New York bicyclist killed in Wyoming after reckless decision

When a 59-year-old man from New York went out on a bike ride in Wyoming recently, he probably didn’t think it would end with a fatal wreck that would claim his life. But unfortunately that’s exactly what happened. The group of bikers was traveling down the road when the 59-year-old man decided to try to cross a street on his own. The bicyclist was struck by a vehicle during it’s cross, and the man died soon after the crash.

The police are not blaming the driver of the vehicle for the wreck, as they will not cite the driver because of the crash. They say the bike “turned in front of” the vehicle.

When it comes to bicycle accidents, we often talk about the role that the cars play in the wreck. Usually the drivers were not paying attention to the bicyclist or they were simply dismissive of the rules of the road. As a result, a bicyclist is seriously or fatally injured.

But what this story reminds us is that even though many bicycle accidents are caused by a motor vehicle driver’s negligence, there are cases where the bicyclist is actually the reckless one. Bicyclists need to do everything they can to protect themselves. They need to wear helmets; they need to respect motor vehicles out on the road; and most importantly, they need to respect the rules of the road. When a biker is hurt by another vehicle, the person responsible for that other vehicle should be held accountable if they are at fault. But at the same time, biker’s can’t go out riding negligently either.

Source: WKBW, “Western New Yorker Killed in Bicycle Accident,” Associated Press, July 1, 2014