Bicycle accident, April 19, 20164-door Truck hit me from behind (12 oclock) , travelling south on Washington Street (street diagram below). Following being struck, had a concussion (helmet on, but struck the pavement), and was unresponsive. Bike was demolished. Subsequently I was transported via ambulance to the emergency room, fractured pelvis (2 places), multiple cut/scrape wounds. Bike was running 2 rear lights.
No ticket issued by Stillwater Police
Accident Report, April 19, 2016
Ambulance Report, April 19, 2016
6:30 am, April 19, Stillwater, OK.
Mesonet data: wind was out
of the East (4), at 5.86 mph
(East wind did not influence bike velocity
travelling south)
Bike ride began at 1416 W. Liberty and proceeded down W. Lakeview Rd. Then proceeded onto Brooke Hollow Dr. to where it interesects with N Washington. Once on N Washington, heading was south. 251 ft south of Brooke Hollow Dr. (83 feet south of W. Brooke Ln), I was struck from behind by a truck. If the truck was travelling at 25 mph, it would have taken 6.8 seconds to travel from Brooke Hollow Dr. to the Point of Impact (POI, see diagram).
For the truck, from the point where near level driving would have been achieved (see diagram, red line), a distance of of 572 ft would have been covered at 25 mph and would have taken 15.6 seconds.
The same 15.6 seconds (working backwards) for the bike would have put me at
Brook Hollow Dr. (estimated speed of 11 mph, for a bike)When I got on to Washington Street, 0 to 11 mph in 2-3 seconds, 11 mph
from there forward, where was the pickup? ANSWER: 572.5 feet away from
the POI.
From Brooke Hollow Dr. to the POI, at 25 mph took
6.8 seconds. There is absolutely no way that he could not have seen
me. Also, he would have seen me, long before that (at least 200 feet
north of Brooke Hollow Dr., or the point on the road where the road became
perfectly straight). This computes to 5.4 seconds (for the 200 feet)
and 6.8 seconds (for the 251 feet) or 12.1 seconds TOTAL (to travel 451 ft
at 25 mph).
TRUCK
Distance from Brook Hollow Dr to accident location = 251 ft
25 mph = 36.7 feet per second
TIME elapsed = 6.8 seconds
BIKE
Distance from Brook Hollow Dr to accident location
= 251 ft
11 mph =
16.1 ft/sec
TIME
elapsed = 15.6 seconds
At 25 mph (36.7 ft/sec) 15.6 seconds = 572.5 ft (away from POI)
Once moving from Brooke Hollow Drive onto Washington, travelling at
11
mph = 16.1 feet per second
TIME elapsed = 15.6 seconds
(driver of the
truck, had to have seen me for this period of time, if he was paying
attention) 15.6 seconds is a long time to be completely inattentive.
SHARE THE ROAD
1.
First sign is on the west side of N Wahsington St, approximately 40 feet
south of Brook Hollow Dr. This sign was clearly visible, 211 feet
before the POI (point of impact). At 25 mph, from the sign to the POI
would have been 5.7 seconds.
2. A total of 4 "SHARE THE ROAD" signs are on N Washington Street from Brooke Hollow Drive to the intersection with Hall of Fame.
Stillwater Oklahoma: This picture is on Washington Street, looking North. The area marked as the supposed "bike lane" is not navigable. If the next 3 feet constitute riding as far right as possible, and the "3-Feet Please" law from that point is enforced, the actual biking lane will overlap the center of the far right lane (4-lane street).
For a city that wants to be "bike friendly" where exactly is the biker supposed to ride? The sidewalk is obviously an option, but untenable with runners/walkers/pedestrians.
B. Truck Speed: 25 mph, = 36.7 feet/second (From Brooke Hollow Dr, to impact, at 25 mph took 6.8 seconds) (251 feet)
Bike Speed: 11 mph = 16.1 feet/second
Closing Speed (A): 19 mph = 27.8 feet/second
Closing Speed (B): 14 mph = 20.5 feet/second