[NMCycling] Santa Fe Cyclist struck

[Sam Rynas via Bike-racers]

Ways to get involved and help change the infrastructure:
https://www.santafenm.gov/bicycle_trails_advisory_committee_packets

*NEXT MEETING: Wednesday, November 15, 2017, 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.*

*City Hall Council Chambers*

*200 Lincoln Ave.*


Info on the plans for trail systems: http://www.sfct.org/trails/gusto  I
believe there is a public meeting soon about the planning for extending the
river trail.

As always call representatives and talk/yell their ear off.

Also... Mayor candidates in state fe...Where do they stand on developing
the city?? (Gonzales was pretty vocal about cycling being unsafe...)

Just a quick (in bureaucratic terms) way to help.


On Tue, Nov 14, 2017 at 11:13 AM, Jackie Shane via Bike-racers <
bike-racers at mailman.swcp.com> wrote:

> Last Friday Irena Ossola was struck by a driver in Santa Fe and nearly
> killed.    http://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/santa-fe-c
> yclist-seriously-injured-in-accident/article_266ccca9-913f-
> 5d3f-bbcd-309b67ef1b7f.html
>
> Irena was struck by a man in an SUV who turned left into her as Irena was
> proceeding straight down the hill.  The driver claimed that the sun was in
> his eye, so he proceeded anyway.  The driver has not been cited.  Though
> the NM sun is indeed harsh as the sun sets, I visited the scene and found
> that at this point in the road, the sun is actually blocked by a house and
> some trees.  Besides it being unlawful to turn when one is blinded, I see
> no reason for the driver to have had this handicap at all.  Irena is
> currently at UNMH stable and probably unconscious after two surgeries to
> repair her eye, her shoulder, her hand, which had five fractures, and other
> sustained injuries.  She is looking at a painful and long recovery.  A week
> ago she was a pro-cyclist representing New Mexico internationally.
>
> Irena was struck on Alameda just west of the Siler traffic circle where
> the city ends, and the county jurisdiction takes over.  I hold the driver
> at fault.  However, several years ago I complained to the MPO, the NMDOT
> and our Governor about how unsafe this area is.  I was ignored by the
> Governor, told that partial paving is fine by NMDOT, and the MPO said there
> was no money to pave, even though they paved this year (!)
>
> We must do more than just paint some bikes white, do a ride of silence,
> and grab our cars to get to a ride because "cycling in New Mexico is
> getting too dangerous." Oregon cyclists sued their way to a better
> infrastructure.   I hope that Irena, who will have legal standing because
> of her injuries, will have her day in court, but that is her personal
> choice.  We need to ask ourselves, what can we do to make our state a safer
> place to ride.
>
> Jackie Shane
>
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-- 
Samantha Rynas
(252) 269-0957 (C)
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