Cyclist Dies After Being Struck By Truck On M Street NW

[Mariner]

From DCist:

A 36-year-old cyclist was killed after being hit by a truck in the 2100 block of M Street NW on Saturday afternoon, according to the Metropolitan Police Department.

Jeffrey Hammond Long, of Northwest, D.C., was biking west when a truck traveling in the same direction attempted to make a right turn onto New Hampshire Avenue NW at 2:15 p.m., according to MPD. As they collided, the cyclist fell under the truck.

Hammond was taken to a hospital for treatment. He succumbed to his injuries the following day.

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That is a terrible intersection. A vehicle turning right from M to NH Ave goes through approximately 330 degrees (it is damn close to a U-Turn). Plus, cyclists are blocked from view by parked cars along M, as the cycletrack is hidden. But the real pisser is that there is no protected signal cycle for cyclists and another for turning vehicles, which may be the only place along M where that is the case.

How did the city design something with such an obvious oversight? Outrageous ….

Reference street view

Topic

[jrenaut]

One block before that about a month ago I had a lovely interaction with a driver making a blind right turn without even imagining that I might be there.

My condolences to the family and friends of the cyclist. I’m sure Mayor Bowser sends thoughts and prayers.

[lordofthemark]

I presume the signaling will change now (and maybe daylight the intersection). So horrible that someone has to die for that to happen.

[streetsmarts]

@lordofthemark 179420 wrote:

I presume the signaling will change now (and maybe daylight the intersection). So horrible that someone has to die for that to happen.

For those of us who are new at traffic planning stuff – can you explain daylighting the intersection please? and re signaling – there would still be a right turn on red, right? So how would a change in signaling have helped?

[Mariner]

@streetsmarts 179427 wrote:

For those of us who are new at traffic planning stuff – can you explain daylighting the intersection please? and re signaling – there would still be a right turn on red, right? So how would a change in signaling have helped?

Not sure what daylighting is … maybe clearing away any visual obstructions? Such as parked cars?

Signalling would prevent a vehicle from turning right across the cycle path. I am actually shocked this is not already in place at this intersection. Maybe G-Street view is out of date (that area of M was repaved recently), but not having a protected cycle for both motor vehicles and bicycles is a big oversight.

[jrenaut]

Turning right on New Hampshire from M is basically a U-turn and should be illegal.

I haven’t heard details, but adjusting the light timing would be complicated. I’ve NEVER had to stop at this light. A leading pedestrian interval (LPI – where the ped light goes green before the car light, bikes can go on the ped light in DC) wouldn’t do much unless you retimed all the surrounding blocks, which would probably mean retiming half of downtown.

M and L remain poorly thought-out and poorly executed. I would never let my children use either of them, and wouldn’t even be that comfortable carrying them there on the longtail.

[scoot]

@jrenaut 179419 wrote:

One block before that about a month ago I had a lovely interaction with a driver making a blind right turn without even imagining that I might be there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEAiBNOKtWM

I would blame the street design more than the driver here. That car does not appear anywhere in your video until you emerge from behind the last SUV. If you hide the bike lane behind parked vehicles, it shouldn’t be surprising that more drivers will forget about its existence.

If DDOT wants protected bike lanes on these streets, they should eliminate all of the parking. There are too many intersections and driveways. Otherwise, they should keep the bike lane to the left of the parking, so that drivers will actually see it.

I feel much safer taking the lane than riding the PBL on M Street. I will use the bike lane to bypass congestion (and I wish it continued through Georgetown for this reason!), but only very slowly and cautiously.

[scoot]

As an aside: could DDOT legally create and enforce a height limit for parking alongside such a PBL? I don’t believe I’ve ever seen “compact cars only” signs on public street parking, but it would reduce the design danger and is thus worth considering.

Those last three vehicles you rode past were basically 6-ft high opaque walls. If that parking were restricted to shorter vehicles only, you and the driver would presumably have been able to see each other much sooner.

[jrenaut]

I’m pretty sure the last car was illegally parked. Not being able to see me doesn’t entirely excuse the driver – you don’t make a turn through a lane without checking to see if it’s occupied. But yes, most of the problems with M are design, followed by enforcement, with human nature bringing up the rear.

[dasgeh]

@jrenaut 179437 wrote:

I’m pretty sure the last car was illegally parked.

In the video, you can clearly see the parking line and the parking meter, implying it’s legal.

[jrenaut]

@dasgeh 179443 wrote:

In the video, you can clearly see the parking line and the parking meter, implying it’s legal.

Ah, so you can. I stand corrected. That’s REALLY on DDOT then.

[Judd]

There will be a ride of silence to mourn the needles death of Jeffrey Long. The ride is on Thursday, July 12th. Meet in front of Peet’s Coffee at 1156 15th St NW starting at 5:15. Ride starts at 5:30.

Full details here:
https://www.facebook.com/events/667288696971085/

[mstone]

@jrenaut 179444 wrote:

Ah, so you can. I stand corrected. That’s REALLY on DDOT then.

If you’re talking about taking away parking, it’s clear that your priorities are just all wrong.

[elbows]

Haven’t seen any coverage of the ride. What am I missing?

[dasgeh]

@elbows 179562 wrote:

Haven’t seen any coverage of the ride. What am I missing?

It was all over twitter.

[Judd]

@elbows 179562 wrote:

Haven’t seen any coverage of the ride. What am I missing?

Channel 5 and Channel 7 were there. Channel 5 interviewed Rachel before the ride. Luz Lazo from the Washington Post was there with a photographer. I haven’t seen anything air or go to press yet.

Lots of Twitter and Facebook activity.

There is stuff going on behind the scenes.

[Author]

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