Bike safety: Driver and badly injured cyclist both cited in Boulder crash

By Sam Levin Mon., Nov. 12 2012 at 2:59 PM

Here's one witness account from the official police report, which says the cyclist was "totally at fault." McCue is the name of the witness and "TU1" refers to the driver":

Regardless of who was at fault, this crash, like other recent collisions, is likely to raise concerns about bike safety. With a complicated accident like this, questions arise about everything from cyclist and driver education and awareness of best practices to the design of intersections and the role of traffic signals -- as well as questions about what behavior is legally allowed and how police enforce traffic laws. As is clear in the police report, there seemed to be problems of visibility for both the cyclist and the driver in this instance, and both probably could have taken more precautions to avoid this kind of collision. Still, regardless of fault, the cyclist always loses in accidents like this one.

Google Maps

Screenshot of 28th Street and Spruce, intersection where the collision occurred.

Here is another excerpt from the official report. #1 refers to the driver and #2 refers to the cyclist.

Here's a second excerpt that references interviews with both the driver and the cyclist after the accident.

And here's a diagram of the scene.

More from our Colorado Crimes archive: "Yakov Rakhshtut: DIA bus driver criminally charged in death of Katherine McKinley"

Follow Sam Levin on Twitter at @SamTLevin. E-mail the author at Sam.Levin@Westword.com.

Tags:

accident, bike safety, Boulder Police Department, collision, cycling

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DonkeyHotay topcommenter

It's time to end the Free Ride for Bicyclists!

-- It's time for Mandatory Bicycle Registration, taxes and fees for ALL bikes ridden on Public Roadways.

-- It's time for Mandatory Bicycle Licenses for all operators of bikes ridden upon the Public Roadways.

-- It's time for Mandatory License Plates for all bikes ridden on Public Roads, so that the scofflaws can be more easily identified and brought to justice.

-- It's time for Mandatory Liability Insurance for all bikes ridden on Public Roads, so the lawbreakers can be held accountable for the harm and damage they cause.

Regulation Works !!

Katie Clow

Most bike-riders are careless - I ride my bike to work almost everyday and know to take side streets, STOP AT STOP LIGHTS, and to be wary of cars wherever I am - at the end of the day, they are bigger than I am.

Katie Clow

For the ga-jillionth time, Noemi, cyclists don't belong on the sidewalk. Where the hell are we supposed to walk?

Noemi Ureña

Crazy idea here!!! But what if we put the cyclists on the side walks and the cars on the roads!! What!!!

Craig Hammersmith

And if you don't like it, stay out of Boulder County. Thanks in advance.

Steve Litherland

the cyclists in Boulder push the boundaries of what is safe and legal to do on a bike every day. moral of the story, if road bikers being in the road in dangerous locations and where they have no business is what you look for, spend some time in boulder.

LoHiChick

I almost saw the same thing happen in Denver last Friday, but the accident was thankfully avoided, unbelievably. A bicyclist was crossing 4 lanes of traffic on Speer at around 6pm; the three right lanes of traffic were stopped, and the left lane appeared to be clear. The bicyclist began to cross and a SUV came barreling down the left lane, but was able to slam on their breaks in time, and the cyclist stepped off or fell of their bike to jump to the side. Cyclists need to cross busy streets at the proper crosswalks/stop lights. Is cutting across the street to save a few minutes really worth your life? Not in my opinion.

Arf_Arf

As a cyclist, I'm sympathetic to the rider for his injuries. However, it certainly looks like this was an easily-avoidable accident and the rider should have exercised more caution. It's so important to be aware of your surroundings when on a bike, and you cannot assume that cars are going to see you/stop for you. Why not activate the crosswalk lights?