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We had heard some wire reports of a fatal bike accident on West Houston and LaGuardia, and NY1 just had an update. A cyclist headed down LaGuardia and was trying to squeeze between a truck and van in the construction area. He fell off the bike and got caught under the truck, with a wheel going over his head.
Houston Street has long been a dangerous road for bikers; last year, there were a few deaths (one woman was hit by a trash truck, a man was killed by a delivery truck) making us wonder if it was the bike Boulevard of Death and reinforcing the need for crosstown bike lanes. It's unclear how the big Houston Street construction project has affected the incidence of car accidents, but from our experience, it can be hard to see some vehicles making turns.
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"...trying to squeeze between a truck and van in the construction area"
Sad... But stupid stupid STUPID!!!! This happens alot more then most people tend to notice.
"Trash truck"?
30 comments by 4 PM. Who wants the over/under?
Under. Unfortunately, Bike accidents are getting common...
Condolences to his Family.
Houston Street really needs a bike lane.
Over, because we all know full well how nutty bike enthusiasts are and how every accident is someone else's fault.
I thought he was run over by a truck?
time to go kee sum kars.
Kojak:
Not all bikers in New York are "stupid...bike enthusiasts" as you seem to believe. Some of us chose to ride bikes to and from work every day, and sometimes that entails taking routes that not even the bikers themselves want to take. Sometimes I have to take Houston in the morning, and I don't like it.
Because there is no bike lane on Houston, and someone had to ride in the road and squeeze between 2 cars, you call them stupid? That is simply disgraceful on your part.
Yes, it does happen a lot because this a huge city, and some bikers are more careful than others. Sometimes it's not even about how careful your are as a biker because you are forced onto busy avenues during rush hour with no other choice.
Think about that next time you call someone who just died stupid.
I didn’t call him stupid. I said the act of dodging large vehicles like that is stupid. It was an unnecessary risk and as a bike rider in NYC, he should be more aware of them as there are hazards just from simple riding and obeying the traffic laws.
Thanks Kojak,
Screw bikes and pedestrians. What NYC really needs is more cars and trucks!
Besides, anyone who gets hit is surely doing something wrong. Who did he think he was, anyway, riding a bicycle in the street?
I saw a six-year old girl crossing the street get hit and killed by a yellow cab a few years ago, but she was totally askin' for it.
Houston is on of the more treacherous bits of riding downtown. I've been hit a few times attempting the same "stupid" stunt. Occasionally you have to ride in the gutters (e.g. for an upcoming turn). If you're in a large vehicle's blind spot and they close your window, you're done.
Not all cyclists ride like assholes (though I've certainly been guilty of that) and this sounds like a time when just a little bit of space for a bike lane would have made a world of difference.
And for the record: just because you obey traffic law doesn't mean you'll magically be free of accidents. The worst accident I was in was getting broadsided by a woman who merged into me.
I agree on the over estimate.
Why is it that on this site bike riders getting hit by cars generate more interest than people getting hit by cars? Is it more tragic on a bike..?
he was being reckless fullstop. you win some you lose some.
not true, peds getting killed get the same amount of posts. The Cars vs. blank always gets people riled up. me? I'm almost 50 and don't know how to drive.
(OK, not exactly true but I can count the times I got behind the wheel with my fingers, I've known some NY'ers that don't even know anything about driving a motor vehicle)
Sorry to hear this guy died.
But I have to say that a large percentage of bike riders in this city are just arrogant to pedestrians. Riding on the sidewalks, not stopping at lights and then riding into you like its your fault.
I've been near-hit by more bikes than pedestrians and there's a lot more pedestrians on the street than bikes.
Its the quick getaway that makes bicyclists arrogant and careless (like people in cars/trucks).
is there any way to find out the name of the person who died? i am worried.
Kojak, spare us your analysis on the act of dodging large vehicles. You weren't there to know what happened. This city needs more bikers and bikelanes, less cars and Kojaks.
I avoid all the major cross streets: Houston, 14th, 23rd, etc. They are definitely too dangerous for bikes, and I'm not really sure the addition of bike lanes will help.
realist: as far as we know, this guy who just got killed wasn't doing any of the things you are lumping him in with other cyclists for. Way to overgeneralize there.
And for the record, I do agree that riding on the sidewalk and not yielding to pedestrians at red lights constitutes bad biking etiquette -- but these transgressions are generally committed by only a fraction of the cyclists out there (bike messengers, delivery guys).
I co^sign with Kojak: [1] June 26, 2006 11:58 AM
What the biker did something stupid and had very poor judgement also. It is probably not the first time he had done it I am sure. He was lucky before because drivers were porbably looking out for him. Because people will continue to think in ways that put themselves in harms way, NYC should take the lead and create safer enviornments for unhealthy risk thinkers.
A friend of mine is lucky to be alive. She is a concert level pianist. She was in a body cast for months after getting hit by a truck in NYC years ago. She is lucky to alive. I see cyclist all the time with absolutely no saftey gear on.
NYC need more than lanes for bikes. They need entire avenues for podestrians and vehicle traffic.
NYC is not the same place it was 100 or 200 years ago. The city needs to revamp and redesign it's traffic flow and not simply create "bike lanes" for cyclists. The West side Highway lane is a perfect example. It is for foot traffic and cyclists only. Maybe NYC, they, should take the median in the middle of Park Ave. and widen it for foot and cyclist traffic only with foot bridges that go over intersections.
Gwin: not saying this guy did anything like the bad habits I mentioned...I wasn't there.
What I am saying is that I think that people on bikes take chances with pedestrians that cars don't. Maybe bicyclists take similar chances with cars.
My advice is to walk your bike across hectic streets like Canal and Houston. It may slow you down, but it's safer and worth it - at least I feel safer when I do it. It's also never worth trying anything risky. If a drive is acting like a dickhead (which is very common), slow down, let them pass and get over it. Keying, spitting, yelling obscenities, etc. simply provokes jackass drivers into being worse. The scariest are the oblivious drivers who veer into the bike lanes and don't see you. Again, I simply slow down, or if I find myself getting squeezed too quickly, I knock on their window to give them a head's up; usually, they feel pretty bad and give the apology wave (of course, sometimes you get the finger, but that's life).
Riding a bike in New York is dangerous, and for those of us who choose to do it, it's best to simply obey the rules of the road and keep your eyes and ears open (i.e., no ipods or cell phones).
By the way, realist, your comments are so grossly ignorant and useless, you should just stop. Where do you get your statistics and broad generalizations? Personal observance doesn't count by the way since you sound prejudiced against cyclists anyway.
I've rode in this city for some six years now and
tO squeeze between two commercial trucks is a BAD idea. Didn't the lady in Park Slope last year get killed in the same fashion?
Not only is it a bad idea from a they-are-higher-up-than-you-and-therefore-they-can't-see-you perspective, but also commericial drivers in this city are stressed and harried, and they make big fuck-ups when driving.
I agree with all of the above i.r.t. to bike lanes, but the reality of biking in NYC dictates that I have to act like I am just another car in the road, and I have to obey all the rules that they do.
It's a pity, but what can you do?
Realist:
I ride every day. And if anything, I'd say that pedestrians take chances with bikes that THEY don't with cars.
Most of my closest calls have been with peds, or as a direct result of a ped making a poor choice while I had the right-of-way.
I hope this recent slew of cyclist accidents ends now.
“Kojak, spare us your analysis on the act of dodging large vehicles. You weren't there to know what happened. This city needs more bikers and bikelanes, less cars and Kojaks.”
You’re right. I don’t know what happened. For all I know it may have been the drivers at fault. But all headlines point to the bicyclist recklessly dodging the vans in an effort to try and squeeze through, which is an all too common occurrence in this city. I see it ALL the time. And until I hear otherwise, that is what the focus is on. Realist is correct about the arrogance of some bike riders thinking they can weave in and out of traffic without any consequence. But fact of the matter is if you take these types of risks with city traffic, you’re bound to get yourself hurt, or even worse.
You’re right. We don’t need any more Kojaks. Only one will suffice. But what we DO need is more Cowbell.
DMo: you are absolutely right. I can't tell you how many times pedestrians standing in the street have not gottten out of my way when they see me coming towards them...I guess due to some idea that a bike just doesn't count as much as a car. Never mind the fact that they are forcing me out into traffic coming up beside me!
Some tips for safe bike riding:
1. Wear a helmet!
2. Obey traffic laws.
3. Avoid problem streets.
4. Try to ride on streets with bike lanes.
5. Don't Be stupid!
6. Maintain situational awareness. (ipods are a o-no!)
Kojak: actually, more cowbell isn't a terrible idea. Not only that, but I'll bet cowbells would make awesome bike bells.
"1. Wear a helmet!"
How is that going to help when a truck runs over your head?
sorry to crash the 'but hey, listen to my ego-thumping all-enlightening commentary on urban street ettiquette' party... its not about you and your petty narrow-sighted & one-sided experiences with or witnessing of cyclists....
the unecessary death of this young cyclist is only indicative of a much larger problem this city faces...
I dont mean to be self-righteous (since I am a cyclist and a commuter) and more accurate (bc I am simply not speaking from my ego but from my experience as a cyclist) in my commentary, but really, unless youve actually ridden on a bicycle in the streets of nyc, you have no forking clue what it means to try to transport yourself in the most sustainable and healthy way possible but yet recieve everyone's aggression (police officers, cabbies, drivers, pedestrains etc).. to be a cyclist in this city you must be aggressive, and at times you are FORCED into dangerous situation, and even deadly ones... its really unlikely this fallen cyclist was looking to die and decided that it would be a nice and tragic ending by throwing himself UNDERNEATH a truck...
____
HEY KOJAK et al. , ride a bike in this city for more than a week and then come back here and comment, then maybe then id take your commentary seriously.
___________
but to be less subjective lets illuminate the large issue:
BICYCLES in NYC have yet to be recognized and respected as a serious and real means of transportation, and there is something sickly wrong with a urban city that creates no infrastructure to support a meaningful and alternative means of transportaion that would only provide the city with MORE SPACE and LESS TOXINS...
and bikes are just more fun.
nyc is supposed to be 'the leading city'... for what? car culture and smog? (insert manufactured applause soundbite)
must we always wait til its too late before mandating change?
with all that is going on in the rest of the world... all this hype about 'being more green' and 'greener spaces' doesnt seem just seem like naive hippie talk anymore now does it...?
could bloomberg and the rest of nyc please actually think beyond the next election year or approval rating polls?
Chris: I believe the cyclist in Park Slope was killed when one vehicle opened a door into her path, and her reaction forced her into the side of a vehicle moving alongside her. Not quite the same.
There doesn't appear to be enough information on today's crash to determine how it exactly happened. I wonder if construction debris combined with a wet Houston Street contributed to the crash.
Agree with DMo above that pedestrians can be the biggest obstacle to a cyclist in NYC. Pedestrians seemed trained to cross the road if they are not "aware" of any cars approaching - but they do not apply that awareness to cyclists. I will usually slow down and let the peds cross (even if I have the green) - I do my best to apply an inverse of the "might makes right" rule; that is the peds are the most vulnerable, and therefore should be accorded the most respect, followed by non-motorized transport and so on.
Also Chris: if commercial drivers are stressed and harried, then perhaps they shouldn't be operating heavy machinery on crowded city streets. Lives are at stake.
Toby, excellent advice! I see so many riders with headphones. It's really stupid. On these streets, being able to hear a car behind you is as important as seeing the traffic in front of you. Even in the park it's not a good idea.
Death penalty for bikers.
People who get hit by cars generally deserve it--I mean duh, cars are BIG.
But bikers come out of nowhere.
I've said it once and I’ll say it again 6423: Cowbell is the Answer to all of life's problems. I'll call City Hall and ask them to pass a Bill requiring all bike riders not only to wear helmets while riding, but also to wear a cowbell over their necks.
Maybe it’s just enough to give pedestrians an advanced warning before we get run over by a reckless bike fiend.
it's all about defensive biking as pedestrians and drivers can't be trusted.
By the way: over 30 comments and its not even 2:30.
I win
ya know, this constant overemphasis on "bikers etiquette" is getting really annoying. so much of it smacks of ignorance of the lack of etiquette among pedestrians and drivers.
BY THE WAY, i understand that the cyclist from the greenway accident last week passed away in the hospital. in that accident it is important to note the ALL CARS TURNING FROM WEST STREET ACROSS THE GREENWAY TO ANY POINT BEYOND IS REQUIRED BY LAW TO YIELD TO CYCLISTS.
ya know, this constant overemphasis on "bikers etiquette" is getting really annoying. so much of it smacks of ignorance of the lack of etiquette among pedestrians and drivers.
BY THE WAY, i understand that the cyclist from the greenway accident last week passed away in the hospital. in that accident it is important to note the ALL CARS TURNING FROM WEST STREET ACROSS THE GREENWAY TO ANY POINT BEYOND IS REQUIRED BY LAW TO YIELD TO CYCLISTS.
ya know, this constant overemphasis on "bikers etiquette" is getting really annoying. so much of it smacks of ignorance of the lack of etiquette among pedestrians and drivers.
BY THE WAY, i understand that the cyclist from the greenway accident last week passed away in the hospital. in that accident it is important to note the ALL CARS TURNING FROM WEST STREET ACROSS THE GREENWAY TO ANY POINT BEYOND IS REQUIRED BY LAW TO YIELD TO CYCLISTS.
Duderinoo - you are obviously a close-minded and oversensitive bike rider. Remove head from ass.
DMo, maybe so...but the fact is that a bike crashing into a pedestrian will do more damage to the pedestrian, so the onus is on the bicyclist to not run over the ped.
Apparently some bicyclists don't see it that way.
Personally, I think that a crash between a ped and a cyclist could be equally treacherous for both involved.
However, Realist, what I think you're not considering (and what I think that most peds don't consider), is that by stepping in front of a cyclist who has the right of way, you're forcing him or her to swerve to avoid you. And, in doing so, you're generally forcing them into traffic--just to get across an intersection a moment earlier.
I understand that there are cyclists who endanger peds in this city and I'm sorry that you have to deal with that. However, as someone who both cycles and walks in NY, I'll tell you that I am MUCH more afraid of peds while I'm on my bike, than of other cyclists while I'm on foot.
What the city truly needs are protected grade separated bike lanes so that bikes and cars are not on the same road. Plain a simple. It's the only way to end the bloodshed and promote cycling as a mass transportation mode. All it takes is a little effort from our city DOT to imagine a different way of moving people around the city.
This may sound foolish, but I wouldn't be totally surprised if a bike helmet could withstand being run over by a car or truck (saving your life). I used to work at a bike shop, and after hours we put helmets through all kinds of hellish experiments before they failed (my personal favorite, tossing one out of a third story window into the parking lot with a 15 pound rock strapped inside -- the helmet survived!)
Two golden rules of biking that I've found work pretty well (so far):
1: If you're operating a vehicle, obey vehicle rules. If you're forced into a situation where safety dictates you break a rule, right of way belongs to those who are not breaking the rules.
2: Always ride as though the cars and pedestrians are going to do the stupidest and most dangerous thing possible, and you'll usually be prepared, and frequently correct.
realist - More broad generalizations and relying on insults to make your lame points. Good work - you've shown what a real idiot you are; you seem to think you speak from sort position of authority, yet I doubt you've ever ridden a bike in New York.
I hope I see you standing in my bike lane, so I can knock the shit out from between your ears.
DMo - right, if the bike has the right of way, then the ped should get the hell out of the way. I know that when cars go by, peds tend to cross like lemmings in front of bikes.
What I refer to is when the light is red and invariably a bike will come through it. Maybe its messengers or whatever, but I've had it happen with non-messengers too.
Duderinoo - you must be a pleasure to be around. Good luck with that whole anger thing.
There's no evidence at all that the cyclist did anything stupid or illegal. All we know is that he was making a right turn past one truck when he was crushed under a second truck. Given the enormous construction site at that intersection, it's quite possible that he was turning past a stopped contruction vehicle, using the rightmost open lane, when he was struck - and not cutting between moving vehicles at all.
Just needed to say I'm so tired of the arrogant pedestrians walking around, jaywalking, stopping to gawk at tall buildings, listening to their ipods . . . Don't they know they are inconveniencing me by not getting out of my way as soon as they see me coming?
Are you people for real? "some cyclists are arrogant . . ." Look around! Everyone in this town is a selfish ass no matter what mode of transportation they're using.
And that includes the horses. They stink.
im glad everyone likes to talk over one another rather than actually answering/addressing each others responses.
congratulations on successful blog dialogue!
im off to work, on bike.... and will continue to ride as if my life is constantly in danger. wonderful.
Good luck, Naw. Don't ride on the sidewalk or on the street
Some of you are so ignorant it hurts - y'all need to get off your fat behinds, get out from behind your computers, and ride a bike! Riding certain streets and executing certain manuveurs are daily necessities for city cyclists - No matter how dangerous you, the armchair rider might think it is, sliding between large vehicles while mastering difficult pavement conditions is something that most cyclists do instinctively because we have to. Please don't assume that the rider is at fault for chosing to ride this city (especially if you are too chickensh!t to ride this city yourself).
Cyclist tend to be a bit of a fervent bunch exactly because your ignorance, which you find somewhat clever from your semi-anonymous position behind a computer, tends to threaten our lives in the real world. Wake up and stop being so snide. TWO PEOPLE DIED tragically today. Show some empathy for those of us who have "seen" ourselves time and again in the same place that these two gentlemen were unfortunate enough to end up.
TO GWIN (and others): STOP DISRESPECTING MESSENGERS AND FOOD DELIVERY RIDERS! these guys are generally the most skilled riders on the street; notice that the majority of cyclists killed in the past few years have been commuters - messengers are doing something right. Those you you complaining about being brushed by a messenger while crossing a street should try checking the traffic signal - you are porbably jaywalk by crossing en mass against traffic lights giving those riders the right of way.
BTW, in ten years of daily cycling throughout the five boroughs, my worst accident was the result of a collision with a jaywalking tourist on seventh avenue in midtown. As is often the case, this kid poked out between two cars, watched the cars pass and darted out directly in the path of the trailing cyclist (myself). I flipped over my handle bars and broke bones while he walked off without so much as an apology.
How about a nice link? This bike map is free and available at most bikeshops in NYC, or you can call 311 to request one.
The maps outline on-street routes, bicycle lanes, existing and planned off street greenways, bike shops...
First let me offer my ccondolences and compassion to the victim's family and friends. It is always tragic when a senseless accident takes ta young life.
second, I'd like to say shame on the people who suggest that this cyclist was at fault or the inferred statement that he somehow deserved it.
riding in NY is dangerous but many of us face the fear to better our health, our lives, our city and our planet. to those of you in the *cyclists are arrogant* camp that will sound like hot air, but it is exactly what we are doing. And it is damn fun to cruise on 2 wheels with the wind in your face.
"This may sound foolish, but I wouldn't be totally surprised if a bike helmet could withstand being run over by a car or truck (saving your life). "
Yes, it sounds foolish.
TO GWIN (and others): STOP DISRESPECTING MESSENGERS AND FOOD DELIVERY RIDERS! these guys are generally the most skilled riders on the street...
Oh bullshit. These guys are the most reckless and every pedestrian knows that. I can't tell you how many times I've been buzzed by some asshole burning through a red light. We have all seen it countless times and for you to deny it really proves your own bike bias.
Messengers are generally pretty good riders, but the grease-stinking bottom feeders who deliver chinese food are a total menace
I once was riding on houston during a thunderstorm and it was crazy!!!! I was going east near allen st and near the construction in pouring rain and a huge gale of wind blew some pylons knocking over some huge round pipes that fell behind me. So there I was, dodging rolling pipes, open manhole covers and crazy ass taxis. It was like that boulder scene in raiders of the Last ark. Fucking Scary. I've never ridden on Houston again. And people don't like their bikes quiet so I got me a dynamo generator that whirs like a motorcycle when I ride it and people hear that and get the fuck out. So all bikers should put a baseball card on their spokes to make bicycle riding as annoying as possible to pedestrians.
Messengers are usually the fastest guys that always stay on the road and run through lights and shit with their fixed bikes and terrorize pedestrians. Delivery guys take their sweet ass time cause riding a bike is like a huge fresh air break for them and they have 30 pound loads with huge steel baskets in front. Delivery guys are most likely to ride in opposite sides of the street, on the street and into traffic in the bike lane slowly. so bike messengers and food delivery guys have totally different riding styles.
When things like this happen, it rattles the entire cycling community, because no matter what your style, you've been close to death many, many times, and you KNOW that no matter how good you think you are, something like this could even happen to you. If you ride on these streets, you know you need to be careful. But we're looked down on. Forced to leave our bikes outside all day long at the whim of bike thieves. Made to pay extra to travel with our means of transportation. Harrassed by halfwits and police officers who don't know the laws of the streets their driving on and don't care. Everyone in this city has the right of way. I didn't know this kid, but I bet I know someone who did. Just today a speeding driver was thrown from his car in an accident and then run over by another driver. Safer driving and safer driving conditions are what is needed so people stop dying. Transportation Alternatives press release gives a more objective perspective on how this person may have died. You should all read it.
Look, if some of you would drop the fucking self-righteous 'tudes, you'd get a little more sympathy from people like me - pedestrians who are usually aware of their surroundings and have a modicum of street smarts.
Joh, yes, you're right.
Messengers and delivery guys have very different riding styles. The messengers I have encountered (the bulk of them anyway) take crazy chances, buzz pedestrians for kicks, and seem to (as I put it in another thread here on biking) look for trouble. The asshole with the baseball card in the spokes comment pretty much sums up that attitude [and for him I have a message: you might find something else in your spokes if you ride too close to me. You'll be popping a wheelie the hard way.]
Delivery guys on the other hand ride on the goddamned sidewalks looking for their delivery addresses, usually clueless of people around them.
Transportation Alternatives has put out a press release; according to witnesses, the accident was caused by dangerous and illegal conditions caused by the construction crew, just as I speculated above.
Regardless of your feelings about bike messengers, that makes this young man the second rider killed TODAY by the negligence of city workers, since the accident would probably not have occurred if the city properly enforced road-work permits; the other, a 56-year-old doctor who was struck by an NYPD tow truck while on the West Side bike path, died today in the hospital.
How long will New Yorkers, who live in the best city in the country for public transit, put up with being killed by cars and car culture? Only as long as we're distracted by arguments between pedestrians and cyclists, commuters and messengers, or messengers and delivery riders.
I am comment 61!
bk_ck:TO GWIN (and others): STOP DISRESPECTING MESSENGERS AND FOOD DELIVERY RIDERS! these guys are generally the most skilled riders on the street; notice that the majority of cyclists killed in the past few years have been commuters - messengers are doing something right.
Bullshit, as anonymass said. I've been riding in the city for 8 years and if I encounter another cyclist doing something wrong (riding the wrong way up the street, running red lights), 90% of the time the offender is either a bike messenger or a food delivery person. Sorry if you can't handle this, but it's just the plain truth.
YOu guys are all pretty F@#@#! in the head. As a friend of the family, I find it absolutly disgusting, what most of you wrote.
How do you sleep at night? Don't you realize a life was lost. A brother, a son, a boyfriend, a best friend. Don't you realize the family and friends are grieving every second of every day.
Unfortunately no. Yall are ignorant, disrespectful, and utterly a human disgrace.
I believe people have a right to an opinion, but honestly check the facts before you open your mouths!
Ok, First off respect goes out to this guys family in this time of mourning. With that said, The guy wasn't that bright if he was trying to "Squeeze" between a TRUCK, and a VAN!!! Again no disrespect to the family but that is one of the dumbest things I've heard in a good while now! Come on people, I know we live in a busy-busy, rush-rush, "Got to get there on time" world! You got to take the time to think about what your currently doing and what you will be doing (As far as a thought process is concerned)while riding your bike out on these mean streets of New York! You do not ride in bewteen a truck and a van or for that matter anything the size of a truck! I wouldn't ride along side a city bus for that matter a truck ! I hate to say this but that guy was foolish and didn't use his intellect. When will you cyclist learn not to ride along the through roads of the city especially in Manhattan. Manhattan is a veritable death trap for all cyclist. Use the side streets and you lessen the chance of some dickhead driver trying to get to where they need to be from running you over. This remindes me of another accident that occurred a couple of years ago in the city on [6]th Avenue and [28]Street. Long story short the guy was trying to make the turn onto [28]th and tried to "Slide" by the van that was also making the same turn and "BOOM" game over! He got knocked off the moped and ended-up with his head under the rear left tire of the van. Not very bright at all!