West Seattle Cyclist Critically Injured Today

[LisaB]

Roll call: everyone OK?

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http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/htm...cyclist27.html


Woman bicyclist critically hurt in collision with van
By Seattle Times staff


A 27-year-old cyclist was critically injured in West Seattle this morning when the driver of a van made a left turn in front of her, causing her to slam broadside into the vehicle.

Just before 7:45 a.m., a man in his 50s was driving south on 35th Avenue Southwest and was turning onto eastbound Southwest Graham Street, said Seattle police spokesman Sean Whitcomb. The cyclist, who was traveling at "a good speed" north on 35th Avenue Southwest, struck the side of the van head on, he said. The woman, who was wearing a helmet, the woman suffered life-threatening injuries and was taken to Harborview Medical Center, Whitcomb said.

Traffic collision investigators have shut down northbound lanes on 35th Avenue Southwest.

[mimitabby]

doesn't sound like anyone i know here on TE?

[Eden]

Haven't heard any bad news about friends or team mates yet and hope not to.

[LisaB]

The PI had a pic: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/photos...PhotoID=102678

[salsabike]

I'm OK. Knotted's been posting so she's OK.

[KnottedYet]

Oh, that looks bad.

Do we have anyone who is 27 and rides a ?Bianchi? (is that a Bianchi in the picture? Looks kinda like celeste green. Hard to tell.)

HipGnosis, where are you?

Sending good thoughts to that biker, whoever she is.

[LisaB]

****. She died this morning.

[cherinyc]

so very very sad. I hope that guy loses his license - at the least. I am sure he didn't mean to do harm, but if he is careless at 50, I don't want him driving near me when he's 80.

[LisaB]

Ugh. From the photos it looks like she snapped the cranks right off her bike.

To add insult, one of the stories I read in the local paper (the PI) pseudo-quoted someone on the local CascadeBike.org board to make it look like they were saying it could have been the cyclist's fault.

[mimitabby]

Is the driver of the vehicle at fault? or was she going too fast for conditions?
how very sad.

[LisaB]

Is the driver of the vehicle at fault? or was she going too fast for conditions?

I was riding yesterday morning at 7:40, which is when reports say the accident took place. It was sunny and bright. 35th is a good downhill run. The guy turned across traffic in front of her. I don't think there were any conditions that could have made it her fault, but I wasn't there. Even if the press is trying to put the blame on her, I can't see how it could be likely.

Sorry, I'm getting too involved in this, as this has happened to me (except for the dying part, thankfully). I can't maintain an objective distance, and I apologize if I'm getting too het up.

[HipGnosis6]

I see the bike has flipped-and-chopped bars.... I'm guessing that it's not a TE girl, since most of us aren't the hipster type who rides with that type of bar. None of the messenger boys have said anything about knowing this girl, though, so I don't have any insight about who she was. No matter how you slice it, it's a tragedy.