What the hell is going on in Riverside County?
The county, which has averaged nine bicycling deaths per year for the past three years, had already suffered six deaths, less than three months into the year.
Now you can make that seven.
According to multiple sources, a person riding a bicycle on Indian Canyon Drive, between Garnet Avenue and Palm Springs Station Road in Palm Springs, was struck by a motorist around 5:40 am Saturday.
The victim was taken to a local hospital, where they later died as a result of unidentified major injuries.
Both the victim and the driver were described only as local residents.
The driver remained at the scene, and was not suspected of being under the influence; needless to say, no arrest was made and no one was ticketed at the scene.
There is a narrow paved shoulder on Indian Canyon, a painted stripe the only protection from drivers speeding by at — or more likely above — the posed 55 mph speed limit.
There’s no other information available at this time. No word on which direction they were both traveling, or why the driver wasn’t able to avoid someone on a bicycle in the early morning darkness, over an hour before sunrise.
Anyone with information is urged to call the Traffic Division of the Palm Springs Police Department at 760/323-8125.
This is at least the 24th bicycling fatality in Southern California already this year, and the seventh that I’m aware of in Riverside County.
Which is too damn many.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for the victim and his or her loved ones.
