The Chainlink

I didn't see this here yet.  Sad

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-woman-on-bike...

It seems the driver of the truck, no matter who was at fault, should not have been on the road.

It baffles me how people often have such blatant disregard for rules, regulations, and laws.  I also wonder how many drivers out there should not legally be driving.

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Very sad news.

There are so many unanswered questions. According to that article she essentially got doored. But that led to her death? That's intense. I'm sorry this happened, and I'm sorry for her family's and society's loss. 

I'll be updating the fatality tracker. This is number 3 this year. There were 5 in 2010. I don't know how many in 2011. 

More information:

http://www.suntimes.com/13751032-418/bicyclist-killed-after-collidi...

So the truck was moving, it seems. 

The woman -- identified as Caprice Cunningham, of the 8600 block of South Ingleside Avenue, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office -- was on a 10-speed bicycle eastbound on 87th Street and crossing in front of oncoming northbound traffic, police News Affairs Officer John Mirabelli said. As she was doing so, she struck the front driver’s side of a 1964 Ford truck, he said.

That vehicle was an ice cream truck, a source said.

Cunningham fell to the ground and suffered multiple injuries, police said.

The driver of the truck, a 29-year-old woman, immediately pulled over, Mirabelli said.

This is such a sad, sad story.  My heart goes out to her family and young children.  

From the spotty reporting and the lack of details it seems that both the bicyclist and the ice cream truck driver were in motion when they collided.  The ice cream truck driver was moving Northbound and the bicyclist moving Eastbound when they collided.  If this was the case the bicyclist had already traveled across half of the roadway and had crossed the Southbound section of S Cottage Grove intersection  before the collision occurred. 

Map

While the driver of the truck was cited for 4 separate infractions, none of them were moving violations.  No mention was made in either article as to which way the light was green.

Many ice cream trucks of this vintage have a larger box section behind the cab that protrudes outward much wider than the front of the vehicle where the front doors are.  It is possible that after the bicyclist struck the door of the truck the wider back of the still-moving truck then struck her, and perhaps even ran her over.  

Judging by the four citations, it seems to me that there were circumstances of the crash that led the responding officer to go as hard as they could on the driver with what was available.

+1

This is what I was thinking too.  There have to be some good cops out there.


h' said:

Judging by the four citations, it seems to me that there were circumstances of the crash that led the responding officer to go as hard as they could on the driver with what was available.

Recent update from the Tribune about the questions the family is asking and the lack of information they are receiving from police at this time:  http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-woman-on-bike...

They mention surveillance cameras at the intersection--one would hope they will request the tape asap!  I believe the city films over those things within a few days.

That's my impression, too.

h' said:

Judging by the four citations, it seems to me that there were circumstances of the crash that led the responding officer to go as hard as they could on the driver with what was available.

"Cunningham was riding her bike east on 87th Street when she hit the front driver's side door of a 1964 Ford truck that was northbound on Cottage Grove Avenue, Mirabelli said."

If she were traveling EAST and hit a NORTHBOUND truck on the driver's side door, that would rule out being "doored"' right?


Steven Vance said:

There are so many unanswered questions. According to that article she essentially got doored.

That's right.  And from the info given, it sounds like it happened in the intersection, although they don't say which party had the green light.

O said:

"Cunningham was riding her bike east on 87th Street when she hit the front driver's side door of a 1964 Ford truck that was northbound on Cottage Grove Avenue, Mirabelli said."

If she were traveling EAST and hit a NORTHBOUND truck on the driver's side door, that would rule out being "doored"' right?


Steven Vance said:

There are so many unanswered questions. According to that article she essentially got doored.

Crashes most often occur at intersections. Regardless of fault, we're sad to hear of this news. Has the south side ever hosted a Ride of Silence in May? The community needs to know that such tragedies do not go unrecognized.

when is the funeral?

Serge Lubomudrov said:

Elizabeth, you are the only person I know who I'd expect to be able to answer your question.

. . . But imagine what a powerful display of solidarity and compassion would be if several hundred (thousand?) cyclists attended the funeral?

Chicago Ride of Silence said:

Crashes most often occur at intersections. Regardless of fault, we're sad to hear of this news. Has the south side ever hosted a Ride of Silence in May? The community needs to know that such tragedies do not go unrecognized.

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