btppberk

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com...e-in-encinitas

Anyone know more about what happened? It is hard to imagine how a driver could turn into a bicyclists on Leucadia unless they were looking at their phone or otherwise distracted.

diphthong

great question. it's a decent downhill heading westward as it would appear both the cyclist and vehicle were enroute. if memory serves, there's an island between lanes there so unless
the cyclist, or driver, was doing something totally illegal, both should have been heading westbound downhill at a good clip (even if you're just coasting). at that time of day, the sun is not
an issue. we haven't had fog lately and it definitely wasn't raining. moonstone court is close to the freeway but if the vehicle was turning right onto moonstone court (before the 5 freeway)
as per the article, perhaps it was a right hook. dunno if there was debris/blockage/construction in the lane or if the vehicle was tailgating a larger vehicle and couldn't see the cyclist until the last moment.
i just rode that last week, heading eastwards on the opposite side of the street and don't remember any construction. sightlines are straight and true in that area along with decent bike lanes.
distracted driving is a definite possibility.

rip to that rider and condolences to family/friends. they deserved better.

Nachoman

There's even a bike lane there.
You're probably right that it was a right hook.
A grossly negligent right hook.

btppberk

Some apparent first-hand accounts:

https://bikinginla.com/2020/11/28/ma...ho-killed-him/

diphthong

and leucadia blvd, in the area of the fatality, is a stretch i would consider relatively safe-with a disclaimer...i've found the .25 mile before and after freeway
onramps/offramps to generally be the most dangerous for cyclists. motorists just in a giant hurry to get on and off the freeway. this was right on the edge of that zone.

i occasionally get laughed at/commented on for having four, rear-facing, red blinking lights and a forward facing white blinky light at all times...even during the day.
good. you saw me and there's nfw you didn't...especially combined with an ugly and bright jersey. sure, it's a pita to charge all the lights but it beats the alternative.

let's be careful out there.

btppberk

From the above website:

"The victim was a well respected leader/scientist at a local biotech company who has been instrumental in drug discovery efforts that had led to marketed drugs to treat patients who have a fatal genetic disease. Many of these patients now have a new lease on life. It’s a huge loss for the scientific community and his colleagues, many whom he’s worked with at his current employer for 15+yrs. Not to mention his wife and 2 grown kids. He made an impact on everyone he met. Please keep them all in your thoughts and prayers. He was a good husband, father and friend and won’t soon be forgotten. For those who knew him, we already miss him terribly."

btppberk

Found some more information here. It was an empty PODS truck. More importantly, turns out there are now (contra google street view) bollards separating the bike lane that might have precipitated the accident:

"I ride on that road often and it is easy to see how this happened. When cars turn right across a bike lane it is safest for everyone (and the law) that the car merge into the bike lane. That act of merging rather than just turning across the lane gives you the time to see any cyclists in the lane and figure out their speed to determine if you should go in front or behind them. Unfortunately, since the bollards on Leucadia Blvd. do not allow for this, the truck had to just make the turn without merging. It would be very easy to miss seeing a cyclist at that turn. When I ride down that hill I am regularly going 35mph, so a turning car would not necessarily have passed me recently to know that I was there. It is a big, wide bike lane, so a cursory glance in your mirror might not be enough to see if someone is there: bikes aren't that big.
I feel bad for the person driving the truck and worse for the cyclist. When the bollards went in several cyclists pointed out this exact problem with them and the city ignored it. Much as they are ignoring so many cyclists telling them how dangerous the cycle trap on 101 between Cardiff and Solana Beach is. They talk a big game about protecting cyclists, but then ignore what actual cyclists tell them. Hopefully this will get them to listen"

I am glad I looked into this. I have hardly ever ridden on lanes with bollards, and haven't thought about the danger they pose.

TakingMyTime

It's always hard losing someone from our cycling family. It's a tragic reminder that we all need to try and stay prepared for the unexpected..

If anyone from his family or friends happen to read this thread they can rest assured that our condolences are not given lightly. I'm sure most of us can relate to "If not for the grace of God...".

Tycho Brahe 

RIP

What kind of cyclist was he/she? Recreational or roadie?

btppberk

He was apparently in cycling gear.

AreeSoothsayer

Should friends or family read this. The condolences of this strange fellow goes out to you.

Cyclcist11023131

I was hit and l knocked into the parked cars on PCH in Huntington Beach on Monday. He hit my Handlebars which turned sideways sending me into a Superman. I tuck and rolled and ran up to his car in traffic, he was real apologetic, something about looking for a parking space. He then sped off. My bike was fine, rubber mark but no scratch on the car or my bike. I figure I got off lucky. No blood. Just a mess out there on the road.
Rode 22 miles home. Pretty sore today(Wednesday).

btppberk

Sorry to hear that. That must have been really scary. I am glad to hear that you are relatively unscathed. I narrowly missed being doored the other day when a construction worker (who had apparently been sitting in his parked car for a while) flung open his door...

calamarichris

No. I respectfully disagree. That stretch of Leucadia is texting-driver central. And I refer to El Autobahn Real between Leucadia and Encinitas Blvd as The Red Light District.
There are some places you don't take a bicycle and this is one of them. I glare at texting drivers in this region and they angrily glare right back, even self-righteously.

Let's concentrate more on happier matters; I'm encouraged by all the construction going on PCH here. Looks like we're going to have dedicated bike paths soon, away from all the texting idiots. Haha--I still have the scar on my arm from some texting dip**** who hooked me on PCH there and waved an apology: "My bad dude. Hope the rest of your day goes better..." and kept right on going.

I've uh, witnessed others spitting on cars and into the open windows of texting drivers in this region, and the drivers have always been too preoccupied to notice it.

It's summer and texting drivers appear to still get a pass. Stay safe.