Pickup truck alongside ambulance pointing eastbound towards Amherst center
A pickup truck heading east on Rt 9 collided with a 20-year-old cyclist (UMass student) at the intersection of University Drive and Snell Street around 7:29 this evening.
The victim was transported by AFD to Baystate Critical Care Unit in Springfield by ambulance with 3 first responders on board. She had serious injuries but is expected to survive.
Two Hadley cruisers assist Amherst police at Snell/University Dr/Rt9 intersection
At one point six cruisers (Amherst and Hadley) were on the scene with an AFD ambulance and Fire Engine. Mass State Police accident reconstruction team was called in and were still on the scene at 10:20 PM.
Amherst towing was en route to transport both the pick up truck and crumpled bicycle.
Another cyclist was also at the scene at the time of the accident with the victim, but was not involved or injured.
Other bike at the scene, but not involved in accident
In the last few nights I nearly hit a person on a bike and in another instance two people walking in N Amherst, then tonight two people walking on a street in Sunderland. Winter makes it tough with snow and chalky roads and bad visibility overall, people wearing all black and walking on the street, riders with no lights and sparse reflectors. It's bound to happen. Wear bright colors folks and put lights on your bikes.Oh and don't walk in the street. I know, no sidewalks and too much snow. Streets are for wheels. Stay home. You'll live longer.
ReplyDeleteI always have many lights, front and rear, along with side reflectors, extra blinking lights on my back, and bright colored vest/jacket/helmet. But cars/trucks (and occasionally some buses, but they're usually very careful, well-trained drivers) still pass too close and too fast.
ReplyDeleteThe streets are open for all of us - please slow down, especially when the weather is bad: cars and trucks and buses slow down for everyone, bikes slow down for pedestrians, and pedestrians slow down and look before you leap.
The only laws which govern universally are the laws of physics - if you try to break one, you're going to be a famous theoretical physicist or just a memory....
Why is it that I have to (a) have a special license, (b) pay a registration fee, (c) obtain insurance, (d) display a number plate, (e) get an inspection sticker, (f)have a DOT-approved headlight & taillight *and* directionals, (g) have DOT-approved tires & brakes and (h) wear a helmet -- when I'm riding my motorcycle and yet the bicycle, on the same road, traveling the same speed (if not faster), with nowhere near the braking ability and hence far more likely to cause an accident doesn't have to do any of this.
ReplyDeleteWhy?
I'm paying for that road. Excise tax, gasoline tax, I'm paying for the road. the bicyclist isn't.
Why?
I think it's terrible that a young woman got seriously injured, and I do genuine wish the best for her, but -- assuming she even had the right of way and her bicycle under control -- if she'd entered the intersection displaying an automobile-type headlight, amber front marker and red rear -- both visible from the side, just like a car -- and had the stopping ability of a car -- would there have been an accident?
Riding a motorcycle this time of year is chancy -- moreso after dark when the puddles ice over. But a bicycle is less??? Folks, this isn't an overly bright idea. It isn't like there aren't PVTA buses, either....
blinking lights on my back,
ReplyDeleteWhich are dangerous and ought to be illegal (at night at least).
The human eye does not have a very fast "refresh rate" -- I'm sure everyone knows how a motion picture works -- and hence how animated cartoons work -- lots of pictures that the eye can't tell apart and hence appear to be moving.
The same sort of thing happens when a brief-duration flashing light is moving -- or when you are relative to it. Yes, it shows up, but as to where it is and where it is going -- not so easy.
There is also a hypnotic "follow me" effect of a flashing light -- you are luring the vehicles toward you...
Even the Amish wagons have to display a 3" red lens to the rear -- they have special kerosene lanterns to do this. I think a bicycle, operated on the public road after dark, ought to have to display a 3" red taillight as well.
Or you can get hit.
@12:08
ReplyDeleteI have 3" (steady) rear lights on my vehicle (bike),
white in front, red in back,
AND
blinking light on my back (me)
when a vehicle is traveling more slowly than the speed limit, a blinking light is standard on a vehicle
if you are hypnotized by a blinking light, you probably shouldn't be driving, especially at night, and perhaps should seek medical help
your suggestion that the lights "lure" drivers closer
and that "[I] can get hit" sound like a veiled threat
shame
I appreciate when they have blinking lights. It attracts attention and makes me look twice. Thank you.
ReplyDeletewhen a vehicle is traveling more slowly than the speed limit, a blinking light is standard on a vehicle
ReplyDeleteWhat is required however, is a large orange triangle surrounded by a reflective red one. When such vehicle is equipped with flashers (note that is plural) there are US DOT regs as to how long they must be on and how long they must be off.
There are reasons why these regulations exist.
if you are hypnotized by a blinking light, you probably shouldn't be driving, especially at night, and perhaps should seek medical help
If you can't tell the difference between what is normal for humans in general and what is an abnormality in a specific individual, than it is you who ought to be seeking the medical help.
your suggestion that the lights "lure" drivers closer
and that "[I] can get hit" sound like a veiled threat
If you are too obtuse to distinguish between a warning that your stupidity is putting your life at risk and a "veiled threat" then please keep endangering yourself until you benefit humanity by removing yourself from the planet.
That is not a threat, veiled or otherwise, instead it is a rather explicit request: go kill yourself as we will be better off without useless eaters such as yourself on the planet.
And if you had an IQ above 12, which you clearly don't, I'd ask you to look at the growing volume of research into why we have a new problem of drunk drivers hitting stopped police cars -- something which didn't happen much in the past, when there were actually more drunks on the road than there are now.
But ride your bicycle, with tires that are maybe 3/8" wide, on the ice. And when you fall and get run over by a truck, I will celebrate. That's not a threat either -- it's an explicit statement of what I will do after you cause your own demise.
I will celebrate.
You want an implicit threat: Go rent the movie "Easy Rider."
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, Dr. Ed!
ReplyDeleteYou and your friends have been nominated to become members of MassBike.
To learn more, please visit massbike.org
You and your friends have been nominated to become members of MassBike.
ReplyDeleteYou wish to donate to an organization as an accolade to me, this is a free country and you can do whatever you please with your own money.
They didnt say anything about a donation.
ReplyDelete