Prayers requested for another downed cyclist
11-23-03, 09:06 AM
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Prayers requested for another downed cyclist
Bicyclist struck head-on, listed as 'critical'
Published 11/21/03
By CAMERON JOHNSON
cameron@newnan.com
A Coweta County bicyclist was hit head-on by a Newnan woman driving a Toyota 4Runner Thursday afternoon at the intersection of Sewell Mill Road and Walt Carmichael Road.
Cyclist Sven Olson was airlifted to Atlanta Medical Center, where Thursday night he was in critical condition, according to a hospital spokesman.
Olson was hit head-on as he was making a right turn onto Sewell Mill Road, from Walt Carmicahel Road. Dawn Copeland turned left through his lane from Sewell Mill Road, according to Deputy Glenn Hand, of the Coweta County Sheriff's Office. Copeland was heading west, so the sun definitely played a factor in the 3:51 p.m. wreck, but speed did not, according to the deputy.
Olson was rushed by helicopter ambulance to Atlanta, and the landing zone was set up at Highway 70 and Walt Carmichael Road.
Thursday night it was unknown what charges might be pending in the wreck.
Published 11/21/03
By CAMERON JOHNSON
cameron@newnan.com
A Coweta County bicyclist was hit head-on by a Newnan woman driving a Toyota 4Runner Thursday afternoon at the intersection of Sewell Mill Road and Walt Carmichael Road.
Cyclist Sven Olson was airlifted to Atlanta Medical Center, where Thursday night he was in critical condition, according to a hospital spokesman.
Olson was hit head-on as he was making a right turn onto Sewell Mill Road, from Walt Carmicahel Road. Dawn Copeland turned left through his lane from Sewell Mill Road, according to Deputy Glenn Hand, of the Coweta County Sheriff's Office. Copeland was heading west, so the sun definitely played a factor in the 3:51 p.m. wreck, but speed did not, according to the deputy.
Olson was rushed by helicopter ambulance to Atlanta, and the landing zone was set up at Highway 70 and Walt Carmichael Road.
Thursday night it was unknown what charges might be pending in the wreck.
He is in ICU at Atlanta Medical Center (formerly GA Baptist Hospital) room 270 and is still unconscious. There is a lot of fluid on the brain and several bruises that they are very concerned about. He does have reflex responses in his hands and feet which is a good thing. His back and pelvis are also broken and one of his quadriceps is torn, but of course these are secondary to the brain injuries. The doctor has said several times that it is obvious that he is in excellent physical shape due to the lack of swelling in his body, so that is another good thing going for him.
11-23-03, 07:24 PM
#2
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I hope he pulls through and ends up back on his bike.
11-23-03, 07:42 PM
#3
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Originally Posted by Bobatin
A Coweta County bicyclist was hit head-on by a Newnan woman driving a Toyota 4Runner... Olson was hit head-on as he was making a right turn onto Sewell Mill Road, Copeland turned left through his lane from Sewell Mill Road...
11-23-03, 07:45 PM
#4
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Originally Posted by closetbiker
I'm sorry, I don't understand. (I'm on medication following an operation on my foot) Was the cyclist riding on the side of the road facing traffic? If he made a left, and the Toyota was making a right onto the same road, shouldn't they be on oppisite sides of the road?
It sounds like he was turning right, and while she turned left, she "cut across" the lanes, like race car drivers going inside on a turn. This is illegal.
11-23-03, 07:57 PM
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Originally Posted by Dchiefransom
It sounds like he was turning right, and while she turned left, she "cut across" the lanes, like race car drivers going inside on a turn. This is illegal.
It's not uncommon to see someone riding a bike on the wrong side of the road.
The reporting could have been better because if the mistake that was made was described, future "accidents" could be avoided.
We had an "accident" recently close by my house and it was described in the papers similarily, and it turned out the cyclist was riding on the wrong side of the road (with no light in the dark).
It changes the thrust of the story away from fearful dangers of being on the road to a less fearful one because a little common sense could have prevented the "accident"
11-24-03, 04:27 AM
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The intersection is a 'Y'. I believe she cut the corner because there was no reason for him to get out of the right hand side of the lane. Also he was a very experienced cyclist. The windshield was smashed on the drivers side.
11-24-03, 06:15 AM
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I will be thinking about him and his family, hope he recovers to ride again.
Keep us posted.....
Keep us posted.....
11-24-03, 09:49 AM
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Originally Posted by Bobatin
I believe she cut the corner
Yikes! So she was on the wrong side of the road. There's not much he could have done about that.
11-24-03, 11:36 AM
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Hope he comes around very soon. I never like reading about news of this particular nature.
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11-24-03, 02:10 PM
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Thank you for posting, Bobatin. I wish Sven a rapid recovery. It is particularly difficult for all of us when an experienced, conscientious ("effective") cyclist is injured or killed.
11-24-03, 05:22 PM
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I'll pray for Sven.
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11-25-03, 03:07 AM
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Originally Posted by closetbiker
That could be. Both would have to be in the same spot to collide, but mostly, when I turn right, I usually look ahead before I make a turn and I'm usually pretty close to the curb and although I've seen cars cut corners too tight, it's not too often they cut it that tight.
It's not uncommon to see someone riding a bike on the wrong side of the road.
The reporting could have been better because if the mistake that was made was described, future "accidents" could be avoided.
We had an "accident" recently close by my house and it was described in the papers similarily, and it turned out the cyclist was riding on the wrong side of the road (with no light in the dark).
It changes the thrust of the story away from fearful dangers of being on the road to a less fearful one because a little common sense could have prevented the "accident"
It's not uncommon to see someone riding a bike on the wrong side of the road.
The reporting could have been better because if the mistake that was made was described, future "accidents" could be avoided.
We had an "accident" recently close by my house and it was described in the papers similarily, and it turned out the cyclist was riding on the wrong side of the road (with no light in the dark).
It changes the thrust of the story away from fearful dangers of being on the road to a less fearful one because a little common sense could have prevented the "accident"
I often see drivers cut corners on left turns. Shoot, we have one corner near me where left turning drivers would come awfully close to my car while I waited for the light because they were cutting the corner. My habit was to not advance up to the line either because of this practice and they still came close. This seems to be enough of a problem that here locally they are putting in concrete dividers at busy intersections to discourage this practice.
I see people do this all the time when I am riding. Of course, it isn't often that they come so far over that they would nail a cyclist turning right but all it takes is for the cyclist to be a few feet from the curb on the turn and a motorist cutting the corner to have this happen. Most drivers look for cars but cyclists are not really what they are scanning for.
11-25-03, 10:23 AM
#15
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Originally Posted by Pat
From the report, it sure sounds as if the driver was "cutting the corner" on the left hand turn.
Originally Posted by Pat
I often see drivers cut corners on left turns... Most drivers look for cars but cyclists are not really what they are scanning for.
I know many drivers see me because they always honk and yell at me to get out of the way and make a big deal about having to perform a simple overtaking!
11-25-03, 05:38 PM
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The latest:
Of course this is not going over very well and we are trying to get this changed.
Bicyclist at fault in Thursday collision
By CAMERON JOHNSON
cameron@newnan.com
The Coweta County bicyclist hit head-on by a Toyota 4Runner Thursday afternoon was in violation of state law when he was hit, and possibly ran a stop sign just prior to the wreck, according to a Coweta County Sheriff's Office deputy.
The wreck occurred, according to Deputy Glenn Hand, because bicyclist Sven Olson was on the left side of the right-hand lane as he made the right turn from Walt Carmichael Road onto Sewell Mill Road. Olson was hit while in motion where the two roads meet, which leads investigators to believe he also ran, or was running, the stop sign.
Olson was in critical condition at Atlanta Medical Center Friday afternoon.
The driver of the 4Runner was driving west and making a left turn from Sewell Mill Road, according to Hand, and the sun definitely was a factor in the collision.
Olson was airlifted to Atlanta Medical Center following the 3:51 p.m. wreck.
By CAMERON JOHNSON
cameron@newnan.com
The Coweta County bicyclist hit head-on by a Toyota 4Runner Thursday afternoon was in violation of state law when he was hit, and possibly ran a stop sign just prior to the wreck, according to a Coweta County Sheriff's Office deputy.
The wreck occurred, according to Deputy Glenn Hand, because bicyclist Sven Olson was on the left side of the right-hand lane as he made the right turn from Walt Carmichael Road onto Sewell Mill Road. Olson was hit while in motion where the two roads meet, which leads investigators to believe he also ran, or was running, the stop sign.
Olson was in critical condition at Atlanta Medical Center Friday afternoon.
The driver of the 4Runner was driving west and making a left turn from Sewell Mill Road, according to Hand, and the sun definitely was a factor in the collision.
Olson was airlifted to Atlanta Medical Center following the 3:51 p.m. wreck.
