Tragically another cyclist is dead after being run over by a San Francisco Muni bus this past Friday, October 18, 2013. The fatal bicycle crash, occurring at 8:40pm, shut down the streets surrounding the Bryant and Division intersection. Although little is currently known of the events surrounding the accident, the bicyclist has been identified as an older Asian male, and the bus was the 27-Bryant, carrying approximately three dozen passengers. No further information has been released by the San Francisco Police Department.
This most recent bicycle death signifies the fourth bicycle fatality in San Francisco this year, after the deaths of Diane Sullivan, Dylan Mitchell, and Amelie Le Moullac.
This story comes as yet another stark reminder that the City, though named as a bicycle friendly city and home to many civic improvements, is a dangerous place to ride a bicycle. With traffic increasing due to the ongoing BART strike, guaranteed congestion should mean heightened awareness for both bicycles and motorists. Bicyclists share the very much the same rights and responsibilities as automobiles and it is important that we respect them as such. I regard this most recent bicycle death as another symptom that we are in the midst of a bicycle accident epidemic. I know how the City is supposed to train its MUNI drivers, and this includes very stringent guidelines for the safe interaction between MUNI buses and bicyclists. Obviously, these stringent standards, set by the City of San Francisco itself, are not being followed by the operators. Another bicyclist is dead and I am wondering just how well the MUNI is training the drivers, and how so many cyclists are being killed in this bicycle friendly city?
NOVEMBER 14th: 6:00 p.m. Public memorial for Cheng Jin Lai at 1008 Mission St. His family and Supervisor Jane Kim will be there as well as members from the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition.
Hello, I’m Claude Wyle, a bicycle accident attorney. Have an idea for a topic you’d like to see covered here? Feel free to contact me: cwyle@ccwlawyers.com or visit www.CCWLawyers.com.
