Angela Park, 39 y.o. Female Bicyclist Killed by Truck Driver Turning Right in Greektown

From WGN...

https://wgntv.com/2018/08/09/bicyclist-hit-by-truck-in-greektown/

CHICAGO — A bicyclist is in critical condition after being hit and pinned under a truck Thursday morning.

It happened at Madison and Halsted in the city’s Greektown neighborhood. The bicyclist was transported to Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

Eastbound Madison is closed from Halsted to the Kennedy Expressway. Westbound Madison is closed from Des Plaines to Halsted.

UPDATE 8/9:

So sorry to say the 39 y.o. female cyclist died. The truck driver was making a right turn (right hook). Our thoughts are with the cyclist's family and friends.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/cyclist-hit-by-truck-in-west-loop/

UPDATE 8/10:
Bicyclist has been identified as Angela Park. Our thoughts are with her loved ones. Rest in peace.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-met-bicycle-tr...

https://blockclubchicago.org/2018/08/10/athletic-club-instructor-mo...

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Permalink Reply by Yasmeen on August 9, 2018 at 5:35am

Awaiting additional news. Streetsblog published an article about the crash:

https://chi.streetsblog.org/2018/08/09/right-turning-dump-truck-dri...

Permalink Reply by Jim Reho on August 9, 2018 at 5:38am

That is so, so sad.  I fear the right hook more than anything.

Permalink Reply by CJ on August 9, 2018 at 5:56am

i wonder about the best way to prevent it while biking.   I try to be ultra aware about trucks getting close but it's not easy.

there have been a few times when i'm riding next to some big truck and I'll just stop and wait for it to go ahead.  those wheels are terrifying

Permalink Reply by Jim Reho on August 9, 2018 at 7:41am

Hell yeah!  I'll pull back, go down another street, go on the sidewalk, take a lane -- anything to avoid being on the right of a large, moving truck going past intersections.

Permalink Reply by Yasmeen on August 9, 2018 at 3:45pm

Women tend to follow the law more than men which puts us at more risk of being hit by cars. Couple that with the perception that we should "share the lane" rather than taking the lane and it's a deadly combination. 

In addition, construction accommodations aren't made for people riding bikes, they are made for pedestrian safety and enough space for cars. There was no accommodation in that space for a bike so she would have had to ignore the honking and take the lane. I don't know that this is an issue with her being a woman so much as too many points of failure:

1. No safe alternative/accommodation to get through a construction area (bike lane taken by pedestrian bump-out). "This is the way we always did it" doesn't cut it when bike commuting is a standard form of transportation.

2. No side guard because instead of focusing requirements on the size of the vehicle, the city has based it on the $ contract size

3. Did the driver use a turn signal? Did they look for bikes? Probably not.

4. We are encouraged to get out of the way of cars because they are very busy and important. Cyclists need to be prioritized (see points 1-3).

Permalink Reply by La Llama on August 10, 2018 at 2:49am

On point 3, Did the truck driver use side mirror before turn? nope. Did he pass her in the previous few blocks? No way to know for sure, but riding in the city for over a decade, I would assume he did.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on August 13, 2018 at 4:31am

Considering the number of crashes involving vehicles of all types (including trucks) where the driver says "I didn't see them," it suggests that either the driver didn't look, or that mirrors were inadequate to give the driver a wide enough field of view.

We need a requirement for convex mirrors mounted on the front corners of large trucks. This great reduces blind spots, and could significantly reduce the number of crashes like this one.

Here's a study related to crash types that has an interesting graphic showing coverage areas of different types and locations of mirrors.
https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/handle/2027.42/58728/99830...

Permalink Reply by Steve A on August 10, 2018 at 3:09am

I don't agree that following the law puts one at more risk of being hit by a car. 

Permalink Reply by Yasmeen on August 13, 2018 at 5:02am

There's a visibility issue at red lights and intersections. If you stay behind the lines and/or behind vehicles, you are less visible. I gently roll past the walk so that people can see me - I'm not blocking anyone. Technically, not legal but I don't care. I'd rather have people see me at the intersection. That's an example of following the law is putting us at greater risk.

Permalink Reply by Jeff McMahon on August 13, 2018 at 7:36am

I think you're right, Yasmeen. And that's what I do too.

Permalink Reply by Tom A.K. on August 12, 2018 at 3:57pm

https://vimeo.com/263377367 (2:09)Video

"What cyclists need to know about trucks, and the right hook."

https://vimeo.com/74851821 (3:30)Video

"Right hook prevention in the bike lane."

Permalink Reply by Yasmeen on August 9, 2018 at 7:59am

Hard not to be angry as the slow trickle of news comes out. 

1. Likely a right hook. Did the driver use a turn signal? Some are saying people had to run the driver down because they were completely oblivious to the fact a cyclist was trapped under the vehicle.

2. No sideguards on the truck despite the fact the truck is HUGE. Shouldn't be based on revenue but on truck size.

3. Need to confirm but we are hearing the truck driver got a $200 fine.

4. Media like this report use the word "accident" and say "truck" instead of truck driver. This is all passive language acting like the driver was some how removed from their actions, lacking responsibility.

https://abc7chicago.com/3914839/

Like I said, this all makes me very angry. A 39 y.o. was lost today because she rode her bike to work. Her loved ones have lost her. Drive a truck is what this driver does for a living. How are they not responsible for their actions? Not really. $200 fine? Accident? ARGH!! 

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