Fellow Cyclist/Messenger Killed in Midtown (victim of an apparent
dooring)

This morning, November 18th 2004, a messenger was killed at 49th
Street and 8th Avenue. When a death happens in our community, it is a
tragedy that effects us all. There will be a vigil & memorial ride for him on
Friday, November 19th at 6pm @ 49th & 8th Ave. Bring flowers and your
support.

Our deepest sympathies go out to his family and friends. May he Rest In
Peace. Ride Safe.

i won't be able to leave work and get my bike in time but i'll definitely be there at 6 as a ped..

https://www.wnbc.com/traffic/3932385/detail.html

was he wearing a helmet?

sorry to hear of this, sad news indeed.

after reading the Manhattan online news article does anyone else feel that this story wreaks of foul play (regarding who actually hit the guy, police van or delivery truck?)?

Don't start that. Its a tragedy. I don't care if he was or wasn't. Its a loss of our community and a fellow human being.

the newsday article confirmed that he was not, which does not detract from the tragedy in my eyes.. just should motivate all of us to buy and wear one ourselves..

Someone's definitely not telling the truth here. I wouldn't doubt if it was the cops, there weren't any witnesses, and it's their word against the food delivery drivers, and we know how that works right?

exactly, the cops tell the delivery truck drivers to just nod 'yes' and look the other way and everyone walks away without incident except a pending ticket for an unsafe truck tire.....

I wonder if there were any bystanders that wittnessed it...?

Check the NY Times article about it, definitely makes you wonder.
https://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/19/nyregion/19bike.html

After a by-lined story in the New York Times, I guess we can't complain the messanger's death is getting inadequate coverage. I hope the cops can sort out what happened.

The helmet comments are fair. I think it would be a testament to the messenger's memory if someone else's life is saved because this incident convinced them to wear a helmet.

I hope your ride goes well and is a testament our fallen brother. I further hope the heat leaves you alone....

im not starting anything, i was just curious if he was or was not.
anyways this story was just aired Fox news and they said he was riding 1 handed and had coffee and muffin in his other hand. still, i think the driver should've looked before opening the door. i've had close encounters with doors suddenly swung open numerous times.

i'm not saying this guy was riding like a maniac, but a lot of the messengers do and they bring much unwanted danger to already dangerous streets. ride smart boys and girls

what kind of seasoned vetran (42 year old) messenger isn't aware of the dangers of car doors opening?
I don't know about NYC, and I'm not a messenger, but here TO we have lots of bike messengers, I've never seen any of them juggling with a coffee and muffin while trying to ride down a busy street...

....on the other hand I see lots of Cops carrying coffee and muffins around all the time, and this still doesn't sound right.

But that's 3 posts from me on the subject so I think I'm done.

they bring danger to the streets? what the **** is your problem?

PriO,
I agree with your statement.

Wasted Weasel,
Your not a messenger so you would not understand.
iamjberube,
Good luck and hope people dont forget that we need to look out for each other. Did happen in front of the hotel?

Rancid, Good words!!

x2mars, You are correct on what you stated.　I have done stupid stuff out there .

HEY, Sometimes wearing a helmet gives you 50% chance. If you get hit in the face by a truck door can snap your neck. I haved seen one of my boys end up paralyzed and he was wearing a helmet.

Hey guys ride smart and safe>

S/F<
CEYA!

gals too Ceya!
=]

as far as this goes - it just plain sucks and they will not go after anyone. I was surprised here in Chicago when Thomas McBride (https://xxxracing.org/index.php?modul...Wrap&page=kit1) was killed and his murderer was actully sentenced. I can only hope someone is brought forward on this b/c if it was someone who fell out of an episode of "Sex In the City" or "Friends" that was riding the bike, I would bet that something more than a ticket for a shagged tire would have been issued.

Well, if indeed it was a dooring, it certainly sounds like a freak accident- it isn't like he was run over (and that doesn't diminish the tragedy). How many people do you know that had any serious injuries from a dooring?

Right here. I didn't know her, but a young woman here was killed when rididng in a Cambridge bike lane. Got doored and swept under the wheels of a passing bus. That's one of the reasons I'm generally against bike lanes.

Bike lanes absolutely suck. Cars seem to pass much closer than when there are no marked lanes... never mind all the double parking, right (or left) turns, and that they are broken glass and debris magnets.

That's a tragic story, but you don't need a bike lane to get doored. I was zipping thru congested traffic when a car passenger decided it was time to get out to go shopping. Took the corner of the door into my left shoulder. Put a nice hole into my shoulder and banged me up, but luckily nothing worse.

Thoughts go out to that girl and the guy from this recent event.

Nope, absolutely not. I threw it in there because one of the things that story always highlights for me is how bad the city of Cambridge's bike lane designs tend to be. The bike lanes say ride here, in the door zone. It's tragically comical, in some places the "lane" is so close to the parked cars that they don't have room to stripe a separate interior and exterior line. Instead they stripe a single line and put the bike lane symbol directly on top of that line.

With friends like those...