Woman cyclist killed in Mesa, AZ

[PinkBike]

man this hits close to home. woman in her 50's.

http://www.azcentral.com/community/mesa/articles/0912mr-fatal0913.html

no details yet. very scary.

a sad, grim reminder that we need to be EXTREMELY vigilant about our own safety.

[Trek420]

Very sad. I am careful, I'm extremely careful, I'm careful to a the extreme, crazy careful, I think we all are. Here's what I'm wondering: when drivers see this (and yes I drive, so I'm one too) we we need them to think also "I need to be vigilant"? :(

[kelownagirl]

Dang, another one. This is getting hard to hear.

I am not careful enough, I'll admit. I am not afraid of cars. I get pi$$ed when they turn in front of me or cut me off but for some reason - I guess until something bad happens - I feel like I am just another car out there....

I should teach dh to post here in case anything ever happens to me...

[Zen]

Very sad. I am careful, I'm extremely careful, I'm careful to a the extreme, crazy careful, I think we all are. Here's what I'm wondering: when drivers see this (and yes I drive, so I'm one too) we we need them to think also "I need to be vigilant"? :(

That would be nice but... we all know they're thinking 'those stupid bicycles belong on the sidewalk, why are they riding in the road?"

[Trek420]

I should teach dh to post here in case anything ever happens to me...

Well, let's just hope that doesn't happen. :o

[Zen]

I've had that thought, too.

[li10up]

I sent this message to the police dept:

I certainly hope you prosecute the individual that hit and killed that woman on the bike. Carelessness and neglect is not an accident!!

[spokewench]

Pink Bike - Please keep us posted. I have a friend down there that rides a bike that looks like that. I just emailed her hoping she is okay.

Spoke

[Grog]

That sucks. I'm sick of reading those reports.

I find September riding more dangerous in my area. I live right on campus and I'm careful to go on rides very early in the morning, before there is much traffic. There are thousands of new people heading places they're unfamiliar with and they're not paying as much attention as I think they should to some of the action around them (as they are trying to find their way around).

And even the people who know where they're going can be more distracted (the "rush" feeling of September) or just be caught in a series of unfortunate events because of one person who didn't know where he/she was going and made some stupid manoeuver.

Anyway, I'm just extra careful in September. I love this month for the temperature and the colors and everything, but being on the road sucks.

My prayers go with all those who have problems on the road...

[Crankin]

I always feel worse about things like this when they happen right down the street from a place I am very familiar with.... I guess it's because i can picture the whole thing in my head very vividly.

[michelem]

Me too, Robyn. I lived at approximately Baseline and Guadalupe for five years until just about two years ago. I'm very familiar with Baseline and Dobson, one major intersection over. You know, my car insurance was much higher in AZ as well. AAA told me it is because the Phoenix-metropolitan area is number one for red-light running fatalities (well, at least that is what they told me when I lived there - the stats may have changed since then, but I doubt it). Maybe something about being able to get a drivers license at age 16 and not having to renew it or take a test or anything until age 65??? :confused:

[Bad JuJu]

That would be nice but... we all know they're thinking 'those stupid bicycles belong on the sidewalk, why are they riding in the road?"
That's what I'm afraid of. Too often I've heard of car vs. bike accidents where the driver or a passenger has been quoted as saying something like that--that the cyclist was responsible simply because she was THERE, on the ROAD, instead of somewhere else, off the road, meaning "out of my way and not slowing me down for all of five seconds." I've had to educate too many of my non-biking friends about bicycles being vehicles, traffic, having rights to the road, etc. etc. etc. It's exhausting, but of course, I continue trying to fight the good fight.

[Starfish]

that the cyclist was responsible simply because she was THERE, on the ROAD, instead of somewhere else, off the road

Kind of like, hey, she shouldn't have been at that party, hey she shouldn't have worn that dress, walked in that neighborhood, etc. Blame the victim.

On the other hand, we don't know if this cyclist veered into a lane on accident while grabbing a water bottle, or any of the other stupid things I have done now and again as a cyclist.

[Brandi]

( big sigh.....) Somebody needs to look at that intersection. 21 deaths in less then a year in the same place! Something is very wrong there!
I always wear a camel back so i don't have to reach for anything but my break!

[michelem]

Brandi, It's 21 traffic fatalities in the City of Mesa - not all at that particular intersection.

The following is from a February 2007 East Valley Tribune Article:

"Each day, traffic is thick with motorists speeding along the asphalt in Mesa. Some drivers are encapsulated in their vehicles, other people are more vulnerable riding motorcycles and bicycles or walking across the street.

Mesa’s death toll barely broke 30 in past years, but in 2005 the number spiked to 67 traffic fatalities. The number remained high in 2006, when 49 people were killed on the city’s 1,243 miles of roadway. On Thursday, Mesa saw this year’s fourth traffic fatality when a 21-year-old woman died.

THE SPIKE
Officials have spent hours studying the fatal collisions as well as dangerous streets but can’t pinpoint a sole reason for the recent spike. The city is spending millions of dollars to improve everything from intersections to the lettering on street signs in the name of public safety.

The factors that lead to fatalities vary from bad driving to speeding, inattentive driving, distracted driving and drunken driving, Mesa police Cmdr. Ron Kirby said.

An analysis of 2006 fatal collision reports obtained by the Tribune reveals several reasons and locations for the deaths. Friday was the most common day when collisions occurred, with a slight majority happening after dark throughout the week and weekend. The tragedies occurred when people walked outside crosswalks, followed motorists too closely or lost control of their vehicles and hit light poles. Crash victims died mostly west of Val Vista Drive.

If there was a common thread in 2006, it would be fatal crashes that were the result of people failing to yield to oncoming motorists. The reports show that 19 of the 46 fatal collisions were because of failure to yield. Richard Retting, senior transportation engineer with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, said failing to yield is a nationwide problem. But he said Mesa could suffer from aggressive drivers traveling at high rates of speed."


I developed a very real fear of driving while I lived in Mesa (but, this applied to driving anywhere in the East Valley). I rode my bike one time while living there and that was even scarier! :eek:

[RoadRaven]

21 deaths in Mesa so far in 2007

49 in 2006
67 in 2005

I wonder how many involved cyclists... and how many "minor" less-newsworthy or unreported crashes involved cyclists...

Its refreshing to read an article about crashes that doesn't refer to them as "accidents". An accident infers it could've been prevented... and most crashes are preventable