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"Come pedal in our shoes for a day and see what we experience": Cyclists urge safety action after driver smashes into group ride in shocking collision

The incident in Florida last week saw a 77-year-old woman, reportedly on the wrong side of the road and "well above the speed limit", crash into the group ride and cause seven riders to be taken to hospital...

Cyclists in Florida have made an emotional plea for urgent measures to improve road safety following an incident in the first week of the year which saw seven riders taken to hospital, two reportedly in a critical condition, after a driver of an SUV smashed into the group ride at high speed.

The collision was caught on camera, footage shared on road.cc showing the moment the 77-year-old woman hit the group, reportedly while driving "well above the speed limit" and on the wrong side of the road. The impact of the crash has been felt throughout the state's cycling community, 11 leaders from cycling clubs now forming the Florida Share the Road Coalition (FSRC) to urgently call for action on road safety.

*Warning: Some may find the footage upsetting, viewer discretion advised*

It has committed to talking to local authority leaders about adding signage and bike lanes along the A1A in Palm Beach County, where the collision happened, to improve awareness and safety.

One of the riders involved, Cameron Oster, has spoken about the danger of the road and told the local press that it is time for action.

"We have to get our hands dirty and really make the change," he told WPTV. "This isn't just about the people on bikes, this is about the safety of everyone."

Having used the route by bike regularly throughout the past 20 years he believes he is suitably qualified to suggest changes that could improve safety, notably a protected bike lane to prevent close passes and collisions.

"There's no bike lane. There's no shoulder. There's not even unpaved run-off. So if you ride your bike within six inches of the white line on the shoulder of the road, your arm will actually hit branches that are hanging over that white shoulder line," the cyclist, whose friend remains in intensive care following the recent collision, explained.

"From what I hear, it's going to be many weeks, four, six, eight weeks then go straight into a rehab facility before he has a chance to go home."

Another member of the FSRC, Richard Gertler, said he had been hit before and called on the campaign to "humanise" cyclists because "all too often a driver will start yelling" as "we're not people to them [...] just an obstacle".

"Come pedal in our shoes for a day and see what we experience," he said. "We're people. We're somebody's mother, father, son, daughter."

Last weekend, hundreds of riders gathered to call for change at an organised rally ride. Carlos Martinez, one of the group ride hit, was in attendance to support the event, and said that he could not feel safe any more.

"The next thing I saw was the car passing very close. I got minor scratches. And then everybody was on the floor," he recalled. "You don't feel safe any more. I came today because I feel like we have to create awareness. We want things to change. I want to give my part to change the community."

Dan joined road.cc in 2020, and spent most of his first year (hopefully) keeping you entertained on the live blog. At the start of 2022 he took on the role of news editor. Before joining road.cc, Dan wrote about various sports, including football and boxing for the Daily Express, and covered the weird and wonderful world of non-league football for The Non-League Paper. Part of the generation inspired by the 2012 Olympics, Dan has been 'enjoying' life on two wheels ever since and spends his weekends making bonk-induced trips to the petrol stations of the south of England.

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dh700 | 1 week ago
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This Article wrote:

It has committed to talking to local authority leaders about adding signage and bike lanes along the A1A in Palm Beach County, where the collision happened, to improve awareness and safety.

Adding signage and bike lanes is a complete waste of time, money, and lives.  There is no one driving a motor vehicle that needs a sign to tell them what happens if they plow into a cyclist.  And bike lanes do not work, either, unfortunately, as every location that has tried them has learned.

The only way to reduce the likelihood of crimes like the one perpetrated by the driver in this case, is by throwing those criminals in prison for a long time.  Yes, even if they are 77 years old.  The law in Florida, and in some other jurisdictions, already allows for exactly that punishment.  Killing a person with your car in a reckless manner is a 2nd-degree felony in Florida, punishable by up to 15 years in prison.  There is no exception for being old, or a woman, or anything else.

The problem is, the existing laws are never enforced, so drivers know that no consequences will result from their criminal behavior, and the cycle ( pun intended ) continues.

 

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