Albany, NY cyclist killed. No helmet or ID.

[nancielle]

Have been away for a while due to a dead computer. Anyway, I didn't see this posted here and thought it would serve as a reminder to everyone now that the weather is nicer and more people are out on the road. Apparently it took a day and a half to ID her. She did end up dying from her injuries a few days later. I used to live over in Albany and the area she was riding is a heavy traffic area (shops, businesses & the State University of NY @ Albany.)

Ride safely.

www.capitalnews9.com


Injured cyclist identified
Updated: 6/1/2007 12:26:35 PM
By: Ken Jubie


Albany police have identified the cyclist critically injured in an accident Wednesday morning. The accident happened at the intersection of Western Avenue and University Place.

The cyclist's name is Diva de Loayza. She's 40 years old and lives on Melrose Avenue and owns the Some Girls Boutique in Albany.

Police said de Loayza was riding her bike westbound on Western Avenue and ignored the red light. A van with the right of way was heading east and turning onto University Place when it collided with de Loayza.

She wasn't wearing a helmet and was thrown over the hood of the vehicle and hit her head on the pavement. She wasn't carrying an ID making it tough for police to figure out who she was

Albany Police Det. James Miller said, "She was in critical condition. Doctors considered her injuries life-threatening. We had no way of identifying her. It got to the point yesterday that we started going door to door in that area of the accident to see if anybody noticed the composite, recognized her."

Two of de Loayza's friends pieced things together after they couldn't get ahold of her, found her apartment empty and saw the sketch. They then contacted the police who made the connection and got in touch with de Loayza's mother who is from Albany but was out of town.

Police are hoping people can learn from this accident and suggest that people bring at least a driver's license or cell phone along for the ride. And, of course, biyclists are also reminded to wear a helmet.

http://www.capitalnews9.com/content/...sp?ArID=213098

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Yes, so sad. This is only 40 minutes from me. A friend of mine who rides and works on the campus there told me about this a few days ago. If she had been wearing a helmet and riding carefully into the intersection, stopping for the red light, she would not be dead.
I see adult bike riders EVERY day not wearing helmets and riding in traffic. How awful. There really should be a biking safety course taught in schools, like driver's Ed, as we move towards more and more bicycle use now that gas is so precious.

[Pedal Wench]

I was involved in a crash last weekend (I'm okay - just some bruised ribs and scrapes, and a destroyed helmet but I'll be okay for my trip to Colorado in a week!) and another woman who also went down didn't have any id on her. She hit her head too, but she had no memory of her name, where she was, or what she was doing sitting on the side of the road...

Bring your license and insurance card on all rides.

[HillSlugger]

I'm up here in Albany right now and heard about this death on the news. I did not hear, however, that she was without helmet or ID or that she ran a red light. Sad to say but three strike and you're out...

[lizbids]

Denise Goldberg suggested a Road ID when I asked about it, and I have to say, it's great. Just a little bracelet that goes around my ankle containing my name, insurance carrier, emergency contact...

I also want to say that I rode around a bit today and still can't get over cyclists going the wrong way on a one-way street with no helmet. Somehow they remember to throw their iPods on, though... Ladies, we can't prevent everything that happens in life, but we can sure make smarter decisions, am I wrong?

[salsabike]

I live in Seattle but have spent a lot of time in Albany in the last year since my ill mom is there. The difference between cyclist and car habits (in each of the two cities, I mean) is HUGE. Seattle is relatively bike conscious compared to Albany, where cyclists frequently ride without helmets, on the wrong side of the road, and dart in and out of traffic, and drivers are famously (for those of us who grew up there) impatient, rule-breaking and rude. I have often thought in the last year during my times in Albany that I'd be WAY less comfortable road-riding there than I am here. They are in dire need of a bike ed program for everyone.

[Zen]

We have a large latino immigrant population who often rely on bikes as their only means of transportation. I have yet to see one of these guys wearing a helmet.

I'm a belt and suspenders woman, myself. Especially when I'm alone (which is 99% of the time). Yellow jerseys, blinky light, mirror, copy of insurance cards. Where can I get a helmet that has a rotating red light on top?

Why would someone do something so senseless? She was smart enough to run her own business but not smart enough to wear a helmet. Very sad.