Bicyclist Dead After Car Collision
Police: A 23-year-old Silver Spring died at a local hospital after being hit by a car.
A 23-year-old Silver Spring man is dead after being hit by a car Sunday night while riding his bicycle, Montgomery County police said.
The cyclist, Jesus Antonia Hernandez, of the 100 block of East Wayne Avenue, was heading northbound on the sidewalk of the southbound side of Fenton Street, approaching Silver Spring Avenue, a release from police stated. Maria Inciong, 79, of the 18000 block of Branchwood Lane in Sandy Spring, was driving a 2004 Toyota Corolla westbound on Silver Spring Avenue, approaching Fenton Street.
Police said the driver had a green light on Silver Spring Avenue and the bicyclist had a red light at Fenton Street. Hernandez biked into the intersection and the bike and car collided, police said.
Police and Montgomery County Fire and Rescue crews responded to the scene around 9 p.m. and Hernandez was taken to a trauma center in serious condition. He died of the injuries at the hospital, police said.
Police said they continue to investigate the condition and ask anyone who witnessed it to contact the Collision Reconstruction Unit at 240-773-6620. Callers can remain anonymous.
Jerry A. McCoy
4:40 pm on Monday, March 11, 2013
I'n not the least bit surprised by this tragedy what with both bicyclist and drivers who ignore traffic lights to bicyclists who do not wear helmets.
Ian Cooper
5:28 pm on Monday, March 11, 2013
Advice to cyclists:
1. Never ride on the sidewalk. It's legal in Montgomery County, but it's dangerous. It increases your chances of getting hit at an intersection by a factor of at least two.
2. Never ride against traffic. It increases your chances of being hit by a factor of at least three.
3. Never disobey traffic signals.
@ Jerry: while I think all cyclists would be better off if they wore helmets, adult cyclists are not required by law to wear helmets any more than motorists are. Statistically, motorists are far more at risk for head injuries than cyclists are.
Laurin
10:14 pm on Monday, March 11, 2013
So you would rather have the bikers take up a lane on Connecticut Ave.?
TaL
1:03 am on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Laurin-
Yes, that would bring joy to my heart!
Ian Cooper
10:46 am on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Laurin, I would absolutely prefer cyclists to use the rightmost traffic lane that serves their destination on Connecticut Ave. and every other road in the state, as they are required by MD law to do. When using the traffic lane, they should ride at least 5ft away from the curb, where they can be clearly seen by other motorists and so that motorists know well in advance to change lanes to overtake them. This is what the law and the MD Driver's Manual requires and advises them to do.
The MD Driver's Manual states:
"...often the safest place for a bicyclist to ride is in the center of the lane. In Maryland, a bicyclist may use the full lane even while traveling substantially below the speed of traffic if the lane is too narrow for a car to safely pass a bicycle within the lane)."
Note that with Maryland's 3ft safe passing law, virtually no traffic lane in the state is wide enough for a car to safely pass a bicycle within the lane.
Laurin
7:53 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Ian,
In a perfect world, and an appropriate biking lane, I would ride in the street. Until then, you'll continue to see me on the sidewalk from time to time.
Ian Cooper
11:08 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Well Laurin, many casual cyclists feel the way you do. My advice is to take a free course run by the League of American Bicyclists. They will inform you of the real risks involved in cycling. The sidewalk, bike lanes and bike paths make novice and casual cyclists 'feel' safe, but studies of real world cycling show they are actually not as safe as riding in the road.
See http://ianbrettcooper.blogspot.com/2012/08/bicycle-infrastructure-studies.html
I prefer actually 'being' safe to 'feeling' safe.
Captain Cook
6:29 pm on Monday, March 11, 2013
Sure, bikers have the right to ride.... Be smart and know when it's safe - you can die being right....there is a male bike rider in Somerset that screams "I have the right of way!" everytime he see's a car - at all hours of the day and night - play nice or your right of way with 5000 lbs of steel will be your last ride...
Ian Cooper
10:54 am on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
This is a cop-out argument. Rather than accept that motorists are responsible to adhere to the rules of priority on the road, you prefer to use the bully's argument "If you don't stay out of my way, I'll kill you, and it'll be your fault".
Nice. Typical of the "Whatever! I can do what I want!" generation. Hhopefully you don't bring that attitude with you when you're responsible for driving your vehicle.
Without rules of priority, the road becomes a place where people get killed very easily. Unless you drive an 18-wheeler, you'd better hope that your preferred rule of survival of the heaviest doesn't get you killed.
Red White and Blue
11:26 am on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
He deserved to die, people like him we do not need, lets all just go south on the northbound lanes of anything you want and see what happens, how about we do not use our headlights at night either, could careless about idiots doing idiotic things, rest in peace dumba**
Ian Cooper
11:56 am on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
The cyclist was not in the traffic lane. He was on the sidewalk. It is perfectly legal in Montgomery County to cycle against traffic while on the sidewalk. I think it should be illegal for any person over the age of 10 to ride a bicycle on the sidewalk, but if you agree with me, you need to contact the county legislature about it.
I agree he was incredibly irresponsible for crossing the road against the pedestrian light. But 'deserve to die'? Would you institute the death penalty for running a red light? If so, then lots of road users of all kinds, motorists, cyclists and pedestrians, should be on death row. Surely that's insane, since many more people would die as a result of the law than as a result of the activity.
Ricky W Kracker a.k.a. Diggy Swagga
9:40 am on Sunday, March 17, 2013
Thank you for all of your responses, Ian.
Ricky W Kracker a.k.a. Diggy Swagga
4:02 pm on Sunday, March 17, 2013
...you big dork. Shave already.
gridlocksmith (Earl Shoop)
11:55 am on Sunday, March 17, 2013
Whether we bicycle, drive, or walk, we can make peace on the road, with patience, alertness, forgiveness, gratitude, kindness, and loving thoughtfulness.
"Road-Peace is a step on the road to World Peace!"
(You may "Like" Road-Peace on facebook.)
Joann Cameron
8:58 pm on Monday, March 18, 2013
A number of years ago a young boy was killed in front of the dry cleaners on Fenton St. He was on the right side of the road and about to go through a green light when a bus heading in the same direction turned right and crossed his path, killing him.
I'm not debating the road vs. sidewalk argument, but pointing another thing bicyclists need to watch out for. WEAR BRIGHT CLOTHING no matter where you are riding.
Crack
12:29 pm on Tuesday, March 19, 2013
To red white and blue you in ungratful son of a bitch I hope you and you mother rot in hell like your father!
FRANCINE ABELL
3:06 pm on Tuesday, March 19, 2013
I cannot believe anyone riding a bike thinks he can take on any motor vehicle of any size. Death wish? I got into years ago at a bike store in Bowie, Md. when I stated that a bicycler's last words from the pavement are, "I had the right of way". (I'll leave my martydom for a greater goal.) Ever since I was a child, I ALWAYS road against traffic as close to a curb or unpaved area as I could do so. If I had to stop my bike to protect me while a car passed, so be it. I WANTED to SEE the EYES (face) of the driver approaching. I wanted to know that HE sees ME. (Everything from a sun visor flap to a sneeze could mean my life) Why would I put my life in the hands of someone approaching my REAR? My little handle bar mirror going to tell me to ditch the bike at the last second to stay alive? Fun.
Until bike lanes are protected with jersey walls, it's riding paths thru parks for exercise only, for me.