6 ABC reports that a 70 year old man has died in a crash with a motorist in an SUV on the 5000 Block of Umbria St in Roxborough. Umbria St is the unofficial on-road alternate route for the Schuylkill River Trail and has bike lanes.
A cyclist who came upon the scene minutes after the accident asked eyewitnesses what happened and as it was described to him the cyclist "was drinking from his water bottle, and turning into the road at the crest of the hill" and was hit by the eastbound motorist. Tow truck operators who were on the scene before rescue stated that it was the third bike crash on Umbria this summer.
The witness notes that the victim may not have been wearing a helmet, but it's not known if head trauma was a factor, or if wearing a helmet would have resulted in a different outcome. Twice this summer bicyclists wearing helmets were killed by vehicles, in both cases the motorists were traveling in the 45+ mph range.
The speed of the striking vehicle is not known, but the driver did stop. Anecdotal observation of this stretch of Umbria suggests that motorists routinely exceed the 25 mph speed limit.
Followup: The victim has been identified as Steven Chasetz, 64 of Plymouth Meeting. The Bicycle Coalition wishes to express its condolences to the family.
View Bicyclists Crashes 2008-2010 NJ and SE PA in a larger map
This is the legacy blog of the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia. It is an archive of posts from 2003 to 2014. Making your ride better since 1972. https://www.bicyclecoalition.org
4 comments:
45 MPH! Isn't the speed limit 25? These people are almost driving double the speed limit - like going 120 MPH on Rt 95. The police have to start monitoring traffic in this area and do something about these killers.
Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that traffic was averaging 45 miles per hour, so I changed the wording of the post. We haven't been out to measure it.
However this stretch of Umbria does need a speed study and measures to slow down the traffic if warranted.
Great, just great. A man on a bike is struck and killed by an SUV, in broad daylight and the Coalition is more concerned about people wearing helmets. Take a close look at the picture posted on the link, the bike is under the rear end of the SUV, he didn't get hit, he got run over. No helmet on earth would have saved him from being crushed to death.
Instead of talking about how everyone should wear a helmet. How about getting the police to deal with dangerous drivers on this street. Or following up with the District Attorney's office to make sure the driver of the SUV gets charged with vehicular homicide, instead of traffic ticket and a slap on the wrist.
I have no idea what exactly happened however to blame the driver here is just reckless. The article states that the biker was "was drinking from his water bottle, and turning into the road at the crest of the hill" so you have no idea what speed the driver was going. I drive the road every day and there are tons of bikers who go in and out of the lanes not obeying the rules as well. Its not just me who states this...
Again, I have no idea what happened here but condolances to the families
Post a Comment