June 23, 2006
Police Tow Truck Hits Cyclist
Around 11:30PM last night, a man riding a bicycle on West Side bike path was hit by an NYPD tow truck. The truck apparently was turning right into the impound lot at Pier 76 (at the West Side Highway and West 38th Street) and hit the man, who was riding north. The man has very serious injuries, but the woman he was riding his (described by some reports as his wife) was uninjured. The Daily News says it's unclear who had the light. With the other bike-and-car accident earlier this week, we hope that drivers and bikers take all the precautions they can - drivers should check for bikers (and pedestrians) while bikers should wear reflective clothing if they are riding at night.
There was an accident at this intersection in April - a woman headed to the impound lot was hit by a speeding car.
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#1 Why the hell is someone biking at 11:30PM on the Westside path? It's hard enough to see them bikers during the day!!
#2 There is a separate traffic light specifically for the bike/ped pathway which no one ever obeys.
#1 You are allowed to ride a bike anytime, but you are supposed to have a bike light and use common sense. One would presume that if you have to ride after dark you would be safer on a bike path than on streets.
#2 The bike rider and the tow truck would have the same light since the tow truck driver was making a right. The bike rider had the right of way because he was traveling straight and the tow truck should have waited.
but the woman he was riding his ??
Bikers, peds, and drivers... unite!
We all agree... DOT TOW TRUCK DRIVERS SUCK!
BTW, except for that strip by the ferry terminal (buses) and the tow pound (trucks) it is relatively safe to ride the greenway any time of the day (assuming you do the right things like have lights on your bike, etc.). That's what the greenway is there for. There's absolutely nothing odd about riding at 11:30 at night, especially if you hold down a job and that's the only time you can get out and ride.
However, lately that stretch of greenway has become very hazardous, as neither the tow trucks nor the buses (nor the cabs that go to both) slow down too much before swinging onto or off of the highway.
Oh, and did I mention DOT TOW TRUCK DRIVERS SUCK?
Adding a bit of Irony to this: I saw this covered on NY1 on Time Warner cable this morning, and they had a reporter at the intersection who was interviewing a passerby. He asked (paraphrasing) "Are there many cycling accidents at this location?" The passerby started to reply about how there were, but they were interrupted by an offscreen tire-screech and crash as a car was making that right-hadn turn and hit a cyclist who was then also interviewed. The cyclist was scratched up but ok, and the whole discussion was of course even more poignant.
I don't understand this city. Is it or is it not the law to have lights on a bike if you are riding at night?
I see a bike with lights about as often as I see a bike rider stop at a red light.
I would like to buy a bike, but I want to live more than 5 more minutes. This whole situation is f*cked up.
CK-- I saw that happen on NY1!!! That was funny! (not)
It was soooo ironic. I felt so sorry for that bike rider! He was obviously shaken up.
If that car did indeed hit him (as opposed to him just stopping short & the bike rider falling out of control), then I don't know why the police weren't called??? I don't care if all he got was a scrape on his elbow, that guy hit the ground!
From the New York State Dept. of Transportation:
http://www.dot.state.ny.us/pubtrans/share.html
I saw that part on NY1 too. If I'd been that cyclist, I'd have done a bit more than just yell at the driver who hit him (like, get his license info and report him at the very least... the guy just drove away after that!).
And yes, not enough nighttime cyclists have the proper lights on their bikes (and of course NONE of the messengers do -- ironic since they are the ones always riding the wrong way etc. but they also seem to care the least about their lives).
Of course, I have front and rear lights on my bike but cars/pedestrians still cut me off, walk out in front of me, etc.
In the winter I ride early in the morning (still dark) and every bike I saw had a headlight and tail light. Frankly, you're nuts to not have them.
As for the police, repeat after me... cops. hate. bikers. I'd heard that expressed on Gmist before and never really believed it until I felt it first hand. I was hit by another biker on the Bklyn Bridge and was out cold on the ground for 2-3 mintues (so I was told). When I came to the cop (who was in the traffic lane and yelled up to me from 20 ft away) said "Do you need an ambulance?" I said something like "Artghahrhbarba" and he said, "Oh, okay, good" and got back in the squad car and went back to his life. A good Samaritan helped me get my bike (now in three pieces) off the Bridge and then I carried it the eight blocks home before going to St. Vincents.
And yes, I had a light. And a helmet.
I tend not to post comments b/c some folks seem to just like to rile people w/ their ignorant comments, but here: why is it always the biker's fault when an accident happens? Doesn't anyone else out there believe that a two thousand plus pound vehicle is an awesome responsibility? Do most of you so take for granted auto transportation that you truly believe that cars can do no wrong? This accident and the dooring accident in mid-town earlier this week are two of the scariest situations for anyone who rides in this city. Please respect that. BTW, I've ridden in this city far longer than 5 minutes and lived (over ten years daily in fact), and messengers are for the most part very skilled riders who protect themselves by "owning" the space they ride in, something that more cyclists should do.
Sorry to hear that TN.
If I were to bike in the city again, besides all the cool lights that's out there and a helmet, I would get one of those new compressed air horns for bikes.
There are a couple on Amazon, the compressed air tank fits in a water bottle cage. You refill the air with any bicycle pump.
also, pedestrians need to learn how to cross the bike path. i ride it weekly and see numerous accidents and near accidents because walkers refuse to look both ways when crossing the bike path. its not hard people. chances of me going 15MPH on my bike stopping in time are substantially less than a pedestrian stopping to look both ways. i realize the sign says "yield to pedestrians" but that is not realistic in the majority of situations.
the biker who was injured is a close family friend of mine and the woman with him was in fact his wife - the tow truck missed her by an inch. both are avid runners and bikers and i have no doubt that they had lights on.
actually, the west side bike path has separate sides and sections for bikers/rollerbladers and walkers/runners.
it was specifically designed to offer those on wheels a clear stretch of pavement away from traffic while also offering separate space for those on foot to avoid encounters with cyclists and bladers.
ck: bike messengers may "own" their space, but many of them also have ZERO respect for legally-crossing pedestrians -- sideswiping them at crosswalks when they have the light, etc. I mean, I'm a biker too, but I watch out for pedestrians if they are obeying the rules (however, if they are jaywalking or crossing against the light, all bets are off).
biksafety: pretty sure air horns are illegal for cyclists. Too bad, because I think I'd enjoy using it when I'm trying to get through a green light.
mortonstreeter: pedestrians also *walk* in the bike path (and in the bike lanes on the avenues) then get all pissy when you try to get by them. It's like, hello? You have sidewalks and pedestrian lanes to walk in. USE them!
Dahlia: I hope your friend is okay! What a terrible accident.
Although I feel the cycling community in NYC as a whole are a little too righteous, I also feel that all pedestrians, drivers and cyclists need to stop being selfiish and realize that they need to share the roads. It seems that for every cyclist that gets hurts and the story gets reported there are dozens more that are ignored. Sure I get annoyed at both cyclists and drivers that feel they own the road, but c'mon folks!! This isn't a game. Please be aware of one another and be careful.
I'm not sure that the State DOT rules apply to a designated cycling path through a park. (Certainly they apply to any bicycle that's on a ROAD.)
I find this statement interesting:
i realize the sign says "yield to pedestrians" but that is not realistic in the majority of situations.
Seems like you bike freaks want it both ways. I guess by that logic stopping at red lights is optional for SUVs; when you are laying on the asphalt flattened like a pancake with pieces of aluminum frame wrapped about your torso, the appropriate thing to do as a driver in that situation is raise your shoulders to the heavens and mutter how it's just not realistic to obey posted signage.
Seriously, for all the constant harping about how evil pedestrians are for not looking around them constantly while walking and the temerity of drivers to not observe and bow down before your "personal space", it seems to me that the LEAST conscientious (and aware) group is bikers.
I honestly think that a good percentage of you look for trouble. Maybe it's just the crazy messengers, but I'm not sure I believe that.
yeah, bicyclists always look for trouble.
anyway, here's the bike horn, A loud horn will save your life. Believe it.
Delta AirZound bike horn, 18.99
There's also an electronic horn, guess it's a panic alarm on a bike.
anonymass: starting with your "you bike freaks" comment, it's clear you are thinking with a considerable bias. How else could you justify comparing a bike to an SUV...? Makes no sense to me.
Also, bikers don't look for trouble - but we are constantly put in the way of it thanks to irresponsible drivers, pedestrians and yes, other bikers at times. But we aren't all like that. For you to lump us all into one category AND compare us to SUVs is pretty ridiculous.
anonymass ... i am no suv. my bike weighs 20lbs, quite less than the strollers that cross my path nonchalantly without considering anyone else around them. my comment regarding the 'yield' signs came from a near accident i witnessed last weekend on the bike path, where a distraught pedestrian screamed at a bike who narrowly missed him "read the sign asshole". try riding a bike at any speed more than walking and tell me how 'yield to pedestrians' is really possible. especially in the west village section where crosswalks are every 200 feet.
that being said i am no " bike freak" and was merely pointing out that we all need to be more aware. pedestrians (and cyclists) have learned how to cross streets and look both ways, now we all need to know that a bike path is more like a street than a sidewalk. so look.
Ever been walking along only to be hit by a guy/girl on a bike going full speed? Not fun. Your bike may only weigh 20 lbs, but that's not the full weight of the projectile. Add your weight to that of the meager bike frame, physics boy.
Bike riders attain higher velocity than city drivers given the short distances between and frequency of traffic lights (lights which many bikers don't obey, thus the ability to travel at faster speeds). Yeah, big mass differential between a bike rider + bike vs a car, but the truth is I wouldn't want to be (and shouldn't have to be) hit by either.
Point being: if you don't feel it's your responsibility to obey a sign that clearly says "yield to pedestrians", then your complaint that others aren't aware of their surroundings is more than a bit hypocritical.
If you can't control your bike, then you shouldn't be riding one where you can endanger others (Go back to Iowa! - just kidding), or you should reconsider your riding style.
anonymasshole. do you look both ways before you cross the street? a bike path has moving projectiles on it, just like the road, and just like suv drivers are supposed to yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk at ANY time, chances that they will when their light is green prevents you from stepping into that crosswalk. same thing with a BIKE PATH (ie, for bike riders, not pedestrians). im fine with accepting the "responsibility" and yielding to pedestrians so long as they attempt to make eye contact with me or even look up and think about how much time it will take either of us to stop to prevent an accident. it works both ways.
i too am a pedestrian and manage to avoid being hit by bikes (and SUVs) just fine.
actually, as a cyclist myself i know that i have a responsibility to yield to pedestrians whether they make eye contact with me or not. i don't want to hit them any more than they want to get hit by me.
just like with cars, i think it's a small number of bike riders who give the majority of us law-abiding commuters and enthusiasts a bad name. can't we all just get along?
g,
Thanks for making my point. Mortonstreeter is either too high and mighty or just too plain stupid to get the concept that it's actually his/her responsibility to yield when the sign says so.
Idiot.
I think there might be some confusion here between yielding to pedestrians who are walking *in* the bike lane as opposed to those who are merely crossing it using the marked crosswalks. The latter should definitely be yielded to - god knows how hard it is to cross the bike lanes with people going at all sorts of speeds.
However, if a pedestrian chooses to walk in the bike lane, they are doing so at their own risk (and stupidity) and I'm sorry, I'm not yielding to him/her.
you are right that there is a difference between obeying signs and yielding to pedestrians when they cross a bike lane on the one hand and minding pedestrians who foolishly or ignorantly walk in a bike lane.
but, for example, if a car hits someone walking in the street, the driver is responsible in most cases, unless the pedestrian came out of nowhere. (like running from between two parked cars.)
it's the same for cyclists: even if pedestrians are walking in the bike lane, i am not off scot-free if i hit one.
that's not to say a pedestrian isn't being an idiot by not seeing the giant symbols painted on the ground (you know, the one that looks like a guy riding his bike in one lane and the one that looks like a guy walking in the other - how much more obvious does it have to be?) but it doesn't let a bike rider off if he hits someone.
what i am entitled to do is yell at them (just like a driver angrily honking at a cyclist or pedestrian who's in his way) to get out of the bike lane.
you stay on your side, i'll stay on mine. everyone's happy.
g: yeah, I know the cyclist is at fault if he/she hits a pedestrian. It's really not fair, considering the only times I've ever run into someone (and fortunately didn't hurt her) was when a jaywalking pedestrian stepped out in front of me without looking first.
I am also entitled to yell at pedestrians and cyclists who are putting themselves and others at risks through their foolish and illegal actions -- and trust me, I exercise that right frequently :)
I have no problem with any of that logic. If you're walking OR riding somewhere or in a manner that you shouldn't be, whatever ill befalls you is your own damned fault.
I wouldn't blame a cyclist for running into me if I were walking on a bike path. Just as I wouldn't blame a car for plowing into me if I cross when I'm not supposed to.
Doesn't mean that I wouldn't do those things, but if you ARE going to take those risks, you owe it to yourself and to others to be extra careful that you're not putting others in danger in doing so.
anonymass: that all makes sense to me.
the west side greenway is virtually useless as a bike path in fair weather due to pedestrians walking on it instead of the pedestrian walkway.
for nearly the entire length of the path up to the 70s there is a pedestrian walkway that is wider, nicer, closer to the water and farther from the highway than the bike path. It is a shame that it is virtually unused. Most pedestrians and joggers use the bike path, which is clearly marked as being for rollerbladers and bikes only.
This is a major hazard, just like bikes on a sidewalk is a major hazard. And, I'm sorry, but it is the fault of the pedestrians and (like always) it primarily endangers cyclists. When a ped makes an unexpected move as you pass the cyclist ends of swerving and endangering themselves.
On top of it all parents often (and I mean VERY often) walk with small children on the bike path. The last time I rode on that path was the time a 2 year old buy (same age as my daughter) ran out from behind a wall right into my path. I swerved, crashed, flatted both my tires, hit my head on the ground and was then (oh the irony) yelled at by his mother for not paying attention. I was going about 17mph and the road was clear as far as I could see. Since then I've stuck to the streets where I find myself endangered by bad drivers which is preferable to me to hitting (and potentially killing) a child. But I guess that's just me being selfish?
To reiterate what I always say: generally the cyclist avoids (by endangering themselves) many times more accidents that would have not been their fault than they get into accidents.
That's interesting, DOT truck hits cyclist on the WESTSIDE HIGHWAY! I understand the cyclist have the right to ride the roadway with other motorist. Here's where the sh@t gets thick in my humble opinon! This is the WESTSIDE HIGHWAY, Check the word "HIGHWAY"! A car weighs between [1]and [3] tons, Factor in the weight of a tow truck with a car on it's hook. Scary prospect if you ask me. This was a DOT truck so they view themselves the same way the Cops, Fire Dept., and EMS do. The attitude is "Get the hell out of my way clown on the bike, Do you not see what I'm pushing here? It's a freakin truck that can and will kill you if I hit you with it !" Get the point ? The cyclist may have had the right of way, Common knowledge dictates you let the person driving the "BIG TRUCK " go ahead!!!
#33 read the article, dumbass. He wasn't on the highway.
All,
This rider you are talking about is my Uncle-For all of you assuming this was his fault, think again. My Aunt and Uncle have been riding for many years in the City and have ridden all over the world. They are very safe. This tow truck driver did not yield when he should have. And for anyone thinking that wearing a helmet would have saved him-think again. I spoke with the Dr's and no helmet would have made a difference because of where the impact was. You people are so funny thinking you have all the answers without all the facts. The world is a better place because of my uncle. We should all strive to a be a little more like him.