Bicyclist Struck By Car at Beck and Lake Roads
With warm weather approaching, expect more bicyclists on the road.
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With springlike weather in full swing —at least this week—bikers are taking to the road a little earlier and it’s a good time to remind drivers, and bikers, they must share the road.
A Bay Village woman heading north on Beck Road on a bicycle March 14 was struck by a vehicle driven by an Avon Lake woman and subsequently taken to the hospital, where she was treated and released the same day.
Avon Lake Police sergeant Vickie Rightnour said the woman was struck at 4:29 p.m. by a car driven by Carrie Schleicher of Avon Lake.
“The bike was traveling north on Beck heading onto Lake Road when she was struck,” Rightnour said. Schleicher was looking to her left and did not see the bike. "It was an unfortunate accident."
Rightnour noted that the driver was going "maybe 5 mph" at the time of the collision.
The bicyclist landed in the intersection of Beck and Lake roads. Rightnour said the bicyclist initially thought she may have broken her shoulder but was treated and released.
“She called us a few hours later,” Rightnour said.
Schleicher was cited for failure to yield.
Andrea S
9:30 am on Friday, March 16, 2012
I am an avid bicyclist. I had so many close calls last year, one of which had me falling off my bike to avoid getting hit, that now I'm extremely nervous on my bike and don't enjoy it as much as I used to. When I was riding on Sunday I was nearly hit by a car when I was headed West on Electric and a car came flying out a side street, the only looked to their right (and not to their left where I was coming from) and nearly hit me when they rolled through the stop sign. Then on Wednesday I had several cars coming from side streets on Walker that flew up to the stop sign and I couldn't tell if they were going to stop or roll through the stop sign. If they rolled through it like many do then I had a chance of getting mowed down. Every year I see kids riding the wrong way in the bike lane which is dangerous to bikers going the correct way. I also have come across many motoroists who don't want to share the road and as a result honk, yell insulting things out the window at you, or drive close enough to you where they practically run you off the road (when they had more than enough space to give you some room). A lot of motorists also forget that people on bikes can't stop as fast as they can. Myself and a lot of my triathlete friends bike somewhere in the 18 - 25+ mph range. If a car cuts us off we're not going to be able to stop before plowing into the door. As a result I'm taking more and more time to leave AL and find quieter streets in smaller communities to bike on.
Andrea S
9:44 am on Friday, March 16, 2012
Side Point - The "all purpose" paths at many metroparks don't work for bicyclists who are out for good, fast riding. These paths are in fact dangerous for someone who wants to go over 12 mph because of the other people on the path, the low hanging braches and the debris on the path (sticks, rocks, etc.). This is why at big parks such as the Rocky River Res you see children on bikes on the path or leisurly riders but the hard core cyclists using the narrow road. In theory the road should be safe because the speed limit is pretty low and you're in a park, but in reality people speed through the park and use it as a shortcut to other areas. This is the park when I encounter the meanest and most insulting motorists. Share the road, respect the bicyclists, and give them lots of room. Bicyclists in turn should follow road rules, when they are on the road they are treated the same as a car (stop lights, signaling change of lane/turn, riding on the correct side etc). In many towns it is illegal for people on bicycles to be on the sidewalk at all, so keep that in mind (exceptions are usually made for young kids). Parents - educate your kids before letting them ride on the road alone! My parents made sure I knew all the hand signals, could ride along straight on the white strip on the side of the road, and knew all the rules before I was allowed out. Sorry, passionate about the topic of bicycles on the road, I know too many people who have been hit or hurt.
Kristin Leb
10:25 am on Friday, March 16, 2012
I always make my avid-cyclist hubby tell me his route, just for this reason. Its amazing how many rude drivers there are out there. We need to look out for bike and motorcycles even more this time of year.
Andrea S
11:13 am on Friday, March 16, 2012
Encourage him to get a Road ID. It has all your info and emergency contacts and any medical issues right one your wrist so that if you are hit they instantly know who you are. Too many people forget to bring ID with them when riding. I wear mine constantly since I run on my own as well. www.roadid.com
Andrea S
10:44 am on Friday, March 16, 2012
FYI -
You can read Avon Lake bicycle code here:
http://www.amlegal.com/nxt/gateway.dll/Ohio/avonlake/partfour-trafficcode/titleten-bicyclesmotorcyclesandsnowmobil/chapter474bicyclesandmotorcyclesgenerall?f=templates$fn=document-frame.htm$3.0#JD_474.01
Pay specific attention to sections 474.01 and 474.06
Anneliese
4:59 pm on Friday, March 16, 2012
hopefully people will be more careful with the warm weather here-- bicycles AND motorcycles are now out