Cyclist injured in early morning hit-and-run

| 11/11/2022 | 84 Comments

(CNS): A woman is in hospital in stable condition recovering from serious but non-life-threatening injuries after she was knocked off her bicycle on the Esterley Tibbetts Highway, near Tanager Way, around 6:10 Wednesday morning. Police said the cyclist had been travelling northbound when she was struck by the mirror of a passing vehicle, which continued travelling north. As a result of the impact the woman fell from the bicycle but another driver stopped to help shortly afterwards. Emergency services arrived and the woman was taken to the Cayman Islands Hospital to be treated.

The incident is under investigation, and anyone who may have witnessed the collision or has any other information is asked to contact the West Bay Police Station at 949-3999, or the Traffic & Roads Policing Unit at 649-6254.


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Comments (84)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    Separated bike corridors are what we need to address traffic (and health) issues. We have over 200 sunny days a year, there is no reasonable excuse why these shouldn’t be everywhere, to the benefit of all. Put them in PACT. Pretty easy to succeed where PPM failed on that score.

  2. Anonymous says:

    Harsher penalties might encourage more careful motorists – loss of license for a period and/or jail time (if cyclist injured).

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    • Anonymous says:

      Reckless driving is same guidance as DUI…$1000 and loss of license for a year, but I’ll wait while you try to find an officer familiar and willing to write any of the many “other” categories of ticketable/arrestable offences in the leaflet.

  3. Anonymous says:

    I can’t believe there are actually people here trying to justify and blame the victim of a HIT AND RUN. Absolutely shameful.

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  4. Anonymous says:

    I cycled everywhere in Cayman in my younger days, though a combination of increasing age and dangerous conditions eventually put paid to my cycling.

    Cycling risks however are not just a case of blaming careless drivers. Our older roads are just not wide enough to allow low-risk cycling. The roads are busier, traffic is heavy in both directions, so getting an additional bike-width is going to put cyclist and driver into conflict.

    As for newer roads, the inclusion of cycle lanes requires an initial extra investment in land purchase – to get wider roads built – so there’s perhaps a disincentive to facilitate cycle lanes if its going to cost so much more to build. And bike riders don’t count for much at election time.

    And its not as if cycling from A to B is a major activity. I would guess that almost all cyclists are in 1 of 2 categories. One is the sports and exercise rider. Riding regularly for sport or just occasionally to maintain fitness in older age. The other group will be those people who don’t have the finances to buy or run a motor vehicle. Anyone with a little money will have a car/van/truck and go to/from work on that, to get some benefit of shelter from the rain, or air-conditioning when its hot. After all, who really wants to cycle in the Tropics, where heat, rain and wind conspire to make a bike journey a real pain ?

    But cyclists still have a responsibility to cycle correctly. Lets stop this cycling-facing-the-traffic stuff. It just gives the rest of us bike riders a bad name. Bikes are not the same as pedestrians, and so need to follow the rules of the road. You wouldn’t expect a motorised bike to drive on the wrong side, so why do it on a pushbike ? Its just laziness. And something I’ve been doing lately when out driving. If safe, I stop close to the kerb, to show an oncoming cyclist on my side of the road that they are in the wrong place. Though the cycling Jamaican gardeners and Nepalese security guards don’t seem to get it. Do they give a toss ? I doubt it.

    All of us have a contribution to make, to keep our roads safe, and keep road users safe from harm. Motor vehicle drivers do need regular education too. I see no driving instructors anymore. Where are the instructors and good driving examples ?

    So much still needs to be done. But waiting for govt to set laws, regulations and standards, and then for police to take action, will be like watching paint dry. Any suggestion of a new transport plan soon vanishes like a fart in the wind. Where are community groups and non-governmental organisations, to stand up and demand better ? Driving their Escalades and Jeeps I suppose.

    Rant over…

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  5. Anonymous says:

    The worst street in Cayman is south church street where bicyclist are not driving to the left side. They are actually on many occasions riding side by side on this very very narrow roadway. You the vehicle will have to go across the middle line into oncoming traffic to go around them. It is ridiculous to hold up traffic going to town, when simply allowing traffic to go around OR pick a wider street. It’s your life you are playing with this aggressive riding. I believe police should be giving them tickets.
    We all know that there are a lot of young inexperience drivers who cannot judge the distance in a two lane road. They are driving and crossing the lane and if YOU are not careful they will side swipe you. To these inexperience drivers I say get a quiet road and stop and look at your side mirrors and check the distance and memorise it. You can check the front fenders left and right. Memorise the distance so you will know when you are to close to to crossing the lane (white line). Good luck

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    • Anonymous says:

      Cyclists don’t need to have a driver’s license, and shouldn’t be expected to have one. This is how $6/hr imported permit holders have to get around. Others choose to get around this way, sometimes on bikes that cost more than some of the cars on the road. All of them are not in a steel cage, and have the right of way, even if those in the steel cages have to slow down to “share” their right to exist on the road ahead (and regardless of their chosen direction of travel). Don’t like it? Surrender your driver’s license.

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    • Anonymous says:

      I stopped riding here years ago because it’s crazy here to do so now!
      I see riders 3/4 of the way out in the street in blind corners. Got a dash cam, because of the way people ride here.

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    • anonymous says:

      If you are too stupid to manage to drive when there are cyclists, then you are too stupid to drive.

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    • Legal 101 says:

      You have wonderfully demonstrated the ignorance of many drivers as to both the law and the highway code. You are legally not allowed to pass a cyclist without going over the white central line as you will not be giving them enough passing room. If there are cars coming the other direction, you are legally not allowed to pass them, even if they are right in the gutter. The reason many cyclists move out into the middle of the carriageway on such narrow roads is to prevent idiots such as yourself from trying to squeeze throught between them and the oncoming traffic.

    • A Cyclist says:

      What is ridiculous is the attitude of many motorists here on Grand Cayman, and shown in this initial post. The land space for driving is not at all large. Why can motorists not just calm down, and wait for a cyclists to pass? It is simply a few minutes of waiting, and chilling – then the motorist can carry on to their destination equally as safely as the cyclist will to theirs.

      Motorists have that much more of a duty to drive safely for themselves and all other road users.

  6. Anonymous says:

    Some cyclist dont beleive in riding on the other side of the yellow line. most of them are almost in the middle of the road. When I ride I am always looking over my shoulder and giving the cars the right away. If I have to break my cafence to survive the ride then so be it. My workout is not more important than my life. Most cyclist dont understand this. Maybe a couple licks will make them understand. Go to America and ride like that and see what happends.

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    • Anonymous says:

      That’s nonsense 1:22. I’ve ridden extensively in North Carolina, Texas, & British Columbia. It was never anything like here.

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    • Anonymous says:

      You understand that according to the law they are entitled to use the road as well – not forced to ride the other side of the line. Can ride in the middle of the lane if they like. Drivers are meant to give them space.

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      • Anonymous says:

        until they have to do a road worthyness test every year and get insurance. I will not consider them “vehicles” with the right to the road.

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        • Anonymous says:

          It’s a good thing it’s not up to you to decide what is a vehicle!

        • Logic 101 says:

          You don’t have to wait long for idiots to reveal their ignorance. Would horses need to have a roadworthiness test and insurance too before you would consider them having a right to use the road? Would you give them a couple of licks too if they were holding you up. Do you give the agricultural vehicles a couple of licks also for holding you up when they do not move into the gutter for you?

    • Anonymous says:

      You’re an idiot posting this drivel – a cyclist is a vehicle and has a right of the road. Your comments are irresponsible and promote lack of respect, this lady is lying in hospital and you think that’s okay. IDIOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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      • Anonymous says:

        Then they should be ticketed for impeding the flow of traffic to indulge in their selfish hobby just as a go-kart going 15 to 20 in a 30 MPH zone should!!!

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        • Legal 101 says:

          I am not familiar with where this offence is contained in Cayman law? Could you let us know please?

    • Anonymous says:

      Fun fact. They are allowed and often encouraged to cycle in the road when needed. This is called taking the primary position.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Complete garbage. “Couple licks”? Wow. You’re talking about hitting someone with your car, you idiot.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Cyclist have the right to use the road as much as the person in the 2+ ton metal box with an engine.

      Idiotic comment.

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  7. Anonymous says:

    British person lol “albeit” ….

    The other day I watched a “white” man go around two bicycle riders that were ahead of him without checking if a car was behind him as if he had the right away and I could read his mind. I blew my horn and there was traffic ahead so he was able to pass by me. He took the time to stare at me as he passed me as though to intimidate me and I blew the hell out of my horn because he was being dangerous and rude. I’m Caymanian and I’m not afraid to cuss you all out.

    You all need to do a better job riding so someone doesn’t end up in prison for your carelessness.

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    • Anonymous says:

      ‘Bicycles are considered “vehicles” when it comes to traffic laws and the rules of right of way.’

      but let’s overlook that 5:04 when racism supersedes all else 😐

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    • Anonymous says:

      Yeah, he on his bicycle was going to intimidate you in your ton and a half car. Not him being concerned about you possibly hitting him or intimidating him with your horn – he was being dangerous alright. And BTW perhaps you can explain where in the code it says you can use your horn to cuss out people for being rude?

      You don’t know how to drive according to the law and with decency, but you call the cyclist on being dangerous and rude. Fact he was white and you think he was not Caymanian at the heart of your comment I think.

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    • Anonymous says:

      “British person lol “albeit” ….”
      What is this nonsense supposed to mean?

    • Leon C says:

      Why the inverted commas around “white”? I assume he was on a bicycle as well as the other two – you were imprecise. Anyhoo, if all you got was a dirty look you got off lightly – acting like an arsehole who owns the road. But hey, you’re Caymanian, which means you can do anything you like right?

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  8. Anon says:

    Any follow up info from the police?

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  9. Anonymous says:

    I used to cycle regularly for years and have pretty much given it up simply because it’s now too flippin dangerous, especially if on your own. It’s almost become a competition for car drivers and trucks to see how close they can get to a cyclist and I’ll concede I would ride on the solid white line because the cycle lanes were full of debris & trash. Even on a clear road early morning at the weekends with just one car coming from behind it makes absolutely no difference, sideswiped again. The danger evolves with designated side lanes also not safe anymore from idiots evolving their idiocy to use that as an additional overtaking lane when traffic is heavy. I have an idea, abolish all solid white lane markings, save some money, – either that or back it up with further signage, ‘STAY IN YOUR ******* LANE ! and if they don’t, graduate these ******* idiots to the hard shoulder medians with a tricycle, cart & broom. 🤬🧹

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  10. John says:

    There is a 3 feet passing law in place here. We as cyclists are lucky to get 3 inches. Last year cycling to work, a school bus pushed me into Trisha’s Roses parking lot, driver didn’t stop either. My complaint fell on deaf ears.

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    • Mumbichi says:

      We have had several opportunities on all three islands to create bike lanes. Cayman Brac in particular has plowed up the side of the road twice.

      This is something that all three islands need. Our tourism requires it, but more, our residents and citizens require it. Proper bike lanes. PROPER bike lanes.

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  11. Point says:

    The point missed is that the driver continued on without stoping to offer help! Leaving his victim to suffer and possibly die.

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    • A Cyclist says:

      Yes! Then there are those motorists who would not stop when they are in the wrong. Fleeing the scene of an accident is against the law in Cayman.

      Glad that the cyclist does not have life threatening injuries and that the person recovers well.

  12. Anonymous says:

    Jamaican in an unlicensed Honda Fit, wearing a hi-viz vest would be my prediction – albeit that unfortunately doesn’t narrow it down.

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  13. Anon says:

    It’s only an offense of Failing to stop if the driver was aware.
    That’s his defense in law
    If a glancing blow he/ she was unaware of
    No crime !!

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    • Anonymous says:

      Bullshit! If the cars mirror struck the cyclist the driver failed to pass with due care and attention. Probably didn’t slow down either. I hope the driver is suffering a guilty conscience.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Ot is absolutely impossible the driver didn’t know. Also of you hit someone that’s clearly dangerous driving.

    • Anonymous says:

      Definitely can’t pull over when unlicensed, uninsured, and without permission to borrow the vehicle. Often the case our roads. Who is going to catch them?

  14. Anonymous says:

    Driving, biking, walking, or anything else on or near Cayman’s roads is dangerous for the same reason. No traffic law enforcement because it is looked at as being culturally insensitive. As is any form of law enforcement here. Get used to it. Drive defensively at all times knowing that many on the roads with you follow no laws.

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    • Mumbichi says:

      Yes. Drive defensively. See a person on a bicycle or walking and slow down and try to pull wide of them, and the rest of the traffic freaks out.

      We NEED dedicated bike lanes, and we need them NOW.

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  15. Anonymous says:

    These bicycle riders and runners just swing out into the road whenever it suits them and now looks what happens. We are all trying to get to our jobs or homes also. It is the fault on both parties.

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    • Anonymous says:

      6:21 am Such a broad and inaccurate generalization. The woman injured in this accident is an avid cyclist who knows how to properly ride a bike ie in the bike lane.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Which makes it worse that she wasn’t more careful.

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      • Chris Johnson says:

        I agree. When I used to bike 20 odd years ago I would often see the lady cyclist. She certainly was a fit and well- respected cyclist and as a professional person would certainly know the highway code and rules of the road.

        It is regrettable that so many readers feel it necessary to make disparaging remarks without knowing the full facts.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Typical ignorant reply here on a third world island.

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    • Anonymous says:

      it’s not actually, in most cases it’s the fault of the driver. I’m not sure what you’re smoking, unless it was you that his this woman?

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    • Anonymous says:

      Hit and runs are normal here.

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    • Anonymous says:

      I have no sympathy for idiotic cyclists on the wrong side of the road, or the ones with no lights at night when you can literally buy a bright LED one for a few dollars.

      However, the vast, vast, vast majority of incidents are because of stupid, selfish drivers, who refuse to give other road users a share of the highways. They’re either in a rush, on their phones, or eating food/doing makeup, or whatever. Driving standards here are non-existent.

      In any case, you hit anyone, you stop. You don’t, then you’re a worthless PoS.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Curious which of Cayman’s many predatory menial employers are ensuring the safety of their thousands of imported entry-level $6/hr workforce by issuing them with “few dollars” admin cost LED lights?

        Are the big construction firms white-labelling these and handing them out to their workforce as a “general office supply” item? Nope. Don’t they have a vested interest and Corporate Social Responsibility? Yes, most certainly.

        These most vulnerable imported workers, often without drivers licenses, some having never encountered traffic on the left, are the very folks you hold no sympathy for, and you file that on economic grounds?! You have it all backwards.

    • Anonymous says:

      She did not ‘swing out’ any where near the driver. Car drivers just do not give cyclists enough space – even in a dual carriageway with bike path

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      • Anonymous says:

        Find somewhere else to ride? Do cyclists ride on hiways in America or even the UK? No! Why, it’s made for cars; plus, our roads are too small. Wrong place to live if you need to cycle everyday and have drivers drive behind you as you hog the road! The caymanian cyclists know cars dont go to the hospital. What are you going to do, argue from the grave? We know you all like to make a good point as if we care.

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        • Anonymous says:

          “drivers drive behind you as you hog the road”

          You see the issue, cyclist in bike lane, you believe that the separately marked off bike lane, is a car lane, and you are allowed to hit them and drive off.

          Probably on your way to or from church as well

          There are some sick people here.

          You must be one of the drivers that refuse to avoid cyclists, but will drive on the wrong side of the road to avoid a puddle in your pick up.

    • Joe B says:

      So basically anyone on or near the road is just in your way to get to where you need to go. That explains the suicide passing, speeding, and tailgating that is endemic to Cayman Islands.

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    • Anonymous says:

      I think your missing the point. Accidents happen, we get that but the fact the driver didn’t stop is actually worth 12 months in jail for failing to stop at the scene of an accident.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Were you there? Do you know?

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    • Anonymous says:

      You Twat, a cyclist is riding a bicycle that weighs 20 lbs, you are driving a car that weighs 2 tons.
      A runner is considered a pedestrian. ( Cyclists and Runners are not made of steel and glass.)

  16. Anonymous says:

    So sad. At least not a fatality! Government should build an elevated one story high bike path from Kaboo grounds to Camana Bay to George Town. #CyclistLivesMatter

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    • Anonymous says:

      Wholesale Alibaba cost is <USD$10,000 per mile to paint and stencil a ground-level lane in high-contrast-grip colour (essentially tennis court) paint, and install hard barriers to secure that area for cyclists from cars and trucks. The Traffic Law needs to be amended with Regulations for fines for vehicles using or blocking lanes that should be carved out of the wider roads we already have. On those where there is no space, sharrows and 25mph limits. Hundreds of cities around the world have improved traffic and transport management, and quality of life this way, without knocking down buildings or building magic floating pathways. Award-winning urban planning templates have been installed elsewhere for decades, so we don't need any new ideas, just execution on the budgets that were already secured for this purpose.

  17. Anonymous says:

    Only in cayman (I’m comparing to first an second world countries I’ve been to here – uk, Europe, Australia, USA, Brazil, Singapore etc) do people stupidly cycle against the traffic.

    You cycle like a car… so in cayman you cycle in the left lane, not on the right towards traffic. If you do cycle on the right facing traffic, you are asking to be killed when a car pulls out and you fly over it, and you only have yourself to blame for not following basic Highway Code rules that should be taught and understood aged eight.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Cyclists travel against traffic so they can see the idiots flying towards them and hopefully get out the way, I’m not condoning it, just recognize that they want to stay alive. From the description of this hit and run it would appear that the cyclist was struck from behind and highlights the reason why some do exactly that.

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    • Anonymous says:

      12:06 am For the record, in case you didn’t read the article (short as it is), the woman was riding her bicycle in the same direction as the car that hit her.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Coming out from Hurley’s to go to town there is no other way than to go against traffic at least to Kings Sports centre. You cannot use the roundabout unless you have a death wish and there is no place to cross the street. So please put yourself on a bike and ride before condemning all cyclists.

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    • Anonymous says:

      She was not going against traffic and there was no reason for the car driver on a dual carriageway to get so close that he ‘clipped’ her with his wing mirror. She fell from her bike & got multiple fractures, including hip. Serious stuff from an inconsiderate car driver!

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    • Anonymous says:

      Nope you have it wrong you do NOT cycle like a car. Go to the NRA website on roundabout use. Cyclists are to stay in the outside lane.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Second world are communist countries, which betrays how dim you are.

  18. Anonymous says:

    Where are our bike lanes? What happened to those financed budgets? Another needless victim of unfulfilled PPM promises and NRA swindles. There should be an AG investigation, and possibly ACC.

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  19. Anonymous says:

    What happened to the World Class CCTV expanded Roll-out that the public paid for about 10 years ago?

    That would be a great help in these situations

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  20. Anonymous says:

    Unlikely that the driver noticed while looking at his/her phone.

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  21. Anonymous says:

    Some drivers here do not give cyclists any room. This is a 2 lane road with a cycle lane. Why was the car so close to this very experienced cyclist (well know local athlete)?

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    • Anonymous says:

      I don’t know where on ETH this happened, and it’s horrific, but paint doesn’t keep vehicles out of any lane. We have unlinked partial spans of painted lines on shoulders of some straight-aways that dissolve into hard curbing at roundabouts, that aren’t really a credible effort at safety. We need safe, protected and uninterrupted bicycle corridors extending north south east and west from A to B island-wide. They should be safe enough for kids to bike themselves safely to and from school. There’s space and money for this. These should be delineated with the hardscaping, bollards/humps, just like those embraced by other first world urban areas around the world. This would keep motor vehicles out of their mix and eliminate nightmare headlines. The NRA’s own plan from 2015 has an indelible requirement to include cyclist considerations in all road designs. In that context, hospitalizations and/or funerals, since 2015 as we’ve also had, are inexcusable, and should rest on the shoulders of those that failed to execute their duties to the public.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Because it was going too fast is my bet

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  22. Anonymous says:

    Was she out exercising?
    Struck by a mirror implies that the bastard behind her gave her no space and was at best negligent, at worst malicious.
    Do you you think the police care? Good luck with that.

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