Victim Blaming Coast to Coast in Car V. bike Crashes

From Los Angeles to New York, news – or sometimes misreported news – often blames the cyclist incorrectly…

In this article from Outside Magazine, author/cyclist Peter Flax’s self-written “obituary” tells the sad story of ” a terrifying encounter with a speeding Porsche that actually happened—just in case the next run-in turns out differently.”

A Cyclist Writes His Own Obituary

…But then he heard the sound of squealing rubber. The car that had just passed going eastbound was a Porsche 911 and the driver, perceiving an empty roadway, decided to execute a U-turn on all seven lanes of Olympic Boulevard at highway speed. The headlights were on Flax in a heartbeat. He always had imagined that he would sprint out of harm’s way in such a situation but the truth is he froze there like a deer. The man in the Porsche slammed on his brakes but the car simply couldn’t stop in time…

Hundreds of cyclists are getting killed; last year at least 32 cyclists were lost to fatal crashes in Los Angeles County alone. There are more bikes on the road and more drivers fiddling with mobile phones, a disconcerting combination. And thanks to social and digital media, it’s nearly impossible to sidestep some scary issues—the victim blaming, the number of fatal hit and runs, the disregard many drivers have for cyclists and pedestrians…

And, published the same day from Gothamist in New York:

Video Contradicts Reports That Citi Bike Rider Swerved Into Bus Before Deadly Crash

Security camera footage from a West 26th Street building appears to contradict preliminary NYPD statements and media reports that 36-year-old Dan Hanegby “swerved” away from a parked vehicle before fatally colliding with a moving bus on Monday morning…

The discrepancy revealed by the footage would add him to a list of traffic crash victims, including Lauren Davis, James Gregg, and Jack Koval, whose final moments were inaccurately reported in the immediate aftermath of a fatal incident…

“This awful tragedy has been made more painful by inaccurate descriptions of the occurrence in certain rushed media reports,” said the Hanegby family in a statement to Gothamist. “In fact, Dan was an experienced cyclist, and when all of the evidence comes out, we are confident that the responsible parties will be held accountable.”

 

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