Twitter users quickly took notice of the collision, with one reader tweeting the image below.
@FrozenTropics @districtcuisine @morgandavidson @20002ist was eastbound but up on the bridge. Bikeshare rider. pic.twitter.com/Jiet5zDXW3
— Keith Sweat (@damaja) May 2, 2014
I also received an email from a concerned reader who walked by after the man was hit. The reader writes:[It]didn't look good and I'm surprised the guy is alive. Beyond this, if you could draw attention to the fact that the light at the top of the bridge, which you have to use if you want to get to Union Station, is absurdly short and makes that whole area really dangerous. It literally lasts just long enough to cross one lane of traffic and then the cars come flying up the bridge and if they don't see you it's not good. Have seen several very near misses and I try to avoid walking that way if possible.It's definitely true that using the Hopscotch Bridge has not been fun for pedestrians in recent memory. Between closed sidewalks, and construction, it can be more than a bit treacherous.
This was not the only local car/bike collision. A cyclist was also reportedly hit at 11th & Maryland about 7:30 (according to Twitter user @CapitolRomance), but that driver stuck around.
13 comments:
was 911 called immediately? I find it jarring that a hit and run driver can drive away from this crime with such ease
I don't understand why anyone would use the bridge when there is now the G st and I st bike lanes (plus far less traffic) I have noticed that the Capitol bike share bunch seem to the bravest/most ignorant because they are part-time bicyclists.
I am guilty of using Florida ave and other main roads myself when I first started but it didn't take long for me to realize to just stay the hell off main arteries in DC.
Anyway, I hope this guy is alright and they catch that piece of humanoid garbage who hit him and left the scene. We live amongst real animals.
doesnt the city have a network of traffic cameras with those, a spin back of say a dozen nearby cameras looking for a dark grey 4 door honda should get some likely suspects.
Accidents happen, but hit and run is a felony.
I don't understand why anyone would use the bridge when there is now the G st and I st bike lanes
G and I streets dead end at 2nd st NE, while the bridge starts at 3rd. There's only 1 block between 2nd and 3rd where they overlap, so if you're coming from NW you have to either take 1) the bridge, 2) K street, which is currently a torn up construction zone, or 3) go around Columbus Circle on a bike which is probably the sketchiest option, bike lanes notwithstanding. I'm guessing the cyclist was coming over the bridge from NW to NE since it's on the side with the jersey wall.
So who's fault was it actually. I often see bicyclists running red lights and ignoring stop signs.
"So who's fault was it actually. I often see bicyclists running red lights and ignoring stop signs."
AFAICS, this had nothing to do with either party driving through a red light.
The Hopscotch Bridge is wrought with peril, a poor choice for even the most experienced rider. And it would be one of the last roads I would use at night, regardless of visibility.
The westbound side often resembles a drag strip and lacks a shoulder until past Senate Square. The eastbound side has a three-to-two lane merge, no shoulder after the Union Station loading deck access road, and loads of outbound coach buses.
"doesnt the city have a network of traffic cameras with those"
There are actually traffic cameras at 3rd Street NE/H Street NE. And cameras surveiling the construction site. The skeptic in me senses they won't yield anything.
"go around Columbus Circle on a bike which is probably the sketchiest option"
The traffic around Columbus Circle is actually easy to navigate, as it comes to a crawl at the Union Station entrance. There's also a two-to-one lane merge just after the entrance, which further increases the navigability. I would pick this route over the Hopscotch Bridge anyday...
It almost feels like DDOT is begging for an accident on the Hopscotch Bridge. The sidewalk is closed on the south side of the bridge because of construction with a sign telling people to cross at a light that is only long enough to get halfway across the bridge. And in the mornings, loads of commuters walk/bike up the bridge to get to Union Station. And again, they are forced to deal with a light that barely gives them 10 seconds to cross more than four lanes of traffic.
Try calling 311 about the traffic light timing issue. DDOT has been known (more than once) to respond with longer timing for pedestrians.
hopefully DDOT can find the culprit, but I don't bet $ on DC agencies
"The traffic around Columbus Circle is actually easy to navigate, as it comes to a crawl at the Union Station entrance. There's also a two-to-one lane merge just after the entrance, which further increases the navigability. I would pick this route over the Hopscotch Bridge anyday..."
+ 1,000,000
Unless you have the fastest fixie in the city and you're a hardcore rider, avoid riding the Hopscotch Bridge at all costs. I've done it before, but I'm pretty fast...
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