Last Friday Irena Ossola was struck by a driver in Santa Fe and nearly killed.    http://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/santa-fe-cyclist-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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