1. 09:25 3rd Jun 2009

    Becky and I just saw a kid on a bike get hit by a car at the Sparty’s intersection (one of the most dangerous on campus, IMHO). He was of course, riding on the sidewalk, using the crosswalk, without a helmet. Becky called 911 and I rushed up along with a bunch of other folks to see if he was alright. It looked like he had hit his head pretty badly - there was a bit of blood, but not too much. Someone tried to move him, and I suggested we stay right there until either he felt good enough to walk on his own or we got some medical help there. A cop pulled up close to 2 minutes after it all happened. Hopefully the cyclist just escaped with some bruises and scrapes - and the strong desire to wear a helmet.

    Cyclists: Please think twice about riding on the crosswalk through intersections. After a couple of close calls I now refuse to roll through this intersection as anything but traffic. Please consider riding as traffic whenever you can - you actually have to be MORE vigilant on the sidewalk. Also, please, please wear a helmet. The first thing the cop checked this kid for was concussion/head injuries and I wouldn’t have been surprised if he had one. Had he been wearing a helmet, his main visible injury would have been absorbed by it.

    Be careful out there.