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Bicyclist killed in Milton crash
By adamg on Wed, 11/18/2020 - 10:47am
State Police report a 70-year-old bicyclist from Dorchester was killed in a crash with a utility truck at Blue Hills Parkway and Eliot Street around 3 p.m. on Tuesday.
Preliminary investigation by State Police-Milton indicates that a large utility truck was traveling northbound on Blue Hills Parkway taking a right onto Eliot Street when it made contact with the bicyclist. The 62-year-old male operator of the truck was transported to an area hospital. The bicyclist was determined to be deceased on scene.
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Comments
While I wait for criminal charges....
.... let's play traffic violation bingo.
I will hypothesize that we have a failure to yield (bicycle lane is the right-most lane) and a weight limit violation (Elliot St. has a 2.4 ton limit).
Any info about...
...where the cyclist was and which way she was traveling when the truck "made contact" with her? It's important to understand exactly how the crash occurred, though I don't often see those details. (One exception is the thoroughly-researched analysis of Anita Kurmann's death, which took countless hours of research and FOI requests by several volunteers.)
Subject to confirmation
I read they were both traveling north on Blue Hills, but since I can't find that reference now, consider that for what's it's worth.
No cameras
That I can find on Google street view. There might be a dash cam in the truck but I can't find any reference to it.
"Made contact with the
"Made contact with the bicyclist" Should read "when it killed a bicyclist."
I hate these stories
When I'm biking, I always treat vehicles larger than a car like they are going to swerve into my lane at any time. My condolences to her family.
Does not help
These things happen when someone starts to pass you and then kills you.
Crappy area to bicycle or drive
I know playing "who's to blame" in crashes like these is practically a pastime here, but as somebody who has both bicycle commuted and driven through that area, it's a shit show. There's a lot happening from a lot of different directions in a small area at too much speed. Everything about where Blue Hills Ave and Blue Hills Parkway come together sucks for everybody trying to use the area.
The cyclist
This was a person well known to me. She was a very respected member of the larger Boston community. Her death is devastating news today to an immense number of people. May she Rest In Peace.
Yes, all my children went to
Yes, all my children went to YA.
Geezus...
There is a bike lane there and everything. Truck operator should have checked mirrors, and that truck should have an array of mirrors that prevent any side blind spots. This is potentially vehicular homicide, from my POV.
For fellow cyclists out there, be safe! Please don't construe the following as victim blaming; I just like sharing defensive biking techniques so we have our best chances out there. RIP Virginia Chalmers of Dorchester.
How to Not Get Hit by Cars - Important lessons in Bicycle Safety: https://bicyclesafe.com/
This collision is covered by types 5, 6, and 7 in this guide. Avoid anything longer than a passing moment in a motor vehicle's blind spot. Stay behind or be able to overtake a vehicle before it can go right at an intersection, or to a new lane.
I recall reading something by ...
... a truck driver a few years ago who said blind spots are a myth. He said truck drivers don’t take the time to adjust their mirrors and/or don’t check them.
No motor vehicle should be permitted on the road that does have a blind spot.
How about we wait for some
How about we wait for some facts. You know those curious things.
Everyone (but Kinipio) is to blame here
We do not treat driving as the dangerous activity that it is. Drivers' deadly errors are excused because "well, that could have been me making the 'mistake.'"
Here are some of the ways it goes wrong:
Police slant their reports.
DAs don't pursue prosecution.
Grand juries don't indict.
Juries don't convict.
And so no one learns the lesson that you need to be more careful when slinging your multi-ton hunk of metal around in public spaces.
Meanwhile we have this entirely preventable loss of life happen over and over and over and over.
It's all so stupid that it's heartbreaking.
Well said, especially...
... “Drivers' deadly errors are excused because "well, that could have been me making the 'mistake.'"”
Very sad.
I imagine the victim had been riding a bike most of her life, enjoyed good health as a result only to be done in by a driver and poor infrastructure.
Very sad.
.
Ms. Chalmers was my children
Ms. Chalmers was my children's elementary and middle school principal. She was the nicest lady. She was Young Achievers and believed in BPS. My whole family is truly saddened today. She meant alot to us
We were family and I'll miss her truly.
I'm sorry.
What an awful loss for so many.
Words matter. Please write a better headline.
Please be mindful of your headlines. "...bicyclist from Dorchester was killed in a crash with a utility truck.." This totally takes the blame off the driver and puts it on the victim/vehicle. The truck may have been the means but it was the driver behind the wheel that killed the cyclist. You do not see headlines that say, "gun kills individual" since it takes the blame away from the person who used it.
Right-hand turns are super dangerous to cyclists when inattentive drivers do not check their mirrors or are unaware of cyclists around them. As a long-time commuter and road-aware cyclist, I've been the victim (luckily able to tell the tale) of a right-hand turn by more than one inattentive driver.