Recently, people on bicycles have “paid the price” for not obeying simple “rules of the road” (or even using common sense). This was compounded by people in cars doing the same dumb things.
Case 1 – On 7/23/17, a rider apparently blasted down the very steep Wilson St. in Albany, through the stop sign, and smack into the side of a Capital District Transportation Authority bus. Wilson St. is one block north of the Palace Theater at Clinton Ave. and intersects S. Pearl St. where there is a bus stop. It is a hill so steep that one would be well advised to walk his bicycle down it.
The 42-year old rider died instantly. Regardless of one’s attitude about helmets, the rider chose not to wear one.
Sadly, the Times Union report also noted, “the bus driver was …. could be seen crying as she got into a car.” See: http://www.timesunion.com/7dayarchive/article/Albany-police-on-scene-at-bicycle-vs-bus-accident-11307576.php#photo-13283511
As always, everyone loses …
Case 2 – On 11/18/17, a 24-year old bicyclist rode through stop sign in Queensbury and plowed into a car – the rider damaged the car, suffered non-life threatening injuries, and ended up with traffic tickets.
See: http://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Bicyclist-ticketed-after-Queensbury-crash-12365126.php
So here, to save a second on two (or through plain obliviousness/stupid), we have a person on a bicycle hurting himself, probably ruining his bicycle, getting a ticket, and probably scaring the person in the car out of her wits and then having to get her car repaired.
And so … the next time you think about “blowing off” that stop sign or red light, better think again about “blowing off” that stop sign or red light.
As always, everyone loses …
Case 3 – On 11/14/17 in Queensbury a driver from Gansevoort crashed into cyclist Anthony J. Larmon, 29, of Queensbury who then went to the Glens Falls Hospital ER for non-life threatening injuries. Warren County sheriff’s deputies ticketed Kristopher T. Demars, 46, of Gansevoort. Demars pulled on to Route 9 from a parking lot near Firestone Auto Care without stopping for a flashing red traffic signal. Deputies did not provide the specific charge.
As always, everyone loses …
Albany Bicycle Coalition 