Yet ANOTHER Bicyclist killed by a driver

[Wilbur]

If OHP is working this wreck, then it must have happened on the off-ramp of Hwy 75.  Any other place in that area would be the responsibility of TPD.  The road that runs north/south between the expressway and the railroad, 17th to 31st, is considered Santa Fe, but you'll never find it labeled on a map.

[Conan71]

If OHP is working this wreck, then it must have happened on the off-ramp of Hwy 75.  Any other place in that area would be the responsibility of TPD.  The road that runs north/south between the expressway and the railroad, 17th to 31st, is considered Santa Fe, but you'll never find it labeled on a map.

Wilbur, I can't imagine her being on the off-ramp, no one with serious cycling experience would do that, the pics show the bike in the access road to the south and the photo of the bike appears that it was hit on the right side (note: I said "appears" I obviously was not there).  All I can think is she might have come under the overpass and was going to go south on the access road to avoid traffic on SWB as long as possible, and got hit as she was turning left to go on the access road or possibly cut through the refinery access roads (which sucks on a road bike because of all the tracks).

I guess we will know more in the coming days.  I don't know how you guys do this stuff every day, my hat is off to you.

[AngieB]

I drive that access road along the railroad tracks regularly to bypass SW Blvd. Right now, they are working on the road (~31st, not sure exactly) that goes under 75 from the access road to SW Blvd. I have seen the workers there and many look to be of Hispanic descent. They said his vehicle was found at 31st & SW Blvd. Whaddya wanna bet he was one of those workers, exited at 17th and cruised straight across the intersection on his way to the work site.

So, IF that's the case (pure speculation), WHY is an undocumented alien working on a city street? Who was employing him?

[dbacks fan]

I drive that access road along the railroad tracks regularly to bypass SW Blvd. Right now, they are working on the road (~31st, not sure exactly) that goes under 75 from the access road to SW Blvd. I have seen the workers there and many look to be of Hispanic descent. They said his vehicle was found at 31st & SW Blvd. Whaddya wanna bet he was one of those workers, exited at 17th and cruised straight across the intersection on his way to the work site.

So, IF that's the case (pure speculation), WHY is an undocumented alien working on a city street? Who was employing him?

It would depend on the work that's being done. Some times work is done on a contract basis and it is up to the contractor to verify if a person is legal to work. This has been an issue in Arizona for a long time. E-Verify is supposed to help solve this but it is still voluntary.

[custosnox]

It would depend on the work that's being done. Some times work is done on a contract basis and it is up to the contractor to verify if a person is legal to work. This has been an issue in Arizona for a long time. E-Verify is supposed to help solve this but it is still voluntary.

Now I thought that the new legislation that was passed made the person that hired the contractor would share responsiblity as well.  Or am I wishfull remembering here?

[Ed W]

Ch6 News interviewed me about this crash earlier today.  Dan Bewley asked if there were any other cites we could emulate.  I mentioned that some European cities dropped their speed limit to 30kph - or about 18 mph - because it increased reaction time and gave motorists a better chance to avoid a cyclist or pedestrian, and if a crash occurred, there was less energy in the impact. 

That already produced one snippy reply.  There will undoubtedly be more.  Honestly, some of the comments are truly disgusting.  I skimmed them rather that read in detail.

[dbacks fan]

Now I thought that the new legislation that was passed made the person that hired the contractor would share responsiblity as well.  Or am I wishfull remembering here?

I'm not sure but I think that is correct.

[Wilbur]

Wilbur, I can't imagine her being on the off-ramp, no one with serious cycling experience would do that, the pics show the bike in the access road to the south and the photo of the bike appears that it was hit on the right side (note: I said "appears" I obviously was not there).  All I can think is she might have come under the overpass and was going to go south on the access road to avoid traffic on SWB as long as possible, and got hit as she was turning left to go on the access road or possibly cut through the refinery access roads (which sucks on a road bike because of all the tracks).

I guess we will know more in the coming days.  I don't know how you guys do this stuff every day, my hat is off to you.

I can't imagine her on the off-ramp either.  That makes no sense for any bike rider, regardless of how much experience you have.  I'm simply going by who took jurisdiction.  Believe me, OHP would not have taken this wreck if it belonged to TPD. Yes, her bike ended up someplace other than the off-ramp when it came to rest after the initial impact.

I say we all need more info.  Report to follow.

[jne]

It seems clear he ran the stop sign.  I would guess since the stop sign is at the end of the ramp, that OHP claimed jurisdiction.(?)

[Conan71]

Wilbur I did see TPD's in some of the video and photos of the crash. 

We biked out from the Riverwest Festival parking lot out Avery drive and Hwy 51 last night and biked past the June crash scene on the way back in.  All the white crime scene paint is still on the roadway.  Very chilling.  And was so avoidable. 

 Fox 23 was in the parking lot interviewing cyclists when I got there last night. 

[AngieB]

Tulsa World article this morning says the motorist was employed at Sinclair Refinery. Good goin' Sinclair. 

[Conan71]

Tulsa World article this morning says the motorist was employed at Sinclair Refinery. Good goin' Sinclair. 

Might have been a construction worker which would explain why it ostensibly took a long time to find the guy after they spotted his car.  They just said he was working there, not that he was an employee of Sinclair.

[TheTed]

So many people seem to be calling for bike lanes, but I doubt bike lanes would've made any difference in this case or the double fatality a couple months ago.

The illegal failing to stop would've plowed into the cyclist in the bike lane instead of the traffic lane. The alleged drunk from a couple months back would've swerved into the bike lane and nailed the cyclists rather than the shoulder.

I'm all for bike lanes but I'm not sure how much safer they'd make urban cycling. Maybe it's more of the perception of safety.

[Gold]

Tulsa World article this morning says the motorist was employed at Sinclair Refinery. Good goin' Sinclair. 

Fact check.  Wait for the facts to come out.  He was not a Sinclair employee.  Not everyone working over there is an employee of the company; not every group that works over there is completely forthright about certain facts.  But way to take a cheap shot.  We need more people spouting off without the facts on the internet.

As for the bike lane, I'm not making an excuse, but it seems like there have been a lot of issues like this on Southwest Blvd in recent years.  And from personal experience, I've seen an unusual number of wrecks over there.  How about not riding your bike over there?

I'm not attempting to excuse the crime here at all.  I hope whoever did this gets what is coming to them.  Perhaps we should have streets where it is OK to ride bikes and others where it is not permitted.  Southwest Blvd seems to be a prime candidate for the latter category.

[Townsend]

So many people seem to be calling for bike lanes, but I doubt bike lanes would've made any difference in this case or the double fatality a couple months ago.

The illegal failing to stop would've plowed into the cyclist in the bike lane instead of the traffic lane. The alleged drunk from a couple months back would've swerved into the bike lane and nailed the cyclists rather than the shoulder.

I'm all for bike lanes but I'm not sure how much safer they'd make urban cycling. Maybe it's more of the perception of safety.

A major reason I could see for bike lanes is the reminder.  What I mean is when I'm in a city with the bike lanes and they are well marked and obvious, it reminds me to be cautious and more cognoscente of things around me like the riders.

It's like the "slow children at play" signs.  They remind me to slow down in the neighborhoods.  The lanes remind me it's not just automobiles on the streets.