As if the news hasn’t been bad enough this weekend, yet another person was killed riding a bicycle, this time in Huntington Beach Friday night.
According to the Daily Pilot, the victim, identified only as a 62-year old homeless man, was struck by a 72-year old driver on deadly PCH near Seapoint Street around 10:20 pm.
The Orange County Register reports he was riding south on PCH when he swerved across the five lane highway, and was hit by the northbound driver.
He died at the scene as a result of serious head injuries.
And no, he wasn’t wearing a helmet. Although we have no way of knowing if his injuries would have been survivable with one.
Or whether it could have made any difference on a road where the 55 mph speed limit is little more than a suggestion, and virtually any crash is a death sentence to anyone not surrounded by a couple tons of glass and steel.
We also don’t know if the victim was without a helmet by choice, or because he didn’t have access to one.
The driver remained at the scene, and police don’t suspect intoxication played a factor.
Anyone with information is urged to call Huntington Beach Police Department traffic investigator Adam Turner at 714/536-5670.
Sadly, too many people will write the victim off as just another homeless person, as if that makes his death any less tragic. Or any less of a loss to his family and friends.
People forced to live on the streets have little enough value in our society when they’re alive. They shouldn’t be forgotten in death, as well.
This is at least the eleventh bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the fourth that I’m aware of in Orange County.
It’s also the fourth bicycling death we’ve learned about in the last two days.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for the victim and all his loved ones.
March 7, 2020 /
bikinginla / Comments Off on Huntington Beach BMXer Tyler Kanarr died after hitting ceiling beam at Vans Skatepark in Orange
Word is just breaking that a Huntington Beach man died last week following a freak accident at an Orange County skatepark.
According to KCBS-2, 25-year old Tyler Kanarr was riding at the popular Vans Skatepark in Orange on February 25th when he somehow hit a ceiling beam, and suffered a gash in his neck from a florescent light.
When firefighters arrived, they found t-shirts wrapped around his neck in an effort to stop the bleeding.
Despite reportedly doing everything they could to save him, Kanarr lost too much blood before they could get him to the hospital directly across the street.
Like the death of a bike rider in Laguna Niguel on Thursday.
Thursday evening, OC bike lawyer Edward Rubinstein forwarded a post from Nextdoor, which said Alicia Parkway was closed after a bike rider had been struck by a driver.
That was followed by an unconfirmed response stating the victim didn’t make it.
Sadly, that was followed by the tweet below, confirming a man in his late 60s was killed.
The tweet places the site of the crash at Alicia Parkway and Awma Road, at the entrance to Alisa Woods Canyon Park.
A response from Jim Martin suggests the crash may have been in the northbound lane.
Looks like Northbound, Lane 3/Left turn pocket. Lots of bikes cross there. No light, though a ped crossing light ~100 yards South that cars often blow at 60+ mph.
Unfortunately, no time is given. However, the email from Rubinstein came around 8 pm Thursday night, while the first Nextdoor post came nine hours earlier, placing the crash sometime before 11 am Thursday.
There’s no description of how the collision occurred.
A street view shows a six lane speedway, with just a stop sign on Awma. According to Rubinstein, the painted bike lane on Alicia was removed in a recent repaving and hasn’t been restriped yet, leaving riders at the mercy of drivers who frequently exceed the 50 mph speed limit.
The placement of the victim’s bike next to the center divider suggests he may have been trying cross the roadway and didn’t make it. But it’s also possible it was knocked there by the force of the impact.
The Orange County Transportation Authority wants to know how you get around the county.
And yes, the correct answer is by bike.
OCTA Seeks Community Input on O.C. Transportation Needs
Transportation Needs Assessment Survey is available online and in multiple languages through March
ORANGE – The Orange County Transportation Authority is conducting an online survey to gain better insight into how people living in Orange County are changing the way they get around the county.
The Transportation Needs Assessment Survey is intended to gauge people’s opinions on the current public transit system and help shape future transportation planning in Orange County.
The online survey is part of an ongoing effort by OCTA to reach out to current riders of OC Bus and Metrolink, as well as non-riders, to deliver a balanced and sustainable transportation network for the county and to enhance overall quality of life.
The survey, at www.OCTAsurvey.com, will be online through the end of March. In an effort to engage residents from a variety of backgrounds, the survey is available in English and six other languages, including Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, Korean, Spanish, and Vietnamese.
“Our goal is to ensure all residents have a voice when it comes to transportation needs,” said OCTA Chairman Steve Jones, also the mayor of Garden Grove. “The Transportation Needs Assessment is an opportunity for residents to have a say in local and regional mobility and to ensure everyone is being served.”
The brief survey, which should take approximately 10 minutes or less to complete, asks how residents currently get around Orange County, and seeks suggestions on what can be improved to encourage people to use public transportation or consider active transportation options, such as walking and cycling.
Save the date! The 30th Annual SANDAG Bike to Work Day will be Thursday, May 14, 2020. Online registration will open on March 2. Register by April 12 for a chance to win a $500 gift card to Moment Bicycles!
Interested in hosting an official Bike to Work Day pit stop? Applications will be accepted from March 2–20. Support new and experienced riders throughout the county as they roll by a pit stop to pick up a free t-shirt, snacks, and encouragement.
Be sure to stay tuned to the SANDAG Facebook page to vote for this year’s official Bike to Work Day t-shirt later this month!
For more information about Bike to Work Day, visit the iCommute Bike Month web page.
A Twitter thread from Streetsblog makes the case that the proposed widening of Magnolia Blvd in North Hollywood is a zombie project that has somehow lived on, despite a call to narrow the street in the city’s mobility plan.
This project was apparently partially funded via 2009 federal grant. The $8.4M is $5.46 million federally funded, plus $2.94 from local Proposition C monies. The decision-maker is L.A. City Councilmember @PaulKrekorian
Portland bike owners can now report stolen bikes online. Which should solve the problem of cops who don’t want to be bothered with writing up a report.
Unbelievable. The allegedly intoxicated man who ran down five Australian bicyclists as they rode in a bike lane was granted bail on a previous drug charge just one day before the crash. Just one more example of authorities keeping dangerous drivers on the road until it’s too late.
Nickelson’s obituary describes him as an old soul, known for “his kindness, funny quick wit, free spirit, his mischievous smile and compassion for humankind.”
Anyone with information is urged to call Accident investigator D. Kim of the Huntington Beach Police Department at 714/536-5666.
This is at least the fifth bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the first that I’m aware of in Orange County.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for Adam Nickelson and all his loved ones.
Too often, we get word that someone had been killed riding a bicycle, but struggle confirm the story.
This time, we have the opposite problem.
According to the Orange County Coroner’s office, a 31-year old man was killed when he was hit by the driver of a semi-truck in Garden Grove just before 6 pm last Friday.
He was pronounced dead at the scene ten minutes later.
Unfortunately, that’s all we know.
No location was given, other than some street, somewhere in Garden Grove. No word on how the crash happened or who was at fault.
And no name or city of residence was given for the victim; that much, at least, should eventually be provided once they notify his next of kin.
Hopefully, the press will finally get around to the story and give us a little more information.
This is at least the 78th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 13th that I’m aware of in Orange County.
The victim was also the third Orange County bike rider to be killed in the last three weeks, and the 11th SoCal bicyclist killed in what has been a very bloody holiday season.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for the victim and all his loved ones.
This hasn’t been a joyful holiday season on the streets of Southern California this year.
And it got even worse on Thursday, when the Orange County Coroner revealed a man was killed riding his bike in Buena Park on Monday.
Unfortunately, that’s virtually all we know about the crash that took his life.
The coroner identifies the victim as 45-year old La Mirada resident Carlos Bravo, who was injured in a collision at 10:21 pm, at an undisclosed location in Buena Park.
He died at UC Irvine Medical Center less than an hour later.
There’s no word on how the crash occurred or who was responsible, or if the driver was cited or detained.
This is at least the 72nd bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 12th that I’m aware of in Orange County.
It’s also the fifth SoCal bike death in as many days.
Note: I mistakenly wrote yesterday that the death of Mario Gomez in Huntington Beach was the 12th OC bicycling death this year, but that appears to have been just the 11th.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for Carlos Bravo and all his loved ones.
He was taken UCI Medical Center in Orange, where he was pronounced dead around 1:30 yesterday afternoon.
The Daily Pilot reports the 57-year old man, identified by the Orange County coroner as Anaheim resident Mario Gomez, was riding his bike against traffic when he was struck.
And yes, the driver remained at the scene, as legally required.
Huntington Beach police note that Gomez wasn’t wearing a helmet, which is valid for a change, since he died of head trauma. Although they don’t say how fast the driver was going, or if the crash would have been survivable with or without one.
Nor do they note whether he was originally from this country. Many Central American immigrants are taught to ride facing traffic, and bring that habit with them — too often with results that are all too predictable in Southern California traffic.
None of which absolves the driver of responsibility to pay attention to the road ahead of him, and note any conflicting traffic, regardless of which direction it’s coming from.
Any anyone with information is urged to call Huntington Beach Police Investigator Adam Turner, 714/536-5670 or Investigator Daniel Kim 714/536-5666.
November 15, 2019 /
bikinginla / Comments Off on Morning Links: The real reasons bike riders keep dying, $100k OCTA bike safety grant, and Oaxaca Day of the Dead race
He starts by recounting the last decade’s decline in bicycling deaths.
Then this.
The situation seemed great—until it wasn’t great. Right around 2011, things started arcing in the wrong direction. In 2010, a total of 618 cyclists were killed—hardly miraculous, but the lowest toll in at least 40 years. Then every year after that, the number of casualties has gotten progressively worse. The newly released 2018 statistics mean that the fatality rate for riders has risen 37 percent in just nine years—and NHTSA data indicate that the death rate for urban and female cyclists has soared even more.
So while the NTSB analysis focused primarily on encouraging or mandating greater helmet use, as well as things cyclists, road designers, and carmakers should do so riders are more conspicuous to motorists, those factors don’t really explain why a serious, sustained uptick of deaths began in 2011. It’s not like helmet use had a major decline, or cities ripped out quality protected bike lanes, or high-viz apparel or auto headlights got worse. These factors, especially related to road design, might have an impact on fatalities going forward, but they don’t explain why more cyclists have been dying in the past decade.
It’s a must read for anyone who wants to understand what the real problems are, and why we keep dying.
And do something about it.
………
Orange County’s OCTA announces a grant to improve bicycle safety and education.
The Orange County Transportation Authority has been awarded a $100,000 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety for a year-long community program dedicated to pedestrian and bicycle safety classes and distribution of safety equipment for people walking and biking.
The aim of the program is to increase safety and reduce traffic-related injuries and fatalities. OCTA will use the funding as part of the agency’s ongoing commitment to deliver transportation solutions, including for active transportation – biking, walking and skating.
“OCTA appreciates the strong partnership we have formed with the state’s Office of Traffic Safety to work toward enhancing safety on our streets,” said OCTA Chairman Tim Shaw, also a City Council member in La Habra. “OTS has provided grant funding for the past three years to develop programs improving conditions for walking and biking, and ongoing grant funding will help us with one of our primary goals of reinforcing safety throughout Orange County.
Activities to be funded by this year’s grant include:
Pedestrian and bicycle safety classes
Distribution of bicycle lights and helmets
Distribution of reflectors for pedestrians
The need for increased safety training is clear. Bicycle and pedestrian-related collisions have been on the rise for the past decade.
“No matter which way you get around, you play a part in roadway safety,” OTS Director Barbara Rooney said. “These grant programs are intended to educate residents on ways they can make themselves and those around them safe when they walk or bike.”
The pedestrian and bicycle safety program and distribution of safety materials will occur throughout 2020. Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
For more information on bicycle programs and safety in Orange County, and to stay updated on where classes are being scheduled, visit octa.net/bike.
………
The LACBC is looking for volunteers to help give out free bike lights to riders who don’t have them in Koreatown next week.
A 35-year old Fontana man was arrested for a Pasadena hit-and-run that left a juvenile bike rider hospitalized with critical injuries; he was booked on suspicion of hit-and-run and DUI resulting in serious injury or death. Let’s all say a pray or offer best wishes that the kid makes a full and fast recovery.
The future of Santa Monica’s Breeze bikeshare is in doubt as it faces stiff competition from dockless bikeshares; the city will have to fork over $225,000 in subsidies just to keep it operating for the next year. West Hollywood has already pulled the plug on its money-losing sister operation.
The long-promised bike and pedestrian lane on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge connecting Contra Costa and Marin counties will open tomorrow, despite continued efforts in some quarters to convert it to a yet another lane for motor vehicles. Because everyone knows just one more traffic lane will solve all our traffic problems forever.
Unfortunately, the press seldom follows up once the ambulance doors close. And it may take weeks before we find out what happened afterwards.
If ever.
That’s what happened with 60-year old Santa Ana resident Virgilio Lemus Garcia, after he was left lying in the street by a hit-and-run driver early in the morning on Sunday, October 13th.
According to a witness, Garcia was riding his bike on Warner Ave when he was run down by the driver of a blue Honda, who only stopped briefly before hitting the gas.
Video from the scene shows his mangled mountain bike near the curb, and the same black cowboy hat he wore in photos lying in the street.
Police are looking for a mid-1990s dark blue Honda Civic sedan with likely front-end damage, including broken head lights and a possible shattered windshield.
