luckycat

As if there were not enough as it is, a nypd tow truck plowed into a cyclist last night on the west side bike path. For those of you from out of town or not familiar with the path it runs along the hudson river the length of manhattan, and is physically separated from traffic, except for a few intersections where motorists can cross the path. There are huge signs at all these intersections to yield to cyclists. Apparently these don't apply to the nypd. The cyclist is in critical condition at St Vincents, the tow truck driver walked away without even a ticket.

I haven't found anything in the papers, but the story is running every twenty minutes or so on NY1 this morning.

luckycat

Actually here's a couple links to the story, though they don't say much.

https://www.wnbc.com/news/9415133/detail.html

https://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?se...cal&id=4298952

https://www.nydailynews.com/news/loca...p-361987c.html

genericbikedude

I *heart*
NY

mrRed

I hate that part of the path, where traffic crosses over. It happens at a few places, although there is a red signal for bicyclists there, so I'm sure the driver will get off scott free, without as much as chastisement.

dutret

<i>There are huge signs at all these intersections to yield to cyclists. Apparently these don't apply to the nypd.</i>

so why do all the reports say that the cyclist may have been running a red then. They even show the bike specific traffic light in question.

shishi

bike paths/lanes here, IMO, are the most dangerous things for a cyclist. As silly as this may sound, you are safer riding down the middle of 6th Avenue.

dirty cookie

dutret, have you ever ridden on that path? it is extremely dangerous bc of these crossings. i feel they are poorly marked for both cyclists and cars.

mrRed

They are very poorly marked, and due to the landscaping and retaining walls, at quite a few of the crossings, but the bicyclists and motorists are blind to the other until only a few feet away from the intersection.

willus

Well the crazy thing about this story is they sent a camera crew to the spot happened to catch another cyclist being hit by a car...

mrRed

link to that story?

dutret

Which are all good reasons to have a lights controlling the intersections as it appears as though there is at this one. If the guy was running a light it was his own damn fault.


There is no reason at all to hate the NYPD or anyone else if they hit some dum**** cyclist running a light through a blind intersection. Since there are no trustworthy witnesses mentioned I see no reason to hate anyone over this guy getting hurt. Maybe it was his fault maybe not only he, his wife and the driver will ever know.

luckycat

Here's the thing about the lights, the bike lights on the path are green at the same time as the ones on the west side hwy. When you get a red light on the path or the hwy(these both run north/south), it means that crosstown traffic has a green light. All the reports I have seen stated that the tow truck driver was coming from the west side hwy, so if the cyclist was running the red light than so was the tow truck driver.

shishi

Have you ever been on the the Westside Highway path?

gfrance

luckycat has got it right. This towtruck has no excuse NOT to at least get a ticket. It makes no sense. And I saw the NY1 report this morning too--amazing how they happened to be there to witness the very same kind of thing. I've ridden the path 100's of times but rarely at night. I usually ride it too fast, but at the intersections, you do need to keep a heads up.

BadAssBiker

I was on the path yesterday and noticed that one of the bike lights was out near the NYPD towing facility, first light heading north if I remember right. Almost got me, and I would like to think I'm not a "dum****" cyclist.

As it was pointed out in another thread, dutret can drop the knowledge. I respect that, but stop being such an argumentative ****. It makes me want to punch your internet face.

mrRed

what lucky cat said. If the tow truck was going southbound on the highway, than he legally has to have a green light to turn (no turns on red in NYC), so the bicyclists would also have a green. If the bicyclists was running the red than so was the tow truck driver.

Dutret, unless you know about the path, I think it would behoove you to try and find out what you're talking about before you open your mouth (open your fingers?? ****, I don't know what the correct wording is, but you get my drift). The NYPD has a reputation of making illegal moves in their vehicles during non-emergencies, and I would not be surprised if they were somehow at fault here.

For the time being, we'll wait and see what information comes out.

chimpo

I completely agree.

I believe this is the only city in this country where you are actually safer riding on city streets and traffic as opposed to designated bike paths and lanes. Also, there is a complete lack of respect for cyclists and cyclists' rights in this city. Hit a pedestrian you would most likely be ticketed or jailed. Hit a cyclist nothing happens.

Yoshi

In addition to what's already been stated, if the truck was turning right that means it was southbound. The cyclist was northbound. It would not have been hard for the truck driver to see the cyclist had he LOOKED.

sashae

I've almost been nailed by a garbage truck pulling into the depots on that path before... scary as hell. There's pretty much nowhere 100% safe to ride in the city, really sucks :/

Jose R

There was no mention in the written reports that the cyclist ran a red light. And as others have said, based on the facts of where the cyclist and truck were, then the driver was at fault.

And I would not hold anything the police have to say about the incident as the truth.

on edit:

luckycat

I'm on that path a lot, if you can get out there early in the morning(before it gets too crowded with runners and bladers and peds) it's a really nice place for a ride. Some of the intersections are sketchy, especially down towards chelsea piers where some shrubs block your view of the traffic next to you(and probably block their view of you as well). But the visibility near the impound lot is just fine but I've learned to be very cautious around that intersection due to how the tow truck guys drive. They are, by far, the most aggressive and reckless drivers I've encountered on the path. Even the garbage trucks further up north are much more cautious.

celephaiz

The fact that tow truck drivers are aggressive heartless bastards isn't news, its a sad fact. You don't go into that profession if you don't have those qualities.

luckycat

Celephaiz, very true, and even if they don't have those qualities when they start I'm sure they develop them pretty quickly.

timmhaan

i've had some problems with that tow truck turn off area as well. i've seen those guys shoot into and outta there well above a safe speed and many times without even looking. considering that they must cross a heavily used MUP (even at 11pm in the summer) driving like that is very reckless. it doesn't even matter if you have a green light you have to slow down.

alternately, the busses a little bit up the road are so much easier to deal with. they usually operate very slowly and yield the right of way correctly. i think they must have greater accountability if someone gets hurt.

jyossarian

https://ny1.com/ny1/content/index.jsp?stid=1&aid=60458

One thing not mentioned was whether the cyclist had a headlight. I know the path has streetlamps, but it's still hard to see at that time of night.