English bicyclist killed in Queens car accident

Thursday, 07 May 2009

Stephen Hoadnett, a 40-year-old man from London, died yesterday after he was hit by a 10-wheeler truck while riding his bike in Richmond Hill, the Daily News reports.

Details are sketchy, but it seems the cyclist was traveling along Jamaica Avenue and Lefferts Boulevard when the truck hit him. The driver stayed with Mr. Hoadnett until an ambulance took him to Jamaica Hospital. He was pronounced dead shortly thereafter. At the time of the car accident he was raising money for a charity for guide dogs.

The truck driver was not charged with any criminal behavior and none is suspected.

A good New York personal injury attorney can tell you how dangerous it can be to cycle on New York's busy streets. Many drivers don't see the need to share the road with cyclists. Others simply don't see cyclists. Either situation is a big problem for bikers who lack the protection of air bags, seat belts and a heavy metal cage surrounding them.

While there is no way to completely mitigate the risk of cycling alongside faster, larger and heavier vehicles, bicyclesafe.com has assembled a list of ten ways to avoid car accidents while riding a bike. The list emphasizes making yourself as visible as possible (reflectors, headlights, signaling), choosing a route with many wide, slow streets and anticipating drivers' actions instead of hoping they respond to you.

The list is packed with good, non-intuitive suggestions that should be passed along to any bikers, avid or casual, in your life.