The executive director of the Cardiff 101 Main Street Association, a staunch pedestrian and cycling advocate, was critically injured Saturday morning when she was struck by a truck while riding her bicycle in Leucadia.UPDATE: Roberta recovery updates here.
Roberta Walker was struck shortly after 6 a.m. on North Coast Highway 101 in front of the Leucadia Post Office. The impact of the collision threw her a significant distance and she was briefly unconscious.
Walker was transported to Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, where she is listed in critical but stable condition after suffering serious injuries to her brain and spine, as well as several broken bones, according to Kellie Shay Hinze, Walker’s friend and executive director of Cardiff 101’s sister organization, Leucadia 101 Main Street.
Sunday, December 9, 2018
Cyclist critically injured on 101 in Leucada
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According to Kelly Shay Hinze, exec director of the L101:
ReplyDelete“It could have been any of us that chose to opt out of car travel and enjoy Encinitas on bike.”
and:
“She has been a fierce advocate for safe biking and walking facilities for many years and I know she will continue to inspire this community to do better for the safety of our local streets of Encinitas.”
It seems inappropriate to use this tragedy to be opportunistic and slyly lobby for Streetscape. Hinze is described in the article as being friends with Walker and describes her in a Facebook post as "wonderful Roberta."
This accident sounds serious and Hinze should not be capitalizing on her friend's misfortune to push the L101 agenda.
The Streetscape project would have prevented this horrific incident. So all of you anti-Streetscape folks need to take a hard look at reality. This could have been you, or your son, or your daughter. She was following all of the proper rules of the road, and now she is in a coma. I am a friend of Roberta's, and I know that she would have wanted her misfortune used to ensure that something similar did not happen to someone else. So don't call our Kellie for "capitalizing on her friend's misfortune" - Kellie is doing exactly what Roberta would have wanted her to do. Have some respect, please.
DeleteI wish I had your ability to into the future with such certainty, 2:39.
DeleteWhat would have happened had she been squeezed into a roundabout with a car, in the dark? There's your reality. What does your Magic 8 Ball tell you about that situation?
She was following the proper rules? How do you know? Nothing of the kind has been reported.
And "our Kellie?" Please, yourself. Her comments were in very poor taste - what they used to call "unseemly."
Shame.
DeleteThis is 3:58 and I agree.
DeleteHags who fight to delay safety improvements and stoke road rage at cyclists have blood on their hands.
ReplyDeleteShame.
Shame.
Shame.
So you have info that this was a road rage incident, 6:28? Or are you also using this tragedy to push streetscape?
DeleteShame.
Guys, someone is seriously hurt here. Save the petty arguing for another time and place.
DeleteI get that, which is why I pointed out the tasteless comments made by the Cardiff 101 sister organization. Someone is hurt here and Hinze should not have used the accident to turn Walker into a political football.
DeleteSorry, L101 sister org to Walker's Cardiff 101.
Delete6:28PM We know exactly who those "HAGS" are!! Shall we dress them in red robes and white bonnets as well?
ReplyDeleteRegardless of politics, cannot we all pray for her recovery?
ReplyDeleteYou and I will, whoever you are. Thanks.
DeleteRide on Neptune!
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know what actually happened? All the reporting is oddly lacking in details.
ReplyDelete10:33 AM
ReplyDeleteAccording to the Del Mar Times:
"Both Walker and the truck were in a lane with a painted “sharrow” marking, which is used to indicate that the space is for vehicles and bicycles, sheriff’s Sgt. Agustin Rosas said.
The truck stopped after the collision. Drugs and alcohol were not suspected factors in the crash, according to Rosas.
“It was still kind of dark so that could have contributed to the crash,” the sergeant said."
Thank you, 11:26. So both were traveling on the 101 when the driver came up behind Walker and just hit her? Sunrise isn't until 6:40 or so, so it would have been more than "kind of" dark out. I wonder if Walker had lights on her bike or was dressed in reflective clothing, both of which would have made her visible.
DeleteThe driver wasn't charged with anything at the time. We'll have to wait for the sheriff's determination.
A bicyclist has every right to be in a sharrow and my guess is that at that time of morning the driver wasn't expecting a bicycle. The article said she got thrown pretty far so he must have hit her at a fairly high rate of speed. I'm not saying he was speeding but he either didn't brake or baked way too late.
DeleteI'm wondering why he didn't see her. What was she wearing and did she have flashing lights on her bike, front and back? Which direction were they each traveling? I still find it odd that these details are withheld.
DeleteThe Traffic Commission discussed the sharrows last night and the Traffic Enginner said the city will be removing all the sharrows on Coast Hwy and replacing them with green sharrows for $60,000. To be done in 2 weeks. For that much money they could be painted with gold.
Delete2:05 PM
ReplyDeleteOpps. should be "or braked way too late."
Was either participant tested for drugs or alcohol? If not, why not?
ReplyDeleteUsually when we hear of a pedestrian/bicyclist vs. car collision, the details are numerous: what the person was wearing, where they were going, were they distracted, listening to music?
We're not getting any of the usual reporting from the media or the sheriff. Everything is copycat, with no independent articles - not even on the radio. The focus is on her job with Cardiff 101, cycling activism, and support of Streetscape. Very strange.
Quote from the officer at the scene:
ReplyDeleteAlcohol and drugs were not considered to be factors in the crash, Perkins said.
For either party? It wasn't clear from what I read, but I guess we can assume both sides were clean.
DeleteLate update to article in Del Mar Times:
ReplyDeleteMayor Catherine Blakespear said Dec. 10 that she will request city staff to put together an immediate plan to have the road operate as it will after the Leucadia Streetscape is finished.
“We need a dedicated bike lane there and the roundabouts installed, even if they are only temporary structures,” Blakespear said. “The remaining approvals needed from other agencies for drainage, parking in the rail right of way and other issues should not hold up the city from building basic elements of the project to improve safety. We need to see the safety of that road improved now.”
Which city staff member gets the short straw and has to tell the mayor that temporary roundabouts won't happen. The road is not made out of playdoh. You know it won't be KB.
DeleteThey do temps in other cities. I say go for it. A cheap way to test the things; if they work, folks will step aside and say bring on the $30M + bond obligation. If they don't, we will have learned a lesson on the cheap.
DeleteRemove the sharrows. The city is responsible for giving bicycle riders a false sense of security.
ReplyDeleteSo without hearing the facts, Blakespear is full speed ahead on Streetscape.
ReplyDeleteStill wondering why none of the usual details we'd have heard by now are not being reported.
Hi all,
ReplyDeleteAt the time of releasing our story, Saturday night, there weren't a ton of details to be given. But we will be updating our story for Friday's paper with more information about the accident itself and ancillary details. Thanks
By "we" I assume you mean the Coast News and that you are Aaron Burgin, who originally covered the story. Will you include in your update the normal details we should expect from a newspaper article? Is there a reason you can't publish in the online version without waiting until Friday?
DeleteOne usually learns what the person was wearing (dark or reflective clothing), whether they were wearing a helmet, whether their bicycle had front and rear lights, whether they had earbuds in, whether the driver of the car was distracted, had burned-out headlights, etc. I'm sure you know what a standard accident report should include.
Five days into this and we don't know anything about the accident, yet the mayor is taking immediate action. It's all very strange.
Will look forward to your update, Aaron. Hopefully your piece will be heavy on the actual accident details and light on the city spin.
Sorry but all that information will not be available until the TC report is prepared and signed off. For an injury accident of this type, expect 2 to 3 weeks.
DeleteWhat is a TC report please, Aaron?
DeleteYes, this is Aaron Burgin the reporter. When I communicate on this page, I put my name out there.
DeleteAs far as your understanding of traffic collisions and the reporting process, I believe that 5:11 PM said it as succinct as I can: these things take time. The "TC" or traffic collision report, may take days, weeks or sometimes months, depending on the complexity of the accident. All of the things that you've mentioned in your response, 2:04, I've asked the sheriff's traffic sergeant. They haven't released the answers yet. Rather than taking shots at the reporting (heavy on actual accident details and light on the city spin), please trust that this isn't my first accident coverage. I've covered NTSB-led investigations where the details aren't known for a year, fatal car accidents on two-lane highways that took months to deconstruct. As the details of this accident become available, rest assured our readers will get them.
And re: city spin. When writing a story like this, you're naturally going to get reaction from people who knew her, and people who worked with her in her capacity at C101. That's not spin, that's just reporting. So please chill with the extras.
And you're not interviewing people who know her in other capacities because...? Doesn't fit your bias, perhaps?
DeleteRemove all on-street parking and in place of it paint a 7' bike lane and 3' buffer. What do we value more?
ReplyDeleteThen what will the merchants pushing streetscape do for customers? You going to send all onstreet 101 parking out into the neighborhoods? The city is getting ready to designate several Neptune/101 cross streets as one way. That will further discourage shoppers.
DeleteThis is actually getting to be quite funny.
What's not funny is using this persons unfortunate accident to push an agenda.
DeleteAgree, which is why so many read Hinze's comments as inappropriate.
DeleteSeparate from Walker that is getting to be funny is the city trying to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. The more it digs in, the worse it all gets. The more it tries to fix the impact Streetscape will have, the crazier the solutions. SOP at city hall.
KLCC is clueless. The roadway needs to be changed immediately, this incident is just another in a long line of bicycles being mowed over.
DeleteBicycle have the same rights to the roadway and this driver should be prosecuted and sewed for damages. That road was designed for over 50mph and thats what drivers drive.
Without changing road expect more carnage of bicyclist. Bikes use Neptune and Hwy 101 like they should. Vehicle drivers need to pay attention when driving.
What news report did you read, 9:43, that says the car driver was speeding and not paying attention? Do share your solid source with us.
DeleteWe’re done debating this.
DeleteGo wash the blood off your hands and sleep if you can.
It’s simple.
ReplyDeleteThe road is unsafe.
Cyclists are being killed.
A plan has been approved to fix the raid and save lives.
Nothing else matters.
Fix the road.
"A plan has been approved." A crappy, ridiculous plan that will further endanger those who use the 101 whether car or bicycle. That was Shaffer's "it's been decided" plan.
DeleteFix the potholes on Vulcan. Spend the $30M on real road improvements, not creating "vibrancy." You can really see Norby's hand guiding this, his vision all along was roundabouts "as a unifying theme" for Encinitas.
Let's see what the temporary installments Blakespear is demanding brings, then we can see whether it's worth throwing $30M at your "fix."
7:03 - with streetscape, one will need a calculator to tally the rotary-induced mayhem.
Deleteforcing cars and bikes into one lane is so glaringly stupid and dangerous.
Is 101 safe from Encinitas Blvd to K Street? Is Encinitas Blvd safe? Is El Cam Real safe? Is Quail Gardens Drive safe? Is Leucadia Blvd safe? Is 101 through Solana Beach safe? How about through Del Mar?
ReplyDeleteDon't ride on Leucadia 101. Ride on Neptune!
Neptune is 1-way headed north and the traffic commission at their last meeting confirmed that this applies to bicycles as well as motor vehicles. Vulcan won't work either as there is no legal way to cross the tracks ner where she was hit.
DeletePeople ride bikes south on Neptune all day every day. One way for bikes on Neptune is never enforced because it's silly and completely impractical.
DeleteWhen I pull out on Neptune from a driveway, side street, or the parking lot at Beacon’s, and I hit you on your bike after not looking for traffic going the wrong way on a one way street, I will expect your estate to pay for the damage to my car.
DeleteWalkers, runners, skateboarders, roller skaters and bicyclists heading south on Neptune will see you when you're not alert enough to see them.
Deletehttps://youtu.be/hbcjUsDCGaw
ReplyDelete$5 solution
The big question is why would anyone ride a bicycle in the slow lane while it was still dark?
ReplyDeleteKellie Shay Hinze as director of the Leucadia 101 mainstreet association should reveal that her organization receives taxpayer money from the city council. She has an interest in pushing for the $30 million streetscape.
ReplyDeleteExtremely old news! L101 gets $30K per year, the other two MS orgs get $20K each. Last time the grants were given, the C of C started getting taxpayer money again too. It's public money going to support what are really associations of private, profit-making merchants and property owners. It's an unjustified subsidy.
ReplyDeleteHinze and her predecessors are welfare queens!
Still waiting to hear back from you, Aaron - what does "TC" mean when you say you're waiting for those results regarding the accident, please?
ReplyDelete"Never mind" - see Traffic Collision report above.
DeleteFrom the comments on the Coast News article:
ReplyDeleteEli 2 hours ago
I was one of the first people to stop on the scene of this accident, yes it is tragic but the bike in question had no lights or reflectors on it and the rider was not wearing a Reflective vest. We need to improve safety for bike riding no question but this accident was at dawns light and bikers need to play their part in the work of safety on the 101. I wish Miss Walker a Swift recovery.
So there you have it, assuming Eli was one of the first on the scene and is telling the truth.
DeleteNo lights or reflectors on the bike or rider, pre-dawn darkness. Previous news reports said the tragic accident happened in front of the Leucadia post office, and the rider was heading south. The post office is at the corner of Phoebe, the rider lives on Phoebe.
So all the folks who have used the tragedy to push their agenda have something to think about. The finger-pointing and shameful blood-on-your-hands accusations don't apply.
Riders have to take responsibility for their own safety: Lights, reflectors, helmets, alternate routes away from traffic. Stop blaming drivers for your own negligence.
Cars and trucks make up more than 90 percent of the road use. Bicyclists are vulnerable due to their inherent disadvantage. They're outnumbered, outweighed and not encased in steel. They should be safety aware for their own protection and stop self-righteously demonizing drivers.
Blakespear going wacko in her latest newsletter using Walker as a political football to push a trophy project.
ReplyDeleteWhen the fellow in the wheelchair appeared not once, but twice before her with photos of accidents that put him in the hospital due to unsafe conditions, what was her weirdly upbeat response both times? "You'll be happy to know it's on our two-year planning horizon to fix that area." One of the issues was an electrical box installed in the middle of the sidewalk. Real message to him: "Deal with it until it's a priority for me, which won't be until it rises to the trophy project level."
Fixing the street so that he and others won't continue to be put in harm's way won't make it onto her resume. The fellow in the wheelchair is of no political use to Blakespear. She did not organize a wheelchair ride for him. She did not direct staff to take immediate action to ensure he is not put in the hospital again. He is of no use to her.
The woman is not caring and wonderful. She is calculating. The more of a martyr she makes of Roberta Walker, the easier is for her to push her 101 agenda.
Folks are wondering why no accident report yet? The more Blakespear grandstands without the facts, the more of an opportunist she appears.
The bikers need a separate off road bike lane or its just not gonna work. Maybe a bike lane off Vulcan? The sharrows is probably the most dangerous set up out there a bad idea from the beginning. If anyone thinks traffic wont be 100 times worse with the one lane streetscape idea you need to spend one day on the 101 to see for yourself that its already a mess that will only get worse even staying the way it is. The biggest problem is the Leucadia/101 junction. No round abouts north or south will ever fix that and a one lane going into that will back it up to Encinitas easy. Sad that it takes an accident like Robertas to figure these things out I mean look how many not so critical accidents happen almost everyday on the 101. Figure it out because this city will only get more populated in years to come.
ReplyDelete