I know someone who saw this, said the cyclist was basically cut in half by a tractor trailer. I don't see how that happens at the speeds trucks and bikes would be going through this intersection.
I saw it. That's what happened. It was horrible. I am waiting for Cambridge to set up a trauma line to call into. I've been crying on and off all morning
EAPs are usually offered through schools and employers, and have confidential, free, 24/7 support. Hopefully you can get that info and reach someone. (Coverage extends to household members- so if any roommates or family have an EAP you can call theirs.)
So sorry for what you're going through. I hope you can speak with someone soon.
"We've heard from a number of people who were witnesses or rode through Porter Square just after this morning's fatal crash who are feeling the trauma of the incident.
If you want to talk to someone about this morning's crash, or any of the feelings you may be having, we're organizing a gathering tonight at Bourbon Coffee in Porter Square from 7-9.
Our friend, Laura Everett, is a reverend and bike commuter. She agreed to be there to talk, listen and support anyone who wants to come. This is a non-religious, non-denominational gathering that is open to anyone."
Its just horrible at to what happen today in Porter Sq. I ride every day But I see my fellow riders just being incredibly aggressive out there. Running red lights blowing stop signs cutting off cars buses and trucks. Maybe we should spend more time riding in a safe way and maybe this type of thing would not happen.
STFU about "bikes run red lights". That isn't what kills. BAD DRIVING kills - 30,000 a year in the US.
I can only think of a couple incidents in recent years that were the cyclists fault - and I have no problem calling those out. HOWEVER the number of people killed by bad driving, in cars and out, massively engulfs and eclipses those numbers.
If anything? It isn't "bikes are bad" but WE ARE ALL A BUNCH OF MASSHOLES AND SOME ARE DRIVING HEAVY EQUIPMENT.
A fellow cyclist is trying to make sense of this tragedy and all you can do is bash him. If cyclists can't have a civilized discussion with one another then how do you expect a cyclist to have a civilized discussion with the driver of an 18-wheeler? Ranting and name-calling seems to be your agenda, not finding a solution to improving road sharing.
Because any anonymous commenter named "Bob" is always a cyclist?
No. We do not know that this is a "fellow cyclist". Even if Bob rides a bike, we have no way of knowing if "cyclist" to him means "rides bike on path to ice cream place" or "commutes" or "does randos most weekends".
What we have is someone who CLAIMS to be a cyclist so as to establish "credibility" despite being an anon, and all in order to immediately launch into an irrelevant victim-blaming tirade.
Then again, anons like you should probably be restricted from these threads because you have no credibility.
I understand that your heart is in the right place here and I do appreciate that but I think it's important to point out that for all of the red lights that area cyclists supposedly run, not a single one of the bicyclists who have been killed in Boston, Cambridge, or Somerville in recent memory was doing anything illegal at the time that they were killed.
I hope his death was swift. You can't say enough nice things about the bicyclist- he was a kind, endearing, unassuming, humble, hard-working man. Highly doubtful he was riding like an a-hole.
That is a great idea. Those trucks do not belong on city streets. London has been doing excellent work with regards to public transit, cycling, and raising tolls on drivers. Meanwhile the MBTA is cutting back service. We are falling behind other cities and people are being killed all because we don't want to inconvenience dangerous drivers.
We should be saddened but not surprised when cyclists are killed around here. A Cambridge cop hit a cyclist and sped off earlier this year and wasn't even arrested! That dangerous criminal, Ryan Callinan, is still a cop. That is how little of a shit cops and our legal system care about the lives of pedestrians and cyclists.
Vision zero is worthwhile. If calling you a murderer helps you realize that human safety is more important than preserving your narrow way of life, then ok. But all citizens have a role in making changes to the roads.
Is what truck drivers have in their blind spots. The sooner you bike clowns realize that and stay the hell away from them as any sane driver should, the sooner you'll stop getting fricasseed.
OK, I'll abide. I'll stay the hell away at 12mph. You, truck driver shall too. You pass me and you're violating that rule. I have an itchy trigger finger and I'll catch up to you at the next light...
Good point tying this in to the MBTA. I'm a proponent of biking, personally, but we need a robust, reliable transit system so that cycling isn't the only long-distance travel option for people without cars. The level of service we deal with MBTA-wise is really criminal.
I've proposed a complete Mass Ave in Cambridge north of Harvard. Eliminate a lane of car traffic and a little parking, add exclusive bus lanes and protected bike lanes. And make it feel much more like a city street than a highway!
Hoping these comments don't delve into unnecessary point-counter point arguments. God bless the deceased and all of their loved ones, any one who witnessed this tragedy, or anyone who feels impacted by in on any level.
Why are trucks this size allowed in the city at any time other than off hours?
Want a giant truck delivery? How about 6am?
Carriers have to be held responsible. "its a big vehicle so everything has to get out of my way and don't expect me to bother to look" doesn't cut it.
This isn't just about cyclist safety, either - pedestrians waiting on the SIDEWALK have been dragged through Central Square by these way too fucking long vehicles.
Also, trucks use this stretch as a loading zone on the regular. Even when they're not moving, they're creating a clusterf* that everyone needs to negotiate. It would be really great if police could enforce high-traffic areas during rush hour as travel lanes, not truck parking lanes.
I don't know about pedestrians waiting on the sidewalk being dragged through Central Square by these way too fucking long vehicles, but I do know I was almost hit by a bike this morning when it ran a red light and I was in the crosswalk walk with the cross signal. I wanted to say something to the biker but he sped by too fast. Bikers only want to talk about their rights and their safety though...
Yes I read the story "Shortly after 8 a.m., Cambridge Police report. Wicked Local Cambridge reports the crash involved a truck." And I was relating how I was almost involved in a crash with a bike this morning too but I managed to move quick enough to avoid a crash with the bike. There are issues on both sides of this dilemma. Bikers need to own their share before more deaths result. And no, I won't stfu. I honestly can't believe your comment got approved for posting.
"Both sides"? The two sides in this case are a truck and a bicyclist. Do tell us all about the truck driver's legitimate grievances. Go on, we're waiting.
Oh wait, you weren't talking about the "both sides" under discussion here, you wanted to hijack a thread about a traffic death and make it all about you. Got it.
The collision was avoided because of what I did to avoid it, NOT the bike. He blew right through the red light and right at me and others. This was in front of South Station! There was a lot of people. Again, I am saying that bikers need to address their part of the problem too. And if biking is too dangerous to be done on certain roads then maybe bikes should be banned on those roads so people don't get hurt.Bike where it's safe. Your stats just might go down.
And if biking is too dangerous to be done on certain roads then maybe bikes should be banned on those roads so people don't get hurt. Bike where it's safe.
Isn't this sort of like arguing that if women are getting raped at certain fraternity houses then the best solution is to ban women from those fraternity houses rather than punishing the rapists?
To say nothing of the fact that most traffic fatalities in Boston and Cambridge are actually pedestrians killed by drivers.
Not even close to being similar. Roads are for cars and trucks first. Some roads might not be able to safely accommodate bikes too. This is Boston. Is that really so hard to swallow? I'm now at the point that installing bike lanes was a huge mistake. They were supposed to be for the good of all mankind but instead they've just given bikers a sense of entitlement and now they just aren't worth it. Bikers complain about drivers not following the rules of the road but examples of bikers doing the same is met with the response to STFU. If bikers can't stop telling people who voice an opinion to STFU, can't be honest about how they, and as admitted on reddit their "ridiculous riding", impacts traffic in our already overly congested city then let's just give the roads back to motor vehicles. Use my tax dollars somewhere else. Have a nice day.
No, they aren't. In the grand scheme of things cars and trucks are relative newcomers. Bikes have been around for longer. And roads were the domain of horses and pedestrians for centuries before that.
And yes, cyclists do have a sense of entitlement - in that we recognize that we are entitled to equal use of public roads. We are entitled to safe facilities. We are entitled to not getting killed by a truck on our way to work.
Finally, cyclists do not "impact traffic" in the sense that you are implying. If anyone can ever show me an example of a cyclist causing a traffic jam, I will eat my helmet.
Let's just give the roads back to cyclists. Use my tax dollars somewhere else.
Yes, a long time ago some roads were designed for horse and buggy. But, OMG it's 2016! Guess what: women and black people now have the right to vote! Just because something is historical, doesn't mean it's morally superior. Do you have a problem with that? Grow up and shut up and learn your history. We have public transportation: TAKE IT LIKE THE REST OF US. DEAL WITH IT. Just because you PREFER to ride your bike everywhere and avoid what you probably consider undesirable working people of all colors and backgrounds who take the train and bus, doesn't mean the rest of us need to cater to your self-entitled me me me whims. The world doesn't revolve around you and your isolated fears. You wan't to cocoon yourself in a bubble? Move to the suburbs, bye!
Cyclists who feel they are entitled to swerve in front of a bus or car*, slow down traffic for everyone else, God forbid get themselves hurt, and then have the unmitigated gall to claim victimhood.
Yeah, it's not right to go driving around a 53 foot truck without proper training, nor is it right to drive it around without knowing where you're going. It's a mistake that may well have cost a man his life. You see that? Assigning blame where it is due.
Blame is not zero sum. It can be the hypothetical driver's fault for not looking and it can be the hypothetical cyclist's fault for not having lights, weaving in traffic, and not looking too. Just like it's the mugger's fault for mugging and the victim's fault for getting shitfaced out of his or her mind and stumbling home drunk**.
But guess what? Big vehicles will always be in the city. Think 40 ft buses. Think 60 ft articulated buses. All much more useful and much less counter-productive than entitled kids on bikes who think their right to get to wherever half a minute faster trumps everyone else's right to be able to get wherever they're going in a reasonable manner.
*I had a good long time to wait for the 1 bus about an hour ago and see at least a dozen cyclists swerve left into the car lane because the bike lane was blocked by a work crew. If a car lane is blocked by a road crew, then the appropriate procedure is to
1. stop
2. look left over your shoulder and mirror
3. INDICATE
4. change lanes when it is safe to do so
What is the cyclist procedure?
1. Swerve left
2. Blame the car that damn near missed you
3. Blame all cars if that damn car hit you
**See for example Lochte, Ryan. If he were a woman, would the nutter lobby be screaming about victim blaming, or would it still be his fault for getting drunk and making an ass of himself?
Is it the one to get from point A to point B in an orderly fashion or is it the one to expect some semblance of rules to be followed by the other road users?
Seems that it's impossible to [i]not[/i] be guilty of "entitlement" if you're driving a car, riding a bus, or even walking on your own two feet in your world.
Seriously. At what point did it become socially acceptable to declare yourself free of responsibility for the outcomes of your own physical actions...like swerving into 20mph+ traffic while pedaling along at 5-10mph?
I suppose the next logical ("scientific" even!) step would be to blame a gun manufacturer for what happens to you if you pick up a gun and shoot yourself with it on purpose.
As far as we know , this cyclist did not swerve anywhere. That's a dishonest representation of my argument.
Several people have stated that something on the spectrum of if you ride in boston's traffic you accept the risk that will be struck. Or more subtle, if you follow traffic rules and stay away from trucks you will safe.
I am saying that walking and cycling in Boston are entitlements. That is vision zero. Large trucks don't fit into this plan. Safe riding would not have prevented this death. We need to restrict the use of unsafe vehicles.
The roads in Boston and Cambridge were designed for pedestrians, and horse carts. Bicycles were invented and road these streets long before the automobile.
This collision involved an 18 wheeler. These huge trucks have no business in city. If you removed all the bicycles, pedestrians would still be killed. your egocentric approach to the issue won't save lives.
Both sides are rife with entitlement, and it's those who share in that entitlement (again, both ways) that seem to argue the most and also miss the most. I've biked in the city for years and follow the vast majority of traffic laws, except for in situations where I feel physically unsafe doing so. I'm courteous to drivers and they are usually courteous to me when they see I'm making an attempt to stay out of their way. HOWEVER there are both drivers and cyclists who will insist that there is no room for compromise, and I would suggest trying to put oneself in the shoes of the alternative for a moment to see how entitled both sides can come off.
Arguing that bikes shouldn't be allowed on the roads is.. well, it's an argument but completely unrealistic so good luck with that. And if thats an argument for maintaining the status quo of distracted driving, give me a break. Alternatively, arguing that every driver needs to pay attention and respect the presence of cyclists is also an argument, but again, completely unrealistic and good luck with that as well.
As a cyclist, I have to say how shocked I am by how seemingly inconsequential many cyclists view riding in the city as; I've seen more near misses than I can count that could have ended similar to this. If you ride a bike in the city and think you can stay safe simply by asserting your rights to the road, well good luck, but it's extremely dangerous. You cannot rely on others to keep you safe. As this tragedy has shown, it is literally life or death.
As a driver, I have to say that I'm absolutely appalled by how prevalent distracted driving is. It is shameful, and again I think the people who engage in this have zero understanding of the potential consequences of their actions. If you don't recognize the sense of entitlement that driving affords, as well as the very real and dangerous consequences to others inherent to driving distractedly, you need to think a little harder on the issue. Maybe get on a bike and see how it feels outside of that metal cocoon.
I don't know what specifically happened to cause this terrible incident, but both cyclists and drivers need to take more responsibility for their behavior to ensure safety for themselves and everyone else on the road.
And again, for the record, s.t.F.u. A 60-year-old man, a doctor, got ripped in half, literally, by a truck in front of many onlookers, and you find that an appropriate time to whine about how you "almost" got hit by a bicyclist. I've said it here before--if I posted here every time I "almost" got hit by a car, either on my bike or while walking, I'd be here every f'ing day.
With the utmost of empathy for those harmed or killed by either car or bike...
Drivers kill on average 100 people every day in the USA, ever since 1960.
Bicyclists kill about 6 people PER YEAR in the USA.
So bad cyclists are bad. They can injure and even kill, and need to reform. But if you really want safer streets, focus on car drivers. That's where the safe money is.
Sorry to hear that you were almost hit by a bicyclist. That must have been hard for you.
Since you bring this up in the context of a man who was brutally killed by a truck while he was riding a bicycle, perhaps you could remind us of the number of people killed by bicyclists in such a manner, and how this compares to the total number of people killed by motor vehicles?
Cambridge and other urban cities should seriously consider the use of these very long trailers on city streets. Are 53 foot long trailers needed in our city? Such a needless tragedy! I offer my prayers for the victim.
On the cab it says Metlitsky Eggs. How many cartons of eggs can you fit into a 53 foot trailer? Agreed that we should limit the length of trucks on these urban streets.
Also note that the truck as no side guards. Side guards provide significant protection for cyclists to help prevent falling under the truck.
I try to avoid being on the right of any truck while on my bike. I always just assume that the truck will turn into me with no warning and I will be dead. Sometimes avoiding trucks in this way slows me down or makes me have to go onto the sidewalk. This is one of those cases where it doesn't matter who is right, if the truck moves into "my" space, I will be dead, so I simply don't go there.
1) Trucks have blind spots - especially on the right
2) Cyclists have a documented habit of approaching intersections by passing stopped traffic, including traffic about to make a right turn, on the right
3) In the majority of collisions between trucks and other vehicles (yes, a bicycle IS legally a VEHICLE), the actions of the other vehicle caused the crash.
4) You obviously don't have any clue what it's like to drive a large truck in city traffic. Hint, it's far more difficult than riding a bike or walking on foot.
Banning trucks of a certain size would save lives. It is not the most important thing to decide who is to blame. These trucks are dangerous and they shouldn't be on streets designed for horse drawn carriages (London, Paris, Boston, NYC).
1). OK?
2). This truck was turning left
3). In the majority of cyclists being killed by trucks, being killed by a truck is what killed the cyclist.
4). So maybe if it is that difficult they shouldn't even be there
Allegedly, the driver of the truck doesn't either.
the driver of the 18 wheeler was unlicensed. Not only did he not have a CDL which is required for 18 wheelers, he didn't have a drivers license period.
It gives a strong indication of who is at fault. It does not prove it, but it does prove this truck was driven by someone that does not follow the law.
And then promptly gloss over the lack of a professional license and training as a factor in causing a crash.
If I was unlicensed and crashed a Coca-Cola truck into a cafe storefront and killed someone, would you wonder aloud about how much fault the building had for being there? Or how much blame to put on the person killed?
Comments
Bad crash
By SP123
Wed, 10/05/2016 - 9:12am
I know someone who saw this, said the cyclist was basically cut in half by a tractor trailer. I don't see how that happens at the speeds trucks and bikes would be going through this intersection.
I saw it. That's what
By fd
Wed, 10/05/2016 - 12:58pm
I saw it. That's what happened. It was horrible. I am waiting for Cambridge to set up a trauma line to call into. I've been crying on and off all morning
EAP Info
By RoseMai
Wed, 10/05/2016 - 5:14pm
EAPs are usually offered through schools and employers, and have confidential, free, 24/7 support. Hopefully you can get that info and reach someone. (Coverage extends to household members- so if any roommates or family have an EAP you can call theirs.)
So sorry for what you're going through. I hope you can speak with someone soon.
At Bourbon Coffee Tonight from 7-9
By anon
Wed, 10/05/2016 - 5:27pm
From Boston Cyclists Union:
"We've heard from a number of people who were witnesses or rode through Porter Square just after this morning's fatal crash who are feeling the trauma of the incident.
If you want to talk to someone about this morning's crash, or any of the feelings you may be having, we're organizing a gathering tonight at Bourbon Coffee in Porter Square from 7-9.
Our friend, Laura Everett, is a reverend and bike commuter. She agreed to be there to talk, listen and support anyone who wants to come. This is a non-religious, non-denominational gathering that is open to anyone."
Its just horrible at to what
By Bob
Wed, 10/05/2016 - 9:35pm
Its just horrible at to what happen today in Porter Sq. I ride every day But I see my fellow riders just being incredibly aggressive out there. Running red lights blowing stop signs cutting off cars buses and trucks. Maybe we should spend more time riding in a safe way and maybe this type of thing would not happen.
Sixty years old
By SwirlyGrrl
Wed, 10/05/2016 - 10:45pm
Experienced commuter.
STFU about "bikes run red lights". That isn't what kills. BAD DRIVING kills - 30,000 a year in the US.
I can only think of a couple incidents in recent years that were the cyclists fault - and I have no problem calling those out. HOWEVER the number of people killed by bad driving, in cars and out, massively engulfs and eclipses those numbers.
If anything? It isn't "bikes are bad" but WE ARE ALL A BUNCH OF MASSHOLES AND SOME ARE DRIVING HEAVY EQUIPMENT.
A fellow cyclist is trying to
By not a Masshole
Thu, 10/06/2016 - 1:19pm
A fellow cyclist is trying to make sense of this tragedy and all you can do is bash him. If cyclists can't have a civilized discussion with one another then how do you expect a cyclist to have a civilized discussion with the driver of an 18-wheeler? Ranting and name-calling seems to be your agenda, not finding a solution to improving road sharing.
A fellow cyclist?
By SwirlyGrrl
Thu, 10/06/2016 - 7:15pm
Because any anonymous commenter named "Bob" is always a cyclist?
No. We do not know that this is a "fellow cyclist". Even if Bob rides a bike, we have no way of knowing if "cyclist" to him means "rides bike on path to ice cream place" or "commutes" or "does randos most weekends".
What we have is someone who CLAIMS to be a cyclist so as to establish "credibility" despite being an anon, and all in order to immediately launch into an irrelevant victim-blaming tirade.
Then again, anons like you should probably be restricted from these threads because you have no credibility.
I understand that your heart
By eherot
Thu, 10/06/2016 - 1:17am
I understand that your heart is in the right place here and I do appreciate that but I think it's important to point out that for all of the red lights that area cyclists supposedly run, not a single one of the bicyclists who have been killed in Boston, Cambridge, or Somerville in recent memory was doing anything illegal at the time that they were killed.
https://www.facebook.com
By anon
Wed, 10/05/2016 - 5:39pm
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1015534770...
also saw it
By rp
Wed, 10/05/2016 - 6:08pm
"I am waiting for Cambridge to set up a trauma line to call into."
Same here. The torso was several feet away from the rest ... prayers out ....
Breaks my heart- he was a good guy
By RM
Thu, 10/06/2016 - 1:24pm
I hope his death was swift. You can't say enough nice things about the bicyclist- he was a kind, endearing, unassuming, humble, hard-working man. Highly doubtful he was riding like an a-hole.
More immediately
By SwirlyGrrl
Wed, 10/05/2016 - 6:26pm
Please Share: Bourbon Coffee Porter Square #Cambridge, 7-9 tonight open space for those who saw the bike crash or want to talk about it.
Trucks in the city are tough
By anon
Wed, 10/05/2016 - 9:20am
I don't know any details of this crash, or the one between a cyclist and a truck in Cambridge earlier this week.
What I do know is that some kinds of trucks have massive blind spots and their right turns are absolutely harrowing for nearby bicyclists.
To that end, London plans to phase out the use of poor visibility trucks from city streets beginning in 2020.
That is a great idea. Those
By Kinopio
Wed, 10/05/2016 - 10:10am
That is a great idea. Those trucks do not belong on city streets. London has been doing excellent work with regards to public transit, cycling, and raising tolls on drivers. Meanwhile the MBTA is cutting back service. We are falling behind other cities and people are being killed all because we don't want to inconvenience dangerous drivers.
We should be saddened but not surprised when cyclists are killed around here. A Cambridge cop hit a cyclist and sped off earlier this year and wasn't even arrested! That dangerous criminal, Ryan Callinan, is still a cop. That is how little of a shit cops and our legal system care about the lives of pedestrians and cyclists.
So desperate to win
By EM Painter
Wed, 10/05/2016 - 10:12am
just grasping for any real estate you can.
What does that mean?
By cinnamngrl
Wed, 10/05/2016 - 12:06pm
What does that mean?
Somebody died
By EM Painter
Wed, 10/05/2016 - 1:24pm
and here's what I want. If you don't give it to me, you're a murderer.
we are all responsible
By cinnamngrl
Wed, 10/05/2016 - 1:37pm
Vision zero is worthwhile. If calling you a murderer helps you realize that human safety is more important than preserving your narrow way of life, then ok. But all citizens have a role in making changes to the roads.
Vision zero
By anon
Wed, 10/05/2016 - 5:44pm
Is what truck drivers have in their blind spots. The sooner you bike clowns realize that and stay the hell away from them as any sane driver should, the sooner you'll stop getting fricasseed.
Staying the hell away
By Riding with Colt45
Wed, 10/05/2016 - 11:02pm
OK, I'll abide. I'll stay the hell away at 12mph. You, truck driver shall too. You pass me and you're violating that rule. I have an itchy trigger finger and I'll catch up to you at the next light...
We'll see who gets "fricasseed"
Your point is ...
By anon
Wed, 10/05/2016 - 3:58pm
OMG MOTORISTS MIGHT BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR MAYHEM!
NO FAIIIIRRRRRR!
Good point tying this in to
By JJ3
Wed, 10/05/2016 - 10:52am
Good point tying this in to the MBTA. I'm a proponent of biking, personally, but we need a robust, reliable transit system so that cycling isn't the only long-distance travel option for people without cars. The level of service we deal with MBTA-wise is really criminal.
This is why
By Ari O
Wed, 10/05/2016 - 12:38pm
I've proposed a complete Mass Ave in Cambridge north of Harvard. Eliminate a lane of car traffic and a little parking, add exclusive bus lanes and protected bike lanes. And make it feel much more like a city street than a highway!
Terrible
By Scauma
Wed, 10/05/2016 - 9:20am
Hoping these comments don't delve into unnecessary point-counter point arguments. God bless the deceased and all of their loved ones, any one who witnessed this tragedy, or anyone who feels impacted by in on any level.
Once again
By anon
Wed, 10/05/2016 - 10:01am
Why are trucks this size allowed in the city at any time other than off hours?
Want a giant truck delivery? How about 6am?
Carriers have to be held responsible. "its a big vehicle so everything has to get out of my way and don't expect me to bother to look" doesn't cut it.
This isn't just about cyclist safety, either - pedestrians waiting on the SIDEWALK have been dragged through Central Square by these way too fucking long vehicles.
Condolences
By zz
Wed, 10/05/2016 - 11:37am
Also, trucks use this stretch as a loading zone on the regular. Even when they're not moving, they're creating a clusterf* that everyone needs to negotiate. It would be really great if police could enforce high-traffic areas during rush hour as travel lanes, not truck parking lanes.
I don't know about
By Candy
Wed, 10/05/2016 - 3:36pm
I don't know about pedestrians waiting on the sidewalk being dragged through Central Square by these way too fucking long vehicles, but I do know I was almost hit by a bike this morning when it ran a red light and I was in the crosswalk walk with the cross signal. I wanted to say something to the biker but he sped by too fast. Bikers only want to talk about their rights and their safety though...
Waaah.
By Sally
Wed, 10/05/2016 - 9:38pm
Honestly--did you read the story? Do you even know what you're responding to, with your little tale of woe? STFU.
Yes I read the story "Shortly
By Candy
Wed, 10/05/2016 - 10:31pm
Yes I read the story "Shortly after 8 a.m., Cambridge Police report. Wicked Local Cambridge reports the crash involved a truck." And I was relating how I was almost involved in a crash with a bike this morning too but I managed to move quick enough to avoid a crash with the bike. There are issues on both sides of this dilemma. Bikers need to own their share before more deaths result. And no, I won't stfu. I honestly can't believe your comment got approved for posting.
"Both sides"?
By lbb
Thu, 10/06/2016 - 10:01am
"Both sides"? The two sides in this case are a truck and a bicyclist. Do tell us all about the truck driver's legitimate grievances. Go on, we're waiting.
Oh wait, you weren't talking about the "both sides" under discussion here, you wanted to hijack a thread about a traffic death and make it all about you. Got it.
Almost hit by a bike!
By SwirlyGrrl
Wed, 10/05/2016 - 10:36pm
Being "almost hit by a bike" is really REALLY JUST THE SAME as being crushed by a truck, afterall.
Go look up the stats on ACTUAL hit by bike accidents (like almost none) and compare them to the number of people killed THIS YEAR by motor vehicles.
Then we can talk about what needs to be done using facts.
The collision was avoided
By Candy
Wed, 10/05/2016 - 11:00pm
The collision was avoided because of what I did to avoid it, NOT the bike. He blew right through the red light and right at me and others. This was in front of South Station! There was a lot of people. Again, I am saying that bikers need to address their part of the problem too. And if biking is too dangerous to be done on certain roads then maybe bikes should be banned on those roads so people don't get hurt.Bike where it's safe. Your stats just might go down.
And if biking is too
By eherot
Thu, 10/06/2016 - 1:31am
Isn't this sort of like arguing that if women are getting raped at certain fraternity houses then the best solution is to ban women from those fraternity houses rather than punishing the rapists?
To say nothing of the fact that most traffic fatalities in Boston and Cambridge are actually pedestrians killed by drivers.
Not even close to being
By Candy
Thu, 10/06/2016 - 5:54am
Not even close to being similar. Roads are for cars and trucks first. Some roads might not be able to safely accommodate bikes too. This is Boston. Is that really so hard to swallow? I'm now at the point that installing bike lanes was a huge mistake. They were supposed to be for the good of all mankind but instead they've just given bikers a sense of entitlement and now they just aren't worth it. Bikers complain about drivers not following the rules of the road but examples of bikers doing the same is met with the response to STFU. If bikers can't stop telling people who voice an opinion to STFU, can't be honest about how they, and as admitted on reddit their "ridiculous riding", impacts traffic in our already overly congested city then let's just give the roads back to motor vehicles. Use my tax dollars somewhere else. Have a nice day.
Roads are for cars and trucks
By DTP
Thu, 10/06/2016 - 9:27am
No, they aren't. In the grand scheme of things cars and trucks are relative newcomers. Bikes have been around for longer. And roads were the domain of horses and pedestrians for centuries before that.
And yes, cyclists do have a sense of entitlement - in that we recognize that we are entitled to equal use of public roads. We are entitled to safe facilities. We are entitled to not getting killed by a truck on our way to work.
Finally, cyclists do not "impact traffic" in the sense that you are implying. If anyone can ever show me an example of a cyclist causing a traffic jam, I will eat my helmet.
Let's just give the roads back to cyclists. Use my tax dollars somewhere else.
Hey dimwit
By anon
Thu, 10/06/2016 - 10:00am
The roads in question were built for carts and horses, and paved for use by cyclists.
Grow up and shut up and learn your history.
If you can't deal with it, get off the road and stop driving.
Yes, a long time ago some
By pedestrian
Thu, 10/06/2016 - 1:27pm
Yes, a long time ago some roads were designed for horse and buggy. But, OMG it's 2016! Guess what: women and black people now have the right to vote! Just because something is historical, doesn't mean it's morally superior. Do you have a problem with that? Grow up and shut up and learn your history. We have public transportation: TAKE IT LIKE THE REST OF US. DEAL WITH IT. Just because you PREFER to ride your bike everywhere and avoid what you probably consider undesirable working people of all colors and backgrounds who take the train and bus, doesn't mean the rest of us need to cater to your self-entitled me me me whims. The world doesn't revolve around you and your isolated fears. You wan't to cocoon yourself in a bubble? Move to the suburbs, bye!
Please read what you are attacking
By cinnamngrl
Thu, 10/06/2016 - 6:47pm
These city streets were not designed for 53 foot trucks. Cyclists feel entitled to survive. Why does that make you angry?
Here's a guess
By Roman
Thu, 10/06/2016 - 8:55pm
Cyclists who feel they are entitled to swerve in front of a bus or car*, slow down traffic for everyone else, God forbid get themselves hurt, and then have the unmitigated gall to claim victimhood.
Yeah, it's not right to go driving around a 53 foot truck without proper training, nor is it right to drive it around without knowing where you're going. It's a mistake that may well have cost a man his life. You see that? Assigning blame where it is due.
Blame is not zero sum. It can be the hypothetical driver's fault for not looking and it can be the hypothetical cyclist's fault for not having lights, weaving in traffic, and not looking too. Just like it's the mugger's fault for mugging and the victim's fault for getting shitfaced out of his or her mind and stumbling home drunk**.
But guess what? Big vehicles will always be in the city. Think 40 ft buses. Think 60 ft articulated buses. All much more useful and much less counter-productive than entitled kids on bikes who think their right to get to wherever half a minute faster trumps everyone else's right to be able to get wherever they're going in a reasonable manner.
*I had a good long time to wait for the 1 bus about an hour ago and see at least a dozen cyclists swerve left into the car lane because the bike lane was blocked by a work crew. If a car lane is blocked by a road crew, then the appropriate procedure is to
1. stop
2. look left over your shoulder and mirror
3. INDICATE
4. change lanes when it is safe to do so
What is the cyclist procedure?
1. Swerve left
2. Blame the car that damn near missed you
3. Blame all cars if that damn car hit you
**See for example Lochte, Ryan. If he were a woman, would the nutter lobby be screaming about victim blaming, or would it still be his fault for getting drunk and making an ass of himself?
Yawn
By SwirlyGrrl
Thu, 10/06/2016 - 9:02pm
Snore.
Sorry - I was just counting the logical, legal, moral, and ethical failures like sheep.
Strange that you started with entitlement and didn't stop talking about yours.
And which entitlement is that Swirly?
By Roman
Fri, 10/07/2016 - 12:55am
Is it the one to get from point A to point B in an orderly fashion or is it the one to expect some semblance of rules to be followed by the other road users?
Seems that it's impossible to [i]not[/i] be guilty of "entitlement" if you're driving a car, riding a bus, or even walking on your own two feet in your world.
Sorry about your coworker's coworker, by the way.
very scientific
By cinnamngrl
Fri, 10/07/2016 - 5:21pm
You 're right cyclists should not presume that they are entitled to survive.
If I leap before I look
By Roman
Fri, 10/07/2016 - 7:31pm
am I still entitled to all my heart's desires?
Seriously. At what point did it become socially acceptable to declare yourself free of responsibility for the outcomes of your own physical actions...like swerving into 20mph+ traffic while pedaling along at 5-10mph?
I suppose the next logical ("scientific" even!) step would be to blame a gun manufacturer for what happens to you if you pick up a gun and shoot yourself with it on purpose.
Who desires to swerve into traffic?
By cinnamngrl
Mon, 10/10/2016 - 1:01pm
As far as we know , this cyclist did not swerve anywhere. That's a dishonest representation of my argument.
Several people have stated that something on the spectrum of if you ride in boston's traffic you accept the risk that will be struck. Or more subtle, if you follow traffic rules and stay away from trucks you will safe.
I am saying that walking and cycling in Boston are entitlements. That is vision zero. Large trucks don't fit into this plan. Safe riding would not have prevented this death. We need to restrict the use of unsafe vehicles.
The roads in Cambridge and Boston were not designed for Trucks.
By cinnamngrl
Thu, 10/06/2016 - 11:02am
The roads in Boston and Cambridge were designed for pedestrians, and horse carts. Bicycles were invented and road these streets long before the automobile.
This collision involved an 18 wheeler. These huge trucks have no business in city. If you removed all the bicycles, pedestrians would still be killed. your egocentric approach to the issue won't save lives.
Both sides are rife with
By anon
Thu, 10/06/2016 - 2:41pm
Both sides are rife with entitlement, and it's those who share in that entitlement (again, both ways) that seem to argue the most and also miss the most. I've biked in the city for years and follow the vast majority of traffic laws, except for in situations where I feel physically unsafe doing so. I'm courteous to drivers and they are usually courteous to me when they see I'm making an attempt to stay out of their way. HOWEVER there are both drivers and cyclists who will insist that there is no room for compromise, and I would suggest trying to put oneself in the shoes of the alternative for a moment to see how entitled both sides can come off.
Arguing that bikes shouldn't be allowed on the roads is.. well, it's an argument but completely unrealistic so good luck with that. And if thats an argument for maintaining the status quo of distracted driving, give me a break. Alternatively, arguing that every driver needs to pay attention and respect the presence of cyclists is also an argument, but again, completely unrealistic and good luck with that as well.
As a cyclist, I have to say how shocked I am by how seemingly inconsequential many cyclists view riding in the city as; I've seen more near misses than I can count that could have ended similar to this. If you ride a bike in the city and think you can stay safe simply by asserting your rights to the road, well good luck, but it's extremely dangerous. You cannot rely on others to keep you safe. As this tragedy has shown, it is literally life or death.
As a driver, I have to say that I'm absolutely appalled by how prevalent distracted driving is. It is shameful, and again I think the people who engage in this have zero understanding of the potential consequences of their actions. If you don't recognize the sense of entitlement that driving affords, as well as the very real and dangerous consequences to others inherent to driving distractedly, you need to think a little harder on the issue. Maybe get on a bike and see how it feels outside of that metal cocoon.
I don't know what specifically happened to cause this terrible incident, but both cyclists and drivers need to take more responsibility for their behavior to ensure safety for themselves and everyone else on the road.
Again--waaaaaaaaahhhhhh.
By Sally
Thu, 10/06/2016 - 10:44am
And again, for the record, s.t.F.u. A 60-year-old man, a doctor, got ripped in half, literally, by a truck in front of many onlookers, and you find that an appropriate time to whine about how you "almost" got hit by a bicyclist. I've said it here before--if I posted here every time I "almost" got hit by a car, either on my bike or while walking, I'd be here every f'ing day.
Seriously. Get a grip.
The real facts
By Facts
Wed, 10/05/2016 - 11:08pm
With the utmost of empathy for those harmed or killed by either car or bike...
Drivers kill on average 100 people every day in the USA, ever since 1960.
Bicyclists kill about 6 people PER YEAR in the USA.
So bad cyclists are bad. They can injure and even kill, and need to reform. But if you really want safer streets, focus on car drivers. That's where the safe money is.
If anyone's curious, that
By DTP
Thu, 10/06/2016 - 11:21am
If anyone's curious, that works out to you being 6,083 times more likely to be killed by a driver than a cyclist in an average year.
You got your numerator in
By MattyC
Thu, 10/06/2016 - 9:47am
You got your numerator in your denominator there.
Nope, just accidentally
By DTP
Thu, 10/06/2016 - 11:22am
Nope, just accidentally switched words when typing. Corrected.
Dear Candy,
By Bobby
Thu, 10/06/2016 - 7:02am
Dear Candy,
Sorry to hear that you were almost hit by a bicyclist. That must have been hard for you.
Since you bring this up in the context of a man who was brutally killed by a truck while he was riding a bicycle, perhaps you could remind us of the number of people killed by bicyclists in such a manner, and how this compares to the total number of people killed by motor vehicles?
Good for you
By Scratchie
Thu, 10/06/2016 - 11:01am
Good for you for having the strength to talk about it. That must have been truly traumatizing.
53 FOOT TRAILERS
By Mark
Wed, 10/05/2016 - 10:07am
Cambridge and other urban cities should seriously consider the use of these very long trailers on city streets. Are 53 foot long trailers needed in our city? Such a needless tragedy! I offer my prayers for the victim.
But you need a 53 foot trailer to deliver eggs...
By fietsdavid
Wed, 10/05/2016 - 1:00pm
On the cab it says Metlitsky Eggs. How many cartons of eggs can you fit into a 53 foot trailer? Agreed that we should limit the length of trucks on these urban streets.
Also note that the truck as no side guards. Side guards provide significant protection for cyclists to help prevent falling under the truck.
https://www.volpe.dot.gov/our-work/truck-side-guar...
Let them know what you think of their choice of drivers.
By anon
Wed, 10/05/2016 - 4:21pm
http://www.mitlitskyeggs.com/contact
it wasn't a 53 foot trailer
By a Driver
Tue, 10/25/2016 - 7:12pm
it wasn't a 53 foot trailer it was a 45 foot trailer and last I check the driver was cleared.funny thing about a dash camera tells a good story.
proof
By cinnamngrl
Wed, 10/26/2016 - 8:11pm
please link to some verification.
Way too close to home
By Ron Newman
Wed, 10/05/2016 - 10:18am
That's all I can say right now. I already ride routinely by far too many white ghost-bike sites.
Don't be next to trucks on their right
By Gary C
Wed, 10/05/2016 - 10:33am
I try to avoid being on the right of any truck while on my bike. I always just assume that the truck will turn into me with no warning and I will be dead. Sometimes avoiding trucks in this way slows me down or makes me have to go onto the sidewalk. This is one of those cases where it doesn't matter who is right, if the truck moves into "my" space, I will be dead, so I simply don't go there.
Some observations
By anon
Wed, 10/05/2016 - 10:35am
1. you were not there
2. you do not know what happened
3. you don't know shit about this intersection
4. you should shut up right now
I know a lot about this intersection
By Ron Newman
Wed, 10/05/2016 - 10:59am
and what Gary C describes is very possible and potentially deadly, even if it turns out not to be the cause of this particular fatality.
Some additional observations
By anon
Wed, 10/05/2016 - 11:29am
1) Trucks have blind spots - especially on the right
2) Cyclists have a documented habit of approaching intersections by passing stopped traffic, including traffic about to make a right turn, on the right
3) In the majority of collisions between trucks and other vehicles (yes, a bicycle IS legally a VEHICLE), the actions of the other vehicle caused the crash.
4) You obviously don't have any clue what it's like to drive a large truck in city traffic. Hint, it's far more difficult than riding a bike or walking on foot.
most of the collisions that cause death involve a truck
By cinnamngrl
Wed, 10/05/2016 - 12:10pm
Banning trucks of a certain size would save lives. It is not the most important thing to decide who is to blame. These trucks are dangerous and they shouldn't be on streets designed for horse drawn carriages (London, Paris, Boston, NYC).
how are those observations when the truck was turning left?
By dsh
Wed, 10/05/2016 - 12:18pm
1). OK?
2). This truck was turning left
3). In the majority of cyclists being killed by trucks, being killed by a truck is what killed the cyclist.
4). So maybe if it is that difficult they shouldn't even be there
Don't have any clue what it's like to drive a large truck
By spin_o_rama
Wed, 10/05/2016 - 12:43pm
Allegedly, the driver of the truck doesn't either.
https://www.reddit.com/r/boston/comments/55z9fz/cy...
Yes, that is a serious problem, of course.
By whyaduck
Wed, 10/05/2016 - 1:00pm
But gives us no indication who is at fault in this accident.
Really?
By cinnamngrl
Wed, 10/05/2016 - 1:28pm
It gives a strong indication of who is at fault. It does not prove it, but it does prove this truck was driven by someone that does not follow the law.
See you say its a serious problem
By spin_o_rama
Wed, 10/05/2016 - 1:31pm
And then promptly gloss over the lack of a professional license and training as a factor in causing a crash.
If I was unlicensed and crashed a Coca-Cola truck into a cafe storefront and killed someone, would you wonder aloud about how much fault the building had for being there? Or how much blame to put on the person killed?
Pages