Long Beach bicycle rider dies in collision with van

It always amazes me how many pedestrians I see jaywalking all over town, and how many bicyclists fail to observe the traffic laws, including stop lights and areterial stops. The really surprising thing is that I never see them being stopped and cited.

I agree with Robert J G Jackson Sr. The worst is the stretch of 4th Street as you're driving from Belmont towards Downtown, particularly at dusk. There are consistently jaywalkers darting across the street from between parked cars, and it's really hard to see them as the sun is setting and the glare is right in a driver's eyes. I try to avoid 4th because of it.

Surpised they are not Cited? I'm surprised more aren't killed. I guess Bicyclists and pedestrians have no clue they are putting their lives on the line every time they step or ride on streets full of 2,000 pd torpedos who sometimes can't see them. Idiots!!

Bicyclists should be aware that a goodly number of motorists have ingested dangerous "Government approved" drugs that have been prescribed by Government licensed "doctors". It'll get much worse once the Long Beach politiocrats legalize pot, using the guise of "regulating" it for "medicinal" purposes.

Ronald

Bicycles are vehicles and need to obey the traffic laws. People riding bicycles need to stay off the sidewalks unless the rider is a child. Bicycles need to ride with traffic, not against it. Bicycles need to stay out of crosswalks, unless the rider gets off and walks the bike across, thereby becoming a pedestrian with pedestrian rights. I never see idiots ticketed for disobeying these laws.

I don't ride a bicycle because it is simply not safe in Long Beach. People in cars are always in a hurry. You have people on cell phones, eating, and reading newspapers all at the same time while they are driving. It never seems to amazed me that cars like to stop on or in the cross walk. Bike lanes should be turned into an extra lane for cars. Let's just ban riding bicycles because it will never be safe enough to ride in Long Beach.

again, poor reporting......how hard is it to find out what hospital the person was transported to? Long Beach has 8 hospitals....Press Telegram needs to get it together

As a car driver, you can look side to side, forward and back before starting to make a turn and then a bicycle comes out of nowhere on the sidewalk.

I agree with all of the other comments!

How old is the driver? Does he have any sight problems? Was he wearing his glasses? Was the driver given a sobriety test? How fast was he going? Was he speeding? From what I understand, 6th ST is where people are just coming off the freeway. People are usually zipping on that 3 lane race track. Are there any witnesses? Did you check the traffic camera? Is there one there and if there isn't, why isn't it there?

In an effort to make this city safer for both on bicyclist and drivers why aren't we putting up traffic cameras? This might deter some from speeding. Red light tickets are not high enough to prevent someone from running it again. If you watch 3rd ST, 6th ST, and 7th ST downtown you'll be surprised at the rate of speed these drivers are going.

I live right at this intersection, can clearly see down both streets and there are accidents here so frequently I have told my Wife not to walk across this intersection. As stated, it's a one way coming right off the freeway and people all hours of the day speed down it and try to beat these lights or skid at the last section causing all kinds of accidents. They desperately need to do something!

I heard this accident and immediately went outside and could tell it was not good for the victim. No movement the whole time from what I could see. It amazed me at how passive the driver was, when coming to check on the person he hit. Maybe it was shock or something, or he could tell he was dead?

Driver was dressed in business attire and probably somewhere in his 50's and 300+ pounds, didn't appear to be intoxicated or speeding from where he stopped and the debris, but at 30mph hit it was sure good enough to kill the bicyclist and push him quite a ways. Sorry to see that guy dead in the streets last night, that's for sure.

Donna wrote:

I don't ride a bicycle because it is simply not safe in Long Beach. People in cars are always in a hurry. You have people on cell phones, eating, and reading newspapers all at the same time while they are driving. It never seems to amazed me that cars like to stop on or in the cross walk. Bike lanes should be turned into an extra lane for cars. Let's just ban riding bicycles because it will never be safe enough to ride in Long Beach.

"Bike lanes should be turned into an extra lane for cars. Let's just ban riding bicycles because it will never be safe enough to ride in Long Beach" This is an attempt at sarcasm right? I sure hope so....

Bruce wrote:

Bicycles are vehicles and need to obey the traffic laws. People riding bicycles need to stay off the sidewalks unless the rider is a child. Bicycles need to ride with traffic, not against it. Bicycles need to stay out of crosswalks, unless the rider gets off and walks the bike across, thereby becoming a pedestrian with pedestrian rights. I never see idiots ticketed for disobeying these laws.

With obesity rates they are and global warming a concern it's always surprising the amount of animosity directed at cyclists and people riding bikes in general. A man died do you really need to add your two cents about how he deserved it?

Kennebreath wrote:

<quoted text>
"Bike lanes should be turned into an extra lane for cars. Let's just ban riding bicycles because it will never be safe enough to ride in Long Beach" This is an attempt at sarcasm right? I sure hope so....

Sir, it certainly is. I'm a cyclist for the last 45 years.

Kennebreath wrote:

<quoted text>
With obesity rates they are and global warming a concern it's always surprising the amount of animosity directed at cyclists and people riding bikes in general. A man died do you really need to add your two cents about how he deserved it?

I never said he deserved it. My condolences to this man's family and friends. I wish it were safer for cyclists. I just see so many ticketable offenses by bicycle riders every day. I wish tickets were given and also maybe classes on how to bicycle safely on our streets so tragedies like this will not happen so often.

Mary wrote:

How old is the driver? Does he have any sight problems? Was he wearing his glasses? Was the driver given a sobriety test? How fast was he going? Was he speeding? From what I understand, 6th ST is where people are just coming off the freeway. People are usually zipping on that 3 lane race track. Are there any witnesses? Did you check the traffic camera? Is there one there and if there isn't, why isn't it there?

Bicycle rider was a 65 year old man, with no id, riding after dark and not following traffic signals. Try as hard as you want to pin accountability on the driver of the vehicle, but common sense, makes this accident an open and closed case.

It is not uncommon for Long Beach thugs who are not yet old enough to obtain drivers licenses to utilize bicycles and skateboards as means to make hasty escapes following the robbing or maiming of law abiding Long Beachers, including children.

Ronald

Sort of off-topic but I think we need to increase the fines for speeding.

$800.00 sounds about right.

Everywhere you go in Long Beach, fools are going way too fast, endangering so many people. And for what? Many times they are speeding and then end up waiting at the next red light.

But not always ------ I don't know if just by accident, pardon the pun but so many lights are timed so that if you drive fast enough, you'll make a green light.

Take for instance Redondo Ave. between Anaheim and PCH. If you drive the speed limit, you are bound to reach PCH just when the light turns red. Tack on about 10 mph, you make the light. I think people know this by now and press the gas.

Also, continue north on Redondo and watch the horrible timing of the lights between Willow and Spring. Same business, if you speed you'll make it.

I don't expect to flow through the city without hitting a red light but there are a few lights that make no sense.

I'm just so happy my brain finally clicked and I stopped speeding, sure knocks down the stress level.

I'm all for that as long as you increase the fines for bike riders to the same amount who run stop signs, run red lights, cut off cars in traffic, split lanes of traffic causing traffic hazards, and riders who refuse to yield the right of way to cars in accordance with the vehicle code. Oh yeah one more thing, license them so when they inevitably have their license suspended for violating the vehicle code so many times, the cops can seize their bikes for 30 days (especially those expensive bikes).

Bicyclists are often in the wrong when they get injured.

Fat So wrote:

Sort of off-topic but I think we need to increase the fines for speeding.
$800.00 sounds about right.
Everywhere you go in Long Beach, fools are going way too fast, endangering so many people. And for what? Many times they are speeding and then end up waiting at the next red light.
But not always ------ I don't know if just by accident, pardon the pun but so many lights are timed so that if you drive fast enough, you'll make a green light.
Take for instance Redondo Ave. between Anaheim and PCH. If you drive the speed limit, you are bound to reach PCH just when the light turns red. Tack on about 10 mph, you make the light. I think people know this by now and press the gas.
Also, continue north on Redondo and watch the horrible timing of the lights between Willow and Spring. Same business, if you speed you'll make it.
I don't expect to flow through the city without hitting a red light but there are a few lights that make no sense.
I'm just so happy my brain finally clicked and I stopped speeding, sure knocks down the stress level.

Have you been taking your government approved medications? It seems that maybe you have stopped again...well don't forget to go have a mind clearing cigarette made with good ol government approved tobacco. It'll do you a world of good!

Ronald wrote:

Bicyclists should be aware that a goodly number of motorists have ingested dangerous "Government approved" drugs that have been prescribed by Government licensed "doctors". It'll get much worse once the Long Beach politiocrats legalize pot, using the guise of "regulating" it for "medicinal" purposes.
Ronald