.

Talk about a bad business deal. A Montana man is busted after buying an $1,800 stolen bicycle for $600, then pawning it for $200 three days later.

A Minneapolis paper discovers the lack of women working in bike shops — which also leads to a lack of women shopping in them.

A New York advocacy group says congestion pricing is the only way to reach zero traffic fatalities in the city, by getting more cars off the street. Something that hasn’t even been discussed in Los Angeles, where drivers would probably riot if anyone actually tried to pry them out of their cars.

This is how it’s supposed to be done. A DC-area county will build protected bike lanes for bicyclists who won’t be able to use a popular bike path during construction for a light rail line.

There’s a special place in hell for whoever stole a trailer from Florida’s Jack the Bike Man, who gives thousands of refurbished bikes to kids every Christmas.

 

International

If you build it, they will come. After Calgary built out a complete protected bike lane network in the downtown area, the percentage of women riders rose to 25%. Which is still far too low, but at least it’s headed in the right direction.

A Montreal writer pens an ode to orphan bikes, which are forced to spend the winter cold, alone and unloved.

A London art exhibit features miniature landscapes of bike routes the artist has traveled.

A woman in the UK writes about how she fell in love with riding a bike after getting on one for the first time in 40 years.

A Brit writer relates how he failed four basic safety lessons on his first day as an amateur bike rider. Which somehow implies the rest of us are getting paid for it.

British police are looking for a bike rider who pushed a 17-year old girl over as she was walking in a bike lane. Don’t do that. Ever. Period.

After an Aussie cyclist barely avoids getting sucked under a semi, she’s victimized again by abusive online comments.

The “menace” of joyriding Malaysian stunt bicyclists is spreading across the country, despite a crash last year that killed eight teenage riders, and another that killed two others last week.

 

Competitive Cycling

A new French book suggests that Lance was doping his bike as well as his blood.

USA Today looks at the debate over testosterone testing of transgender women, two of whom are hoping to make the US Olympic cycling team, on opposite sides of the debate.

Belgian cyclist Tim Wellens says inhaler use is wrong, despite pulling out of last year’s Tour de France with breathing problems.

Sad news from the UK, where a man who had been battling depression hung himself four days after he failed to finish a 24-hour bike race.

 

Finally…

How to pedal without ever leaving home or having to deal with other humans. Seriously, how big a bike pump will it take to inflate that thing?

And this is why you stop traffic before putting up the finish gate.

Category: Injuries and Fatalities, Morning Links / Tags: , , , , , ,

Bike rider killed in Muscoy hit-and-run; first SoCal bicycling death of 2018

January 1, 2018 / / 4 comments

That didn’t take long.

The first Southern California bicycling fatality of 2018 came just an hour into the new year.

As did the first fatal hit-and-run.

According to the San Bernardino County Coroner’s office, a bike rider was struck by a driver around 1:05 am on the 3600 block of N. Cajon Blvd in Muscoy.

The victim, who has not been publicly identified, was pronounced dead at the scene less than 20 minutes later.

The driver fled the scene, apparently without stopping. No information is available on the suspect or the suspect vehicle at this time.

There’s also no information on how the collision occurred.

A street view shows a two-lane highway with a center turn lane, and no paved shoulder on either side.

This is the first Southern California bicycling fatality of 2018, and the first in San Bernardino County.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for the victim and his or her loved ones.

 

 

Category: Bicycle Safety, Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , ,

Woodland Hills bike rider killed in Lake Balboa crash; 2nd rider injured

December 29, 2017 / / 4 comments

This is the news no one wanted during the holiday season.

According to the LA Daily News, 48-year old Woodland Hills resident Matthew Dale Barnett was killed as he was riding his bike with another rider in the Lake Balboa area Wednesday evening.

Barnett and the other victim, who was not publicly identified, were riding north on the 7100 block of Hayvenhurst Ave, south of Sherman Way, when they both were struck from behind by the driver of an SUV around 6:30 pm.

Barnett was pronounced dead at the scene; the other rider was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.

The driver, who was not even mentioned in the Daily News story, remained at the scene. Police were unsure if drugs or alcohol were involved, and no word on whether the driver may have been distracted.

No arrest was made at the scene.

A street view shows Hayvenhurst has two lanes in each direction with a center turn lane, and parking on either side. The street would have likely been busy at that hour.

Anyone with information is urged to contact LAPD Detective Bill Bustos at 818/644-8021.

This is the 62nd bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 28th in Los Angeles County. Barnett’s death is the ninth in the City of LA since the first of the year.

And hopefully, the last.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Matthew Barnett and loved ones.

Category: Bicycle Safety, Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , , ,

Bicyclist killed in Thermal crash when driver ran stop sign

December 9, 2017 / / 5 comments

A 68-year old man riding a road bike is dead because a driver couldn’t be bothered to observe a stop sign.

According to the Desert Sun, 68-year old Bellingham, Washington resident Jack Roger Laird was killed when he was struck by a driver at 12:06 pm yesterday, at the intersection of Fillmore Street and Avenue 62 in Thermal.

The driver, a woman in her mid-20s, reportedly blew through a stop sign and plowed into Laird’s bike; she stayed at the scene and was cooperating with police.

Laird died at the scene.

A street view shows a pair of two-lane roadways converging in the middle of the desert, controlled by stop signs in every direction. A CHP spokesperson says that drivers frequently ignore the stop signs.

There is a 55 mph speed limit on 62nd, and no reason to believe drivers go any slower on Fillmore.

Or that slowly, for that matter.

There’s something seriously wrong when someone can’t visit this state without going back home in a box. Or ride a bike in the middle of nowhere without worrying about drivers to whom a stop sign apparently means nothing.

This is the 61st bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the eighth in Riverside County this year. Laird is the 2nd bike rider to die in Thermal in the last four years.

That compares with 70 in SoCal this time last year, and ten in Riverside County.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Jack Roger Laird and all his family and loved ones.

 

Category: Bicycle Safety, Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , ,

Man killed riding bike in Murrieta collision Sunday evening

December 5, 2017 / / 2 comments

A man has died following a rear-end collision while riding his bike in Murrieta Sunday evening.

The Press-Enterprise reports that the victim, later identified as 43-year old Murrieta resident Khuda Dad, was struck by the driver of a van mid-block on Washington Ave between Lemon Street and Davenport Way at 5:57 pm.

Dad was riding north on Washington when he was rear-ended by the van. He was taken to a local hospital where he died the following day.

The driver remained at the scene. Police are still investigating what caused the crash, but say drugs or alcohol don’t appear to have been a factor.

A street view shows one northbound lane on Washington with no shoulder or sidewalk, along with a center turn lane and two southbound lanes. The street appears to have a 40 mph speed limit.

Anyone with information is urged to call to Traffic Investigator Jennifer Metoyer at 951/461-6375.

This is the 60th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the seventh in Riverside County.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Khuda Dad and all his loved ones.

Category: Bicycle Safety, Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , ,

Driver uses car as weapon to murder San Bernardino bike rider in intentional hit-and-run

November 27, 2017 / / 2 comments

Once again, a bike rider has been killed in a San Bernardino crash.

But this time, it was not an accident — in any sense of the word.

According to a press release from the San Bernardino Police Department, 52-year old San Bernardino resident Elroy Preston was riding on the 1400 block of E. Date Street around 6:27 pm Sunday when he was struck by a driver, who fled the scene.

Preston was taken to a local hospital, where he died later that night.

Witnesses reported he was struck by a black Dodge Magnum driven by 34-year old Dominic Deshaun Simmons of Fontana; the two men had been at the same home just before the crash.

Police spotted a vehicle matching the description at a gas station in Rialto, and arrested Simmons on suspicion of murder. He is currently being held without bail.

Simmons has an extensive criminal record, as well as several outstanding warrants for failing to appear for hearings on various charges.

Preston also had a record, though no details are available; no word on what the relationship was between the two men, if any.

Anyone with information is urged to call Detective Oldendorf at 909/384-5619 or Sgt. Kokesh at 909/384-5613.

This is the 59th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 13th in San Bernardino County.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Elroy Preston and all his loved ones.

Category: Injuries and Fatalities, Violence & Crime / Tags: , , , , , , ,

Man riding motorized bicycle killed in San Bernardino collision; 12th bike death in county this year

November 18, 2017 / / 3 comments

A San Bernardino man has been killed in a crash while riding his bike.

According to the Fontana Herald News, 24-year old Michael Brian Brownstein died after he was struck by a vehicle where North E Street turns into Kendall Drive in San Bernardino around 5:49 pm on Thursday. 

He was taken to a local hospital, then transferred to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 7:50 pm.

The San Bernardino Sun fills in some of the missing details, reporting that Brownstein was riding north on E Street when he was struck from behind by a vehicle driven by a 70-year old woman, who remained at the scene.

She was not suspected of being under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

The Sun also reports that Brownstein was riding a motorized bicycle, though it doesn’t clarify whether he was on an ebike or a gas powered bike.

A street view shows an undivided roadway with two lanes in each direction, with no shoulder or parking lane, forcing bicyclists to ride in the traffic lane.

This is the 58th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 12th in San Bernardino County. That compares with seven in the county for all of last year.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Michael Brian Brownstein and all his loved ones.

Category: Bicycle Safety, Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , ,

Update: Two young bike riders struck in Long Beach crosswalk; teenage boy killed

November 9, 2017 / / 14 comments

It’s tragic enough when anyone is needlessly killed in a crash.

Worse when it’s a child. Especially one who doesn’t appear to have done anything wrong.

The Long Beach Post reports that a boy in his early teens was killed while riding his bike in the city Thursday afternoon.

According to the paper, the boy was riding with a preteen girl, headed east in the crosswalk on Conant Street at Woodruff Ave at 3:55 pm, when they were both struck by a driver turning left off westbound Conant onto Woodruff Ave.

They were taken to a local hospital, where the boy passed away. The girl remains hospitalized in stable condition with non-life threatening injuries.

Neither victim has been publicly identified.

The driver stayed at the scene.

This is the 57th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 25th in Los Angeles County.

It’s also the third bicycling death in Long Beach this year, and at least the 13th since 2011.

Update: According to the Long Beach Report, the two victims were  waiting on the sidewalk to cross Woodruff on their bikes, and didn’t enter the crosswalk until the light turned green. The driver turned into them as they were riding across the street.

Anyone with information is urged to call LBPD Collision Investigation Detail Detective Brian Watt at 562/570-7355.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for the victim and his loved ones.

 

Category: Bicycle Safety, Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , ,

61-year old bike rider killed in Rancho Cucamonga last week

November 1, 2017 / / 2 comments

Somehow we missed this one last week.

According to the Daily Bulletin, 61-year old Rancho Cucamonga resident Tyron Paul Dade was killed last Wednesday near the intersection of Foothill Boulevard and Hellman Avenue in Rancho Cucamonga.

Dade was attempting to cross Foothill near the Foothill Village Shopping Center when he was struck by a westbound driver around 6:25 pm.

He was taken to a hospital in Upland where he died half an hour later.

The driver, who was not publicly identified, remained at the scene.

A street view shows Foothill is a four lane divided roadway with center left turn lanes and bike lanes in both directions.

The question is whether Dade was crossing at the intersection or mid-block, and whether he was crossing with the light. Whether or not he had lights and reflectors on his bike could also have been a factor, since the crash occurred 20 minutes after sunset.

This is the 56th bicycling fatality in Southern California, and the 11th in San Bernardino County. It’s also at least the fifth in Rancho Cucamonga since 2011.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Tyron Paul Dade and all his loved ones. 

 

Category: Bicycle Safety, Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , ,
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