Surveillance photo of the wanted truck, via BPD.
A woman in her 30s was hit sometime before 7:30 a.m. at Mass. Ave. and Beacon Street, was pronounced dead not long after. The truck was turning right onto Beacon from Mass. Ave.
Mel witnessed the crash:
EMS on scene. Girl has a pulse but not breathing. Open helmet smashed and contorted. Rough shape. Girl's head split open.
She adds the truck was a semi:
I didn't catch the plates but I'm hoping someone else did. He/she needs their license revoked ASAP.
Penny Cherubino reports it's a a flatbed trailer with a red sleeper cab and a broken front grill.
IntestinalFortitude adds:
White writing, lots of chrome, two chrome air horns, hauling a “heavy load†on a flat bed.
BPD released these additional photos of the truck:
Anyone who knows where it is can call detectives at 617-343-4470.
The scene at Mass. Ave. and Beacon (Photo by Rob Colonna):
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Comments
Yep.
By MostlyHarmless
Fri, 08/07/2015 - 11:35am
That looks right.
I would be depressed by the followup if I didn't expect it.
Right, but what will really happen.
By The Beer Guy
Fri, 08/07/2015 - 9:10am
Nothing.
https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2013/02/05/civil...
Except for Mark K jerking off to the image of another dead cyclist.
please..
By cybah
Fri, 08/07/2015 - 9:20am
Please I haven't had enough coffee to have that visual in my head yet *shiver*
Would you prefer to have it
By The Beer Guy
Fri, 08/07/2015 - 9:23am
after you're fully conscious?
You have a point there
By cybah
Fri, 08/07/2015 - 9:24am
You have a point there.. :)
At least fully awake I can make sure the vomit hits the trash can properly.
A request
By adamg
Fri, 08/07/2015 - 9:39am
Please let's not respond in advance to what we think somebody might say or do.
So sad...
By Disheartened
Fri, 08/07/2015 - 9:08am
My heart goes out to her and her family. Mass Ave is terrible for bicyclists. I nearly got wrecked at Columbus and Mass Ave, in bound on Columbus, when a pickup truck barreled through a left hand turn, ignoring all vehicles going straight. Asshole.
And here comes 100+ comments
By Robert Johnson, Jr
Fri, 08/07/2015 - 9:10am
From people who didn't witness the accident but know EXACTLY what happened.
Ready 1....2.....3.........
Ya, i'm looking at you!
No followup
By JonT
Fri, 08/07/2015 - 9:40am
And when the investigations of these incidents are finished, there is never a followup post here or in any other news outlet to tell us what actually happened. So it's all speculation, and people proposing solutions that might not even have prevented the original incident.
Heres what'll happen
By spin o rama
Fri, 08/07/2015 - 9:54am
BPD will setup another one of their safety theater traffic stops, where they will only pull over cyclists, to hand out helmets and reflectors.
Because thats why cyclists are getting killed, not the cars that are hitting us.
And what's more
By MostlyHarmless
Fri, 08/07/2015 - 10:06am
Neither the Somerville nor the Cambridge police, whom one would hope would know better, are any different.
A friend of mine flipped over
By anon
Fri, 08/07/2015 - 10:55am
A friend of mine flipped over his handlebars while cycling and smacked his head on the pavement. The helmet saved his life acc. to the ER doc. So please STFU that helmets don't make a difference.
Please don't put words in my mouth
By spin o rama
Fri, 08/07/2015 - 11:28am
I ride with a helmet and advocate for others to do so as well.........because cars are dangerous. Never said anything against wearing helmets, so why don't you STFU or actually try contributing something of value to the conversation.
The BPD responding to us getting hit by cars by handing out helmets is insulting and patronizing because it assumes we are to blame for getting hit.
Helmets make a difference, sometimes
By peter
Fri, 08/07/2015 - 11:47am
If you start reading actual studies about helmet usage, you'll find there isn't a good consensus on how effective they are, if at all. You get plenty of anecdotes like yours, but hard data is scarce and often contradictory. One theory is that helmets might increase certain types of injuries while preventing other kinds.
To be fair, lights (which is
By JonT
Fri, 08/07/2015 - 11:11am
To be fair, lights (which is what I have heard is what they hand out, not reflectors), CAN save a cyclist's life on occasion, by making the cyclist more visible. Just as long as they're not those blindingly bright, headache-inducing and bedazzling blinkers, which seem to me to cause MORE driver distraction, not less.
But yes, that's not likely to have helped in this case, in daylight. Maybe more education for all parties. There's a good one for cyclists here: http://iamtraffic.org/resources/interactive-graphi...
Cyclists, and not drivers,
By Refugee
Fri, 08/07/2015 - 4:15pm
Cyclists, and not drivers, are getting killed because bicycling around on city streets, moving at 15-25mph on crowded asphalt protected only by spandex and a helmet on a vehicle that can easily tip or flip means that if you collide with something, you're a lot more likely to get killed than someone strapped inside a metal cage with airbags.
Bicycle advocates rarely admit how intrinsically dangerous it is riding a bicycle. Even Tom Menino, the biggest bicycling advocate Boston will ever have, spent the final eight years of his life with a bum knee needing multiple surgeries because on one "minor" car-bicycle accident.
What makes it dangerous
By merlinmurph
Fri, 08/07/2015 - 4:20pm
You're missing something. What makes riding a bike dangerous is cars/trucks not driving safely with bikes on the road. It's as simple as that. They pass when it's not safe to pass, they don't give the bike room, and simply treat the cyclist as an inconvenience rather than treating them as a human being.
It really is as simple as that.
Bike solo accidents the most common
By Markk02474
Fri, 08/07/2015 - 9:00pm
Just ask John Kerry and Bono, or their doctors, or insurance carriers. You are simply wrong with your assertion. If that isn't enough for you, ask mountain, BMX, and bike racers on closed courses if cars hit them.
This is exactly the denial I
By Refugee
Fri, 08/07/2015 - 10:56pm
This is exactly the denial I'm speaking of. Bike advocates refuse to admit the inherent danger of bicycles. They try to put the focus on cars, totally ignoring that they're the china choosing to walk through a bull shop.
It's as simple as this: transportation accidents happen (for any number of reasons). If you're on a two-wheeler and get in an accident, you're screwed.
Myself I've seen my fair share of fender-benders over the years. All of them resulted in bumper damage, easily fixed by small amounts of money. But I still have a scar from when I got car-doored while riding a bicycle as a foolish, invincible 20-year old.
Boston Is Not Pamplona, Spain
By Elmer
Fri, 08/07/2015 - 11:12pm
Pedestrians and bicyclists have a right to use the public streets without being gored to death. Walking and biking are not inherently dangerous, it only becomes so when motor vehicles are allowed access to the same right-of-way.
Denial? Hardly
By merlinmurph
Mon, 08/10/2015 - 8:04am
Definitely not denial. But rather, an opinion based on a lot of years and a lot of miles of biking. You see things, you experience things, and you figure out why they happen.
Of course, there is an inherent danger of cycling. And yes, there are some idiot cyclists out there that make the other 90+% look bad. But, when a cyclist is simply legally riding on the right side of the road and a driver gives that cyclist no room, that's not inherent danger. When a driver passes me on a blind corner, that's not inherent danger. When a driver passes me on a blind hill, that's not inherent danger. These are all situations that are easily avoidable and simply caused by impatience, bad attitude, self-importance, total disregard for other's life, etc.
Definitely not denial.
My heart goes out to this
By Rob Not Verified
Fri, 08/07/2015 - 9:11am
My heart goes out to this woman and her family. Obviously we don't know all the details in this specific incident yet, but it's a universal truth that Mass Ave is not safe for pedestrians or bicyclists with vehicles flying down it and especially with the many large trucks that use it. The city must get serious about slowing down the traffic on this road and many others. For too long, there has been a reluctance to put in place any type of traffic calming measures beyond yellow Slow signs that no one pays attention to. It's time to do something more like so many other cities, including some neighboring Boston, have.
I, too, am so sadden by this loss...
By whyaduck
Fri, 08/07/2015 - 9:31am
That intersection is so very dicey. Last year, when I was riding Hubway bikes, I would stop at that intersection and get off the bike to walk it across. Too many areas, I thought, where something could go wrong.
I don't think the issue can be fixed with traffic calming measures (traffic moves pretty slow in this area, especially during rush hour), unfortunately. It is just a very congested and highly trafficked intersection and, at times, dangerous.
I know that intersection well
By Rob Not Verified
Fri, 08/07/2015 - 9:40am
I know that intersection well too. One thing would be to "bump out" the curb on that corner so that vehicles turning right from Mass Ave onto Beacon have to really slow down when turning. Right now, they are able to shoot the corner without needing to slow down because of the curve of the curb. We don't know what specifically happened here yet, but that's one immediate solution that would help greatly overall.
Bump outs won't make a
By anon
Fri, 08/07/2015 - 10:07am
Bump outs won't make a difference. I lived at that intserction for years and have lived in the Back Bay for nearly 15. That semi had to slow down to make that right turn just by the very nature of a semi -- it can't make the turn at full speed. Furthermore, it's rare that vehicles wouldn't have to stop before making that right since there are usually cars coming from Mass. Ave. in the opposite direction trying to hurry up and make the left onto Beacon. That intersection is a shit-show. If a semi is too large to see pedestrians and cyclists then it has no business being in residential sections of the city. Period.
Respectfully disagree. I
By Rob Not Verified
Fri, 08/07/2015 - 11:24am
Respectfully disagree. I lived in the Back Bay for years too and know this intersection. Obviously vehicles have to slow down some turning there but they can definitely take the turn going a good clip because of the angle. I've seen it there countless times. Maybe not with this specific semi, we don't know yet, but overall it's true of vehicles there. As another UHub post says, it's literally the most dangerous intersection in the city for cyclists. Either way, I don't wanna get lost in the minutiae here. A terrible tragedy and hopefully a wake up call for the city.
I haven't been through there in a while
By MostlyHarmless
Fri, 08/07/2015 - 9:59am
But I remember that the road quality leaves quite a bit to be desired, meaning any cyclist's concentration is being split in order to stay upright.
Faulty Asphault
By anon
Fri, 08/07/2015 - 10:32am
Yes, the road surface (the tar, if you like) on the right lane of this intersection is really bumpy, patched over dozens of times, and deformed from the #1 bus (and other heavy multi-axels).
Also, Mass Ave road surface in general from Beacon to Boylston is in D- to F level shape.
Speculation: Too busy a road to repave as often as necessary; too little budget or interest in safety to provide city services where needed most.
More's the reason to take the lane
By SwirlyGrrl
Fri, 08/07/2015 - 10:50am
I rarely even can use the bike lane along that stretch of Mass Ave because of all the double parked cars and the like.
Taking the lane at dicey corners also forces the vehicles behind you to both see you and slow down on the turn, whether they like it or not. It is completely legal to use a right lane for a right turn or use the travel lane to go straight. It is also completely legal and advisable to be out of the bike lane where it is unsafe to travel in the bike lane.
As for repaving, well, territorial pissings between the DCR and the City of Boston are likely responsible for any and all inaction to upgrade this intersection.
Agreed.
By MostlyHarmless
Fri, 08/07/2015 - 11:27am
Although I don't frequent that area, when I do, I'm certainly not in the bike lane.
Mass Ave and Beacon is well
By anon
Fri, 08/07/2015 - 12:51pm
Mass Ave and Beacon is well within Boston's jurisdiction -- the nearest DCR pavement is a block away. The DCR territory is easy to identify -- it has visible lane markings and better pavement. https://goo.gl/maps/wfQoc
Also note that if you look at the historical street view from 2012, there were sharrows in the right-turn lane. But they weren't repainted after they faded to nothing.
It's time for protected intersections
By Kaz
Fri, 08/07/2015 - 11:07am
https://vimeo.com/86721046
Eh.
By MostlyHarmless
Fri, 08/07/2015 - 11:29am
To be honest, I'd rather be more in the flow of traffic. I understand why more casual commuters would feel differently.
and that intersection, along
By greenlinetobrooklyn
Fri, 08/07/2015 - 11:56am
and that intersection, along with all of mass in the back bay is a perfect candidate for those protected intersections.
How?
By JonT
Fri, 08/07/2015 - 12:27pm
I'd be curious to see how that protected intersection design could fit into Mass Ave. It's a much narrower street than the ones shown in the video.
Cambridge has attempted to
By anon
Fri, 08/07/2015 - 12:46pm
Cambridge has attempted to protect bikes from turning cars on some redesigned streets in Kendall Square.
The bike lane is to the right of the right-turn lane, but right turns aren't allowed during the straight-ahead phase.
Unfortunately this means there are long and complicated traffic light cycles, so everyone sits around at long red lights when it would be perfectly safe to go. It's also harder to synchronize the lights at multiple intersections when there are long reds and short greens, so you end up hitting every red light for some travel paths. This affects bikes and cars alike (unless bikes go through red lights). It also takes a lot of space for all of the lanes.
As usual, Cambridge is doing things
By roadman
Fri, 08/07/2015 - 1:34pm
totally wrong. A through bike lane at an intersection is supposed to be between the right travel lane and the right turn lane - see Figure 9C.1 in the 2009 MUTCD.
http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/pdfs/2009r1r2/part9.pdf
You Mean, Like This?
By Elmer
Fri, 08/07/2015 - 2:28pm
[img]https://elmercatdotorg.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/galileo-bike1.jpg[/img]
[sup] Google Maps | Street View - Cambridge, MA[/sup]
That is the correct treatment
By roadman
Fri, 08/07/2015 - 2:32pm
My previous post was based on this comment:
So I presume there is at least one location in the Kendall Square area that wasn't designed properly.
Irony
By BlackKat
Fri, 08/07/2015 - 4:28pm
In that view you have a truck driving right through the solid lined bike lane. Woe be anyone in its way.
When I slow down or stop for
By anon
Fri, 08/07/2015 - 12:14pm
When I slow down or stop for cyclists and pedestrians, the car behind me honks then speeds around me and nearly plows into the people crossing. It's dangerous and infuriating and it happens every day. Too many drivers in cars and trucks have ZERO respect for others on the road.
Horrifying. Aggressive
By anon
Fri, 08/07/2015 - 9:23am
Horrifying. Aggressive drivers are out of control in the Back Bay. I can't tell you how many times I've nearly been hit while crossing legally on foot. Cars don't stop for stop signs, drivers are yapping on their phones or texting, backing up without looking, contractors treating one way streets as if they are two-way, cars drag racing down Beacon and Comm. Ave. ...it's reckless and inexcusable. Too many cyclists and pedestrians have been hit and killed on Marlborough St. and Beacon St. in the past few years. And now we're going to add hundreds of college students to the neighborhood who may not be used to dodging cars like Boston residents? We need cops out on the street to start writing tickets and enforcing traffic rules.
Condolences to the victim's family. Stay safe out there everyone.
Agree with all of this!
By Felicity
Fri, 08/07/2015 - 9:59am
Too many close calls, way too often, in Back Bay, Fenway, and Southie. Drivers are not paying attention, and have no regard for human beings walking, and adhering to the walk signals.
I wish the city would STOP favoring cars, over pedestrians. We are not World Class, we SUCK!
It's True
By APB
Fri, 08/07/2015 - 10:10am
I practice what I call my "London Street Crossing Technique" of repeatedly turning my head from side to side and looking before I even begin crossing a street, which has saved me from being hit by about four bikers in the past year who were zooming past me the wrong way, not in the bike lane. It's also protected me from many turning cars who ignore the Yield for Pedestrian signs and just see the green light at intersections.
True
By JP Resident
Fri, 08/07/2015 - 10:27am
I've had 10 close calls as a pedestrian with people on bicycles for every single close call with a motor vehicle of any type.
Wrong Story
By Rob O
Fri, 08/07/2015 - 10:35am
Please return with your insightful comment when we are talking about a death caused by a cyclist.
Here's the thing
By Michael
Fri, 08/07/2015 - 10:43am
If a bike hits me, the biker is going down too. He won't drive off obliviously, be at worst inconvenienced by waiting 10 minutes to tell a judge he didn't see me, and instantly have a chorus of Internet commenters crying that it's just not possible to be responsible for the vehicle he's chosen to be responsible for.
Here's a tip
By SwirlyGrrl
Fri, 08/07/2015 - 10:52am
STOP JAYWALKING! If a cyclist has the green light, you do not get to amble into the intersection like a drunken cow and complain about "nearly getting hit".
Jaywalking?
By JP Resident
Fri, 08/07/2015 - 11:29am
Nice assumption, but no. Most of the incidents I'm remembering happen in Harvard Square. There is a legal crosswalk with a stop sign at Brattle and Mt. Auburn. Bicycles almost never stop at this sign. The problem here is that they often pass the cars who do stop, and therefore do not see me as a pedestrian legally crossing in a crosswalk.
My experience is that Harvard Square seems to bring out the worst in bicyclists. Once I was in my car, sitting at the red light on JFK waiting to cross Mem drive. A bicycle rode up swerving around cars and people, and ran into the driver's side front panel of my car. Being summer, I reached my head out and said "hey, watch out." He just spat at me into my window. Just yesterday an older man on a bicycle clipped me while riding on the sidewalk in front of the Coop. Personally I wish much of Harvard Square was converted to pedestrian only.
You know what?
By SwirlyGrrl
Fri, 08/07/2015 - 12:07pm
Motorists don't stop there either. Or for that extended wide crosswalk - they keep barging along and try to attack pedestrians.
Also, stop jaywalking. Now. A crosswalk is not a right of way at a signalized intersection.
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