Cycling Accident: Ghost Bike Memorial For The Victim

Cycling Accident: Ghost Bike Memorial For The Victim

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Michael William Nine was an ardent bicyclist. Every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday morning he would meet up with other bicycle enthusiasts at Kean Coffee; from there, the group would set out on a 35-mile ride through multiple cities, from Tustin, to Irvine, to Newport Beach. It was in this last city that Nine tragically died doing what he loved most: cycling. On July 15, as the 43-year-old of Santa Ana rode through a crosswalk on Spyglass Hill Road, Jose Luis Huerta Mundo made an illegal left-hand turn and struck Nine with his stake-bed truck. Nine died from the injuries he sustained in the cycling accident. After initially detaining Mundo on an immigration hold and discovering that he had previously been deported, police charged him with misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter without gross negligence, as well as driving without a license.

One week later, a ghost bike memorial was erected at the accident site. Consisting of a painted, white bicycle, flowers, and a small, inscribed tablet, a ghost bike memorial serves to commemorate the cycling accident victimas well as to send a message to the surrounding community that bicyclists should be entitled to the same safe traveling conditions as drivers.

As California streets have become increasingly dangerous for bicyclists in recent years, ghost bike memorials have become more prevalent. With 109 of the 689 fatalities resulting from cycling accidents occurring in California in 2007, bicyclists should take extra precautions when riding. Knowledge of the most common acts of driver negligence resulting in cycling accidents may help bicyclists to ride defensively.

Drivers are often in a hurry and find sharing the road with bicyclists to be a hindrance. Whether attempting to make a right or left hand turn at an intersection, drivers often attempt to avoid waiting for bicyclists to cross the streeteven if they have the right of way. In their haste to make the turn, drivers frequently strike bicyclists at intersections.

Neglecting to look for pedestrians or bicyclists when turning at intersections is also a common mistake drivers make. Perhaps if Jose Luis Huerta Mundo had noticed that Michael William Nine was crossing the street, he would have at least waited to make that illegal left-hand turn. Before entering an intersection, bicyclists should always make eye contact with drivers to ensure that they plan on stopping.

Bike lanes are not safety zones for cyclists. Many cycling accidents occur in bike lanes. A couple of weeks ago, the mayor of Los Angeles, Antonio Villaraigosa, was riding in a bicycle lane when a taxicab pulled out of a parking spot and knocked him to the ground. Bicyclists are often thrown off their bikes when drivers suddenly pull away from the curb or quickly open their car doors. While riding in the bike lane, bicyclists should be aware of the cars around them, both parked and moving.

While many cycling accidents are the result of negligent drivers, riding defensively may reduce a bicyclists risk of being struck. The fact that many drivers fail to follow the rules designed to protect bicyclists is an unfortunate realitybut a reality all the same. 


About the Author:
James Ballidis is a cycling accident lawyer and the author of several books on handling bicycle accident claims. If you would like to request a free copy of one his books or are in need of legal advice from a California injury lawyer, feel free to call 866-981-5596.



Article Originally Published On: http://www.articlesnatch.com


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