Cyclist knocked down in Savannah
CNS): A cyclist was treated for non-life-threatening injuries at the George Town hospital Saturday morning after she was knocked down near the Rubis gas station in Savannah at around 10:30am. Police said emergency services were called to the scene after the cyclist, who was travelling towards George Town along Shamrock Road, was hit by a black Kia Optima as it pulled out of the gas station.
Police said the cyclist had visible injuries on the scene but was taken to the hospital for treatment and released later that day. No one else was injuried and the collision is now under investigation.
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Category: Local News
Generally, I think motorists are much more courteous and observant “then they used to be” even a year or two ago, but cyclists still need to ride hyper-defensively – always anticipating inevitable lane intrusions (especially at roundabouts), texting drivers, and close passes from those that still drive with no clue. We aren’t in Kansas. Until there are regular ticketing police traffic patrols and cordoned bike lanes north-south and east-west (with physical separation bumps), we are going to continue to suffer low driving standards and these unnecessary accidents and deaths with cyclists, runners, and other road users. Cost to create these corridors is about $10,000/km…why can’t the numerous cycling/athletic associations, CITA/CIG/NRA get this done?
If you ride the length of the Newlands bypass within the bike lane, there is a high probability that a driver will still drive on the line or in the bike lane and brush by you with a few inches to spare. These are just bad drivers that do not understand or care about the danger to human life in this type of driving. Knowing these types of drivers are out there I am equally amazed that pedestrians walk two and three abreast in the bike lane in the direction of traffic and are therefore not able to see what is coming behind them and to take evasive action if necessary. I always shout ‘wrong side’ to these pedestrians and they probably think I am a jerk but it is for their own good. I can’t tell you in this forum what I shout at the drivers.
If there were bumps or vertical bollards, drivers would have to change how they currently drive that strip and pay attention, with the bonus of also reducing speeding!
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I’m a cyclist and a runner and in the last two weeks have nearly been hit twice by vehicles pulling out of petrol station and manoeuvring in the road.
In the case of the petrol station the driver was looking right for oncoming traffic as she drive towards the exit and not once looked ahead where I was causing me to have to jump out of the way. It could have quite easily been a pedestrian with a pram. She was totally oblivious.
Today, a refuse truck decided to carry out a three point turn without looking once and not seeing me on my bike and causing me to have to slam all on to avoid him.
In both cases, total lack of observation and attention to what was around them.
The concept of mirror, signal, manoeuvre is just alien principle for most motorists on this islands.
The drivers dont scan mirrors, dont look in both directions, dont stop at GIVEWAY signs to Allow oncoming traffic to pass and always have a fixed stare . I’m surprised its not more accidents and fatalities here .
So much for Cayman kindness if it ever existed at all. As a cyclist, I can assure everyone that I never experienced it. Must be only a local thing……
As a cyclist, I frequently encounter pedestrians walking two and three abreast in shared lanes, families walking three abreast with sometimes dogs, walking on the wrong side putting cyclist in danger of traffic coming behind them as they maneuver to avoid collision. The hostility towards cyclists is frightening, vehicles swerving and passing close to cyclists is the norm. Children riding with oversized bikes unable to control them riding against traffic.. Dangerous dogs on long extended leashes, on and on.. Don’t you dare give advice to any of these people. You more than likely would be verbally abused. Forget about reporting to the police.. Sad Sad Sad.
As with most collision-avoidance scenarios the onus is on the faster moving object to yield to slower moving, or signal them to your approach.
An audible bell is an elementary tool for all cyclists that want to carry inertia and avoid collisions.
Runners should also be yielding to walkers and providing a 6-15 ft sweaty droplet wake buffer during this crisis – not the opposite!
Cycling on Grand Cayman is not worth it. I was hit years ago and gave it up. No bike lanes, too many irresponsible drivers, and too little traffic law enforcement.
Neither is walking! No bloody pavements.
I found out that’s it easier and better for my mental health to talk to walls then even bring up the notion of pavements or bike lanes, or even proper hard shoulders on “A” roads and highways! Brick walls have more common sense than people around here. And yes, sadly I’m a born and bred Caymanian who is just honest!
So sad
Cyclist have the right-away….drivers please pay attention.
Did you mean ‘Right of Way’ ? but in what sense, just so we all understand ?
Drivers must always scan the road and sidewalks to ensure it is safe to proceed, they must yield to slower moving traffic of any kind, avoid hazards, and not cause collisions by looking at their phone, fiddling with radio, or ashing their smoke!
Jesus, now that people can’t drive to exercise points I can only see the amount of people being hit by cars increasing ten fold. The cardio and calorie burning isn’t worth dying.
Well wishes to the injured parties BUT was this cyclist perhaps riding towards George Town on the Rubis/ Hurley’s side of the road against the traffic instead of on the sea side of the road with the traffic? When cyclists follow general road rules there will be cyclist accidents.
How about get off your phones! Driver’s in the deadly steel cages are supposed to look both ways to ensure it’s safe to proceed. If we aren’t going to expect drivers to look anymore, they could just as easily run down old ladies with walkers, or blind men with canes! Stop blaming non-motorized victims (in full daylight)!
“When cyclists follow general road rules there will be cyclist accidents”? O.K., what rules should they follow? I would suggest they look both ways before pulling out into traffic.
Cycling the wrong way in traffic is crazy and the likelyhood of being goes way up
Travel the same direction as traffic
It is the law
Especially when you cycle on the wrong side of the road towards another cyclist who is cycling the correct way -( i.e. in the same direction as traffic). This can cause the cyclists to double up or one pull further into the road to avoid the other – causing potential accident.
That said, even when they are riding the correct side of the road, I sometimes see them riding ‘two-abreast’ which is also dangerous.
Another issue I don’t believe has been raised – I see very few ‘regular’ (not ‘professional’ perhaps) cyclists using the appropriate hand signals – they just tend to pull out without any indication. I guess they learned from the majority of drivers who also don’t use their vehicle indicators.
The practice of cycling towards oncoming traffic must be a very Caribbean thing. I never saw it before I came here. Pretty stupid to be honest.
I would rather see that hits me in front than behind!!
Well Joey hasn’t delivered the bike lanes or street lighting that was budgeted and part of the NRA plan. Looking the disastrous ambient traffic standards in the eye when you’re not n a steel cage is not the worst life preservation idea when there is nowhere safe to be, and society blames casualties.
It’s because you can’t trust cars to see you so you adjust and ride to see them. I was hit following normal rules. The problem here is zero traffic enforcement.
It’s a reaction to bad drivers. Idea is you can’t trust the drivers and have a better chance of avoiding them if you see them coming. Doesn’t factor in the risk of cars pulling out from side roads who are not checking the other way or the reduced reaction time/ increased impact speed of rising towards the vehicle.
It is not a Cayman thing. We were taught to ride in the same direction of vehicular traffic and as pedestrians taught to face the traffic. I am 55 years old and maybe in more recent times we have lost this as we no longer have to license bicycles and policing of equipment and riders no longer prevalent, however I taught my children proper practice.
Read the article. It happened in Savannah where the gas station that the Kia pulled out of is on the South side of the road. Hence the cyclist was on the correct side.
It looks as though this was at the Rubis in Savannah, not the one near Hurley’s.
Nonsens
Joey Hew: where are the promised bicycle lanes budgeted and planned in 2015 NRA Plan?
My thing is why are people still crashing and hitting riders there are far less cars and trucks on the road right?? Or is it just the law abiding people staying off the roads and if that’s the case, why are so many people out and about?
It’s the fact that some people should not have a license. And anyone that hits a cyclist or pedestrian should immediately lose that license for up to, at least, two years.
Makes you wonder, is it that hard to pay attention while driving? I can spot a cyclist a mile away !
to be fair, some cyclist don’t know what they’re doing either. If you can’t ride a bike safely, don’t risk your life in traffic, not worth it.
Not surprised by the way people are riding and walking in the middle of the road with no regards. It themselves
This person was following all the rules. It could have been you or a relative. Stop looking to blame the victim. She like you drives a car and respects cyclists right to share the road.
There is no acceptable excuse for any vehicle driver to run down non-motorized road users, especially in full daylight.
Yes, and that’s why when I’m in my car I pay attention. Especially around pedestrians and cyclists. There isnt a speed limit that’s high enough on this island for someone to get hit out of nowhere.