Northeast - NYC: Biker dies on Williamsburgh Bridge Bike Path

From the Gothamist (http://gothamist.com/2008/10/02/cyclist_dead_on_williamsburg_bridge.php)


There was a fatal bicycle accident last night on the Williamsburg Bridge bike and pedestrian path; an initial report tells us that the accident involved "a cyclist vs. a guardrail" and that the cyclist was DOA at the hospital. [Update below.]

Unlike last autumn's death of Sam Hindy, who accidentally pedaled onto the Manhattan Bridge roadway, this incident took place on the designated area for cyclists and pedestrians. But sections of the Williamsburg Bridge path are narrow and steep, particularly the ramp on the south side of the bridge, pictured here. And with last night's rain it's not hard to imagine an accident occurring on the slippery concrete.

UPDATE: The NYPD tells us that the cyclist, a 32-year-old white male, had a seizure while riding over the north side of the Williamsburg Bridge bike and pedestrian path. The unidentified man was pronounced dead at Beth Israel at 8:30 p.m. No criminality is suspected, but police are investigating and a full report from the medical examiner is forthcoming.

That's pretty chilling. I've had a seizure while riding my bike, and it's not fun. I can't imagine it on a bridge. Is the rider epileptic?

Edit: Here's a link to the article (http://gothamist.com/2008/10/02/cyclist_dead_on_williamsburg_bridge.php) (the one above doesn't work).

Doh - I knew I forgot something :o

Yeah - at that point it's a super steep downhill too. Bad combination.

wow. sad.

I just read in today's paper (http://www.readmetro.com/show/en/NewYork/20081002/1/2/) that a cyclist died after hitting a pedestrian at 110th and CP West yesterday. The Ped was hurt but okay.

That's pretty chilling. I've had a seizure while riding my bike, and it's not fun. I can't imagine it on a bridge. Is the rider epileptic?


wow, what happened? did you get hurt?

I just read in today's paper (http://www.readmetro.com/show/en/NewYork/20081002/1/2/) that a cyclist died after hitting a pedestrian at 110th and CP West yesterday. The Ped was hurt but okay.

Doesn't say much and could find nothing on this elsewhere

wow, what happened? did you get hurt?

This past January, my commute was a combo bike/carpool thing. It was before dawn, and I was riding to my carpool, and apparently had a seizure while riding. I remember some guy asking if I was okay. He must have called the police or 911, because two cops and a paramedic found me cycling erratically in a parking lot nearby. At the time, I was adjusting my meds, so I was half expecing that this could happen.

The EMT and the cops were very helpful and understanding. They were pretty impressed my my yellow cycling jacket and lights, saying that they were the reason they were able to spot me.

I bit my tongue pretty badly, the only injury I sustained. As scary as it is, I'd rather have a seizure while ridign than behind the wheel of a car. At the least, I'm unlikely to hurt someone else. I'm car-free by circumstance, not by choice.

I did find out that you can get a week-old bloodstain out of a Pearl Izumi cycling jackets.

Doesn't say much and could find nothing on this elsewhere

I know - I searched too. Found it odd that the cyclist died - but I am guessing he/she wasn't wearing a helmet?

OK, while I have sympathy for the family & friends of the deceased....

Do we really need a new post for every single person who unfortunately happens to meet their demise whilst on a bicycle? I mean, I enjoy cycling, but my mind is not so tribal that I feel any special kinship to anyone just because they ride a bike.

Perhaps if it's something extraordinary, or if knowledge could help keep other riders safer, I can see it; clearly that isn't the case here. Otherwise, not really sure why we need to know.

This is the Northeast forum, which is about bike things in the region. It's a bike thing in the region.

It's relevant to a community--not "the bicycling community," which I don't believe exists, but "the community of those of us who all ride in NYC and know each other, if not well, then at least well enough to think some of the others might care. (Which I do.)

Since your objection seems to be that it doesn't help anybody stay safer, I think you'd have a point if it had been posted in the Advocacy & Safety forum.

Plus cyclists will have an emotional reaction to this, at the very least. I fail to see how this case is any less relevant than someone's elation at buying a nice new bike or having sorted out their stem length or posting photos of their last ride.

I'm ok with, and interested in these posts. It's relevant & newsworthy. Yes, cycling deaths are depressing and tough to hear about but they happen. Personally, I'm interested to know the circumstances around them.

OK, while I have sympathy for the family & friends of the deceased....

Do we really need a new post for every single person who unfortunately happens to meet their demise whilst on a bicycle? I mean, I enjoy cycling, but my mind is not so tribal that I feel any special kinship to anyone just because they ride a bike.

Perhaps if it's something extraordinary, or if knowledge could help keep other riders safer, I can see it; clearly that isn't the case here. Otherwise, not really sure why we need to know.

[mod cap off]

I know that I personally like to know when someone dies on a bike. Being semi involved with a few biking organizations sometimes it's someone I know (like Eric Ng on the west side) and not all organizations carry news :( There's a lot of cyclists in NYC but not separated by too many degrees. I posted this one out of shock that someone died on the bridge path - pretty unusual even for NY. [/mod cap off]

I was thinking though of creating a running sticky with these kinds of news so they'll all be in one spot - thoughts? It's also not so many threads that they're cluttering up anything.

I thought the title was descriptive enough that anyone who wasn't interested could easily skip over this thread. I'm also interested whenever someone, in the New York City area, dies on a bike, so thanks for posting this one.

I think a separate dedicated thread for accidents could work...though there is a danger that people would avoid it as too unpleasant or disturbing. Personally I feel the separate threads give each specific incident the attention it merits - I really shouldn't have even intruded on the WBB death with my additional story.

But either way - it's good to keep ourselves aware for safety's sake and because, as Air points out cycling accidents are essentially underrepresented in the media. We need to advocate for ourselves and keep these incidents as visible as possible to help educate riders and implement improvements.

Air:

Please don't make a sticky of death, that would suck.

You got it.

That's horrible.Hopefully the family is allright.

Air:

Please don't make a sticky of death, that would suck.

+1 (or -1)...basically I'm all not into the sticky of death.

I think the threads serve the community by providing safety info as well. A lot of bike injuries are going to be the result of rider error, equipment failure, driver error or pedestrian error. But some of them are going to show riding on specific blocks to be problematic and hazard prone.

OK, while I have sympathy for the family & friends of the deceased....

Do we really need a new post for every single person who unfortunately happens to meet their demise whilst on a bicycle? I mean, I enjoy cycling, but my mind is not so tribal that I feel any special kinship to anyone just because they ride a bike.

Perhaps if it's something extraordinary, or if knowledge could help keep other riders safer, I can see it; clearly that isn't the case here. Otherwise, not really sure why we need to know.
These threads keeps me in check & humble. As much as I hate hearing about another cyclist who dies, I do want to know about it when it happens in the NYC area.