ENCINITAS – For the second time in two months, a motorist collided with a bicyclist at an identical spot on Coast Highway 101.
On Friday, a motorist traveling south on the highway, attempted a left hand turn into the driveway of the Ride Cyclery bicycle shop, when the vehicle collided with a cyclist heading southbound.
The cyclist, who was wearing a helmet, sustained cuts and bruises and received treatment from emergency personnel at the scene. The rider wasn’t taken to a hospital, according to Sheriff’s deputy Aaron Montan.
Montan said the driver just didn’t see the cyclist before making the turn.
In February, a motorist hit a bicyclist at the same location. The cyclist also sustained minor injuries, but was taken to the hospital for further evaluation, after a vehicle attempted to make a right hand turn into the driveway.
4 comments
Perhaps we need to rethink the design of the bike lanes on 101. Although great in theory they put bicyclists and motor vehicles in potential positions of conflict. Creating a bike lane along the train tracks could decrease this conflict, that is if zoning allows.
I agree, but the bicyclists also need to be aware that they are not immune to the driving laws – they are supposed to obey them too. We came off Luecadia Blvd yesterday turning left on 101. A bicyclist traveling south on 101 came flying thru the intersection, against his red light. Fortunately he was not hit, but it scared the daylights out of us..he could just as easily hit us. I see cyclists run red lights, stop signs, suddenly make left turns, or make any turn with no signal, etc. So I read of these accidents with a ‘jaundiced eye’. In this case it appears the driver just simply did not see him, but often it’s the bicyclist who is at fault. As a driver, I respect the bicyclist’s right to the road, but urge them to obey the same traffic laws to insure their safety (and I’m sure many do). And drivers, the new bike lanes should be your first tip as to be aware of them as well.
It seems silly to blame all cyclists for those that break the law. I drive and ride a bike, and I do both with full attentiveness to stop signs, lights, and right of way. I see as many cars rolling stop signs or running lights as bikes, and I am far more nervous about them, whether I am driving, biking, or walking.
That being said, both of these instances are very clearly a cyclist moving in a straight light, with the right of way. Bringing up law breakers as a justification for these accidents is like justifying automotive deaths because sometimes the driver is at fault. It does not apply to the current discussion in the slightest.
It’s interesting how you have decided to blame the bicyclist for a motorist not paying attention and making a left turn across traffic instead of obeying the law and making sure it’s clear first.
From the description in the article, the driver violated CVC 21801.
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