reidconti

Just heard about this on the news this morning. On my drive in I took the Holly exit off of 101N as usual. Shoreway road (first left at the light) had legions of police cars all over it, road closed, etc.

I've always noticed that dump trucks exit the freeway then bomb across 3 lanes to make that first left onto Shoreway; there must be a garbage dump over there somewhere. Hopefully they'll be able to find the driver in question; there aren't a lot of red garbage trucks, and I'm sure they keep logs of who goes in and out, wherever those trucks are going. He may have skipped the stop today (sounds like he got right back on the freeway), but that would be suspicious to the employer/garbage dump/whoever.

rest in peace.

BurnsRubber

Sad. Terrible. It's always terrifying riding around big trucks. This is why.

reidconti

More info; sounds like it was a woman, and the truck was either a dump truck or some other kind of tractor-trailer

https://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_13559084

kster

Very sorry to hear this.

mayukawa

Heard it on the radio this morning (though I just read that she's killed). One thing about these big trucks is that if they hit you, they might not even notice it, because they're so massive compared to a cyclist. It's quite possible the driver might not even know s/he has hit somebody.

jinws

Well it sounds like the truck did a right hook infront of her. Felt it or not, driver should have known there's a biker there. Plus, although the truck is much bigger, a person is a rather large speed bump. Passing a biker + speed bump = you better check to see if you hit somebody.

10 Wheels

She may have pulled up in his blind spot.

BlastRadius

A lot depends on whether the truck passed the cyclist before he right-hooked her. The SF Examiner article interview with a police Sgt. suggests that the cyclist was trying to squeeze past the truck on the right. It doesn't say how they came to this conclusion though.

Either way this really sucks. Be aware and attentive out there.

10 Wheels

Can you post a link to that report?
Thanks

msincredible

RIP rider.

10 Wheels

Nice intersection:
https://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/10/14...y-hit-and-run/

annc

I rode near the intersection this morning around 7:40am. I remember looking at the intersection (I was on Skyway, one block south of it) and I don't recall seeing anything out of the ordinary. Either I didn't notice it or it didn't happen yet.

My condolences to her family and friends.

BlastRadius

https://www.sfexaminer.com/local/Poli...-64214367.html

uspspro

EDIT: Commented on the wrong intersection (posted in the blog)... Comments deleted.

But still..

It was most likely the case of someone doing something wrong rather than poor infrastructure.

- Cyclists should not pass on the right during any situation where there is potential for a vehicle on the left to make a right turn. Swing into the lane, and do what cars do... wait behind or go around on the LEFT. If there is no bike lane.. I usually ride just left of the line separating the right-most through lane from the right turn lane when approaching an intersection.

- Motorist should not try to pass a cyclist just before making a right turn, they should slow down and wait for the cyclist to be clear of their turning path.

Not sure which happened here.

annc

The intersection in the blog is wrong. The accident happened a few blocks away at Shoreway and Holly.

jinws

If she was indeed trying to squeeze pass a truck knowing the truck was making a right turn, I have nothing to say. All logic tells me that that's just not something you should be doing.

Wanderer

How about witness reports**********?

mayukawa

From the SF Examiner article, it seems the rider is the one who made the mistake. But of course the article doesn't quote, so not sure if they got that conclusion from talking to witnesses or what...

mtnwalker

If she was riding next to the dump truck she might not have noticed a turn signal and by the same token she was in the driver's blind spot.

Prayers for her family.

mayukawa

Updated article in the SJ Mercury:

https://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_13559084

She was run over by the back trailer, no wonder the driver doesn't know he has ran over her.

BlastRadius

Thanks for the updated article. So the question is, did he have his turn signals on... If he did, it's doubtful the cyclist would try to "squeeze by" on the right side.

Dchiefransom

I wonder if the truck had it's turn signal on when she rode up to it. She might have thought it was going straight through. The police should be checking to make sure it's not only operative, but visible. After the rain yesterday, it could be covered with crud, and she didn't see it blinking.
A bike lane here might actually encourage riders to ride up on the right at a red light, if there is no right turn only lane.

uspspro

Bike lanes should terminate prior to an intersection if there is no dedicated right turn lane. I think the rule is 50-200 ft for an intersection approach depending on the right turn volume, bus stops, parking, etc..

If there is a dedicated right turn lane bike lanes should be striped in between the right turn lane and the rightmost through lane, and should be striped all the way to the stop line.

Scroll to page 1000-20 (Figure 1003.2C) to see the treatment of bike lanes with right turn lanes according to the CalTrans Highway Design Manual. Not the page before, that one just shows movements, not design.

https://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/oppd/hdm/pdf/chp1000.pdf

Here is how to design a bike lane on a two-way street (without RT only lanes) according to the Federal DOT Traffic Control Design Manual



This is with a dedicated RT-only lane:

Beaker

Very sad to hear.

Well put.

bikingshearer 

It's always very sad to hear about anyone dying in a traffic incident, especially when it's "one of ours."

Uspspro is absolutely correct about all the things tht should be - drivers paying attention and being patient, road configurations that give both cyclists and cars a good idea of what to expect from each other, and more. I would add to his list better education of both drivers and riders as to the rights and responsibilities of both. But it is up to every one of us to remember - and to teach newer riders - that what should be is all too often not reality is.

The fact of the matter is that some drivers simply have no clue, and every single driver makes mistakes sometimes. Thus it is absolutely imperitive that we be extra-careful and that we yield the right of way even if we legally have it if doing so means saving our skins and bones - and lives.

In a given situation, the car may very well being the wrong. But that is not going to do you any good when you are lying in a hospital or worse. And I don't care how much money you "win" in a lawsuit after the fact, it won't be enough. Not after you pay your medical bills and your lawyer and the expert witnesses. The civil legal system will ultimately place a value on the leg or arm or mental abilities you lost, because awarding money is the least bad alternative. But in reality, no amount of money can truly compensate for being mangled or killed.

So let's all keep what uspspro has said in mind - it is all valid. But please, while we work to advance the cause of what should be, do not lose sight of what currently is. Your life could literally depend on it.