By Gus Saltonstall
A pedestrian struck by a cyclist in Central Park last week succumbed to his injuries on Sunday, the man’s family announced.
Richie O’Brien, 41, was walking to his job as a union steamfitter around 6:35 a.m. on Wednesday, September 23, when he was struck by a 32-year-old cyclist on a pedal bike, police said.
An NYPD spokesperson told West Side Rag that the collision happened near the Metropolitan Museum of Art within the park on East Drive at 84th Street.
“The bicyclist struck the pedestrian causing him to fall to the ground sustaining severe head trauma,” police told West Side Rag in an email.
O’Brien was rushed to Weill-Cornell hospital in critical condition with severe head trauma, and placed in a medically induced coma.
The bicyclist remained on the scene with minor injuries, police told WSR. There have been no arrests, according to NYPD.
O’Brien died on Sunday morning, his family announced online.
“Richie passed away peacefully in the early morning hours of Sunday, September 27, with Ronni [his wife] by his side,” the note read. “Although our hearts are broken by this unimaginable loss, Richie’s legacy will live on. He was able to give the gift of life to others through organ donation, helping those in need even in his final moments.”
O’Brien is survived by his wife Ronni and their eight- and 12-year-old daughters.
“Ronni has been a devoted stay-at-home mom, dedicating herself to raising their two daughters, Kylie and Mia, who are just 8 and 12 years old,” reads a note connected to a fundraiser for the family. “Now, while caring for her children and remaining by Richie’s side through this unimaginable time, she is also facing the uncertainty of having to support her family without Richie’s income.”
The investigation remains ongoing by the NYPD Highway District’s Collision Investigation Squad.
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What a tragic loss 🙁 Bike speeds have gotten out of control. They are so dangerous. We need better laws and stronger enforcement to keep pedestrians safe from reckless cyclists. Rest easy, Mr O’Brien <3
I agree – we need to enforce jaywalking to keep pedestrians safe.
I was there. The pedestrian stepped into the bike travel lane in the dark, yards away from a crossing. No enforcement of bike laws would have helped. It is a tragedy, for this man, his family and for the cyclist. It was also avoidable.
Going SLOWER would have avoided it. LIGHTS on the BIKE would have avoided it!
Can you estimate how fast the bike was going? Did it have a headlight?
The accident happened at 6:35am at which time headlights are not required on bikes.
Poor guy was supporting three people plus himself. He checked out quickly and (in the end) peacefully.
Many or most cyclists in the park ride at a speed that is not consistent with a road where pedestrians may step out onto the road.
BAN BIKES!
Many pedestrians step on to a road all around the city. Shall we ban cars?
How about pedestrians paying attention to what they are doing?
This is just heartbreaking. We need more regulation and enforcement. Period.
Do you have any evidence to suggest that the cyclist was not following the rules?
What we NEED is for people to look both ways when crossing busy streets/bike lanes
I learned that rule while in elementary school. It is part of being parents.
We do. It’s the bicyclists who ride without looking.
I DO! It doesn’t always help!! The bikes are going so fast in both directions and sometimes it’s impossible to be quick or nimble enough to get out of the way.
You are blaming blameless people.And now this poor man is dead, leaving his wife and children forever bereft. Shame on you.
WE DO!! How about you cyclists adhering to the rules if the road…!?
The park is not a busy street. It is a PARK.
Yes, a PARK not a race track for bikes!
Correct, and bikes do not belong on Park paths.
This was not on a path, it was on a designated bike route.
I looked both ways, twice, and a speeding e-bike came outta nowhere from behind and knocked me to the ground. After almost 12 weeks of PT I can now say that I can walk again without much pain.
That’s the attitude that leads to such accidents.
The attitude that I need not look in both directions is what causes accidents.
When a one-way Street becomes an undeclared two-way street (like Amsterdam avenue in the 90s) because bikers are going the wrong way, why is it the pedestrians’ job to look in both directions? Well, the answer is self-defense, because the bikers do not follow the law. I have learned through several close calls that although Amsterdam avenue bike lane is nominally one way, I must look in both directions because otherwise a disaster may befall me, not of my own making. Most often it is delivery bikers who want to make all possible speed so they can gather more tips. Their employers should be held responsible, they should be licensed and fined when their delivery workers do these illegal maneuvers and cause damage or injuries or worse.
This biker was not going the wrong direction.
I always thought Amsterdam is especially dangerous. The problem is the bike lane is between the restaurant sheds and the curb. I’m amazed more crashes don’t happen.
Wrong, it’s careless bikers, this includes e-bikes and scooters that feel entitled to rule the road and even sidewalks.
I live in Little neck Queens and every time I walk to N Blvd there are Bikes on the sidewalk..I Never see the police giving tickets!!
And the attitude that bikers have more rights than pedestrians is what REALLY causes the accidents.
Amen!
I always look and even with that, have almost been mowed down by cyclists NOT LOOKING, when I obviously have the light or the right of way
Everyone I know now has to look both ways. I almost got nailed by a fill-in-the-blank on a bike riding in the wrong direction and he flipped ME the bird. Yes, riding in the wrong direction. Only because I did look both ways did I avoid getting nailed. What we need actually are riders who yield to pedestrians just like cars need to yield to pedestrians and bikes as long as both are following the law and not jay-walking, etc.
The one that nearly mowed me down actually spat at me as he passed, going against the light, when I had barely entered the crosswalk.
I 100% agree with you that bikes need to follow rules, particularly in terms of one way streets, and not go too fast. I see people going the wrong way every day, often at fast speeds, and it is very frustrating. I often make a comment and get sneered at.
In return, pedestrians need to move as quickly as they can to get across streets. It kills me to see bikes or cars patiently waiting while a pedestrian very slowly crosses a street, usually with their head buried in their phone. I wish there were a feature that deactivated the screen on a phone when someone is walking – get across the street and step to the side.
Pedestrians have the right of way but not when jay walking. Seniors are slower and many times don’t make the lights. It’s unfortunate that most are in a rush, bikers are at the fastest speeds, many times on sidewalks, riding opposite directions, and Pedestrians are looking both ways. But we have to be prayerful, watchful, and diligent at all times with our safety. God bless the children traveling on foot, seniors, and everyone just trying to navigate through a busy, crowded, noisy city of people rushing to go somewhere. May God give strength and healing to the man’s wife and children.
No, we can walk any speed we want to and/or are able to.
i thought parks were a place for calm and enjoyment!
Which many people find in biking. There are plenty of places in the park for everyone to find calm and enjoyment, it’s called sharing.
I walk with a cane because of severe, painful sciatica. My phone is zippered away inside my pocketbook. I CANNOT get out of the way quickly as I walk slowly and carefully. Sorry, but cyclists are always in a rush to get nowhere fast. Put a few in prison and see if they change their behavior. Let them get to Attica and see how slowly they decide to go instead. Stop victim blaming.
I wrote “as quickly as they can” for a reason – some can move more quickly than others and I fully appreciate that. My comment was directed at those who are capable of moving quickly but do not, largely because of their phones. I’m not telling people to sprint – just walk like a normal person, to the best of your ability.
I also agree with you that there should be meaningful penalties for those who break the law.
The world is not binary – we can implement policies to crack down on the major problem of bad bikers while also acknowledging that some pedestrians are at fault. This is not victim blaming. That is ridiculously simplistic. Unfortunately, all of these comment sections end up devolving into that type of thinking. It is sad that people think that way.
I havent been cursed at bit over and over again, bicyclist going the wrong way, bicyclists going through red lights. And they are not ashamed at all.
Have you ever seen a pedestrian apologizing for going through a red light? We ALL cross against the light on foot, or at least the overwhelming majority of us.
Was he crossing? It says he was walking on East Drive. He could have been walking in the pedestrian lane.
He was crossing. He was in the bike lane. On foot, before dawn, in the dark and yards away from the crossing.
Why didn’t the bike have a LIGHT?? It should be illegal to ride at that hour without a light.
There is a law regarding front lights on bikes. The cyclist was well within the rules of the law.
How do you know he didn’t?
Andrew,
Certainly the early hour and that it was dark is important context.
But regarding overall policy (not this specific case) – if the City removed vehicles from the park, IMO bicycles going at a high speed (beyond 20 MPH) should not be permitted in a park either.
BTW I know two people who were hit by Citibikers in CP – in daylight.
One was hit in the back and suffered severe wrist, arm and jaw injuries requiring 5 surgeries.
It should also be remembered that people injured by bicycles must cover their own medical costs – no insurance as would be if a car driver hit a pedestrian.
Parent – did you know that it was the hobby cyclists who advocated to get the cars to be removed from the park in the first place.
The framing is interesting here – most outlets have said they collided – not that the cyclist struck the runner. Your reporting makes it sound like the cyclist alone here is at fault – something that both the family of the decedent and the cyclist in question have acknolowedged is not true.
More often than not, it has been the cyclists’ fault.
Do you have evidence for that claim?
Bikers go FAST.. Walkers not so much. .. The bike paths curve round the park.. Not always possible to see them speeding towards you. !! Very dangerous.
Runner? Did you read the article? From the second paragraph: “Richie O’Brien, 41, was walking to his job as a union steamfitter around 6:35 a.m. on Wednesday, September 23, when he was struck “
Even Streetsblog uses the “cyclist struck pedestrian” framing. Not sure what you’re talking about.
What sources do you have that says the deceased was a runner training in the morning? Currently, very little details of the crash is available.
It says he was walking to his job as a union representative.
I know. I couldn’t figure out how to edit it.
It’s ironic that your clarification is a misstatement
The Streetblog link in thr article say
According to police and witnesses, Richie O’Brien was walking on the East Drive on his way to work as a union steamfitter
I ride and walk that area more than once a week. If you’re riding past re past the Museum you’re approaching a section of the loop that is filled with pedestrians entering & exiting the park at 84 and 86. AND you slow down and pay attention.
This is on the rider same as it’s on a driver to avoid hitting pedestrians jaywalking on a street.
Filled with pedestrians… at 6:30am on a weekday, well before sunrise this time of year?
Exactly. It was dark. All the more reason for a biker to slow down. Did the bike have lights? Important question too.
Actually last week, when this happened, it would not have been particularly dark at 6:30.
Many people (especially those in trade) start their work at 7 or 7.30am.
When will they finally install speed bumps and slow the bikes down?
YES!!
They will not install speed bumps; everything they’ve done is meant to INCREASE bikes’ speeds. The fact that nearly all of the traffic lights and walk/don’t walk signs have been disabled is evidence of the control TransAlt/StreetsBlog has over the Central Park Conservancy and the Parks Department.
Better yet, force cyclists to carry license plates, insurance, lights, bells, horns, and everything a car has. When will cyclists look where they are going and stop pretending they are in the Tour de France? How could a cyclist NOT see a pedestrian at 6:45 a.m.?
Very few cyclists in the park are racers. Most of us are just on our way somewhere and riding at quite modest speeds. A fair number in Central Park are tourists on rented bikes and quute slow.
No, I would vote for speed bumps over licensing requirements. I am all in favor of bikes replacing cars and bike licensing would be a major hurdle for this trend. I just don’t want those bikes to go fast and traffic calming (speed bumps, raised pedestrian crossings in CP and on NYC streets) is the best solution for this problem.
Or even better, raised pedestrian crossings. The entire crosswalk becomes a speedbump with gentle slopes that a bike needs to slow down in order to get over. Makes crossing the road easier for people in wheelchairs, with strollers, etc.
A pedestrian who collided with a cyclist
Stop. The man was killed and there is NO doubt the cyclist was 100% at fault, because he probably had his head in his phone, had ear buds on, and was speeding. How could he NOT swerve to avoid the collision.
WTF are you talking about? Stop speculating about things on which you have no evidence.
“NO doubt the cyclist was 100% at fault”? OK, Nostradamus. It was before dawn, the pedestrian walked into the cycling lane, not at a crossing. Do any of those factor into your absolutes?
No, a pedestrian who was struck by a cyclist. Struck as in hit. Not collided.
Before everyone goes crazy dumping on cyclists – we have no idea what happened. We don’t know who was where or speed. This time of year it would have been dark.
Actually it would not have been particularly dark at 6:35.
Yes we do! Bike didn’t have a light and was going too fast!
Are you sure? Per the law, lights are not required at 6:35am which is within 30min before the sunrise. You’re very factual without having the facts.
Lights need to be required, as they are on cars and every other vehicle. You don’t ride at speed in the dark.
we dont know whether the bike had lights – we dont know if the cyclist was moving at 5mph – as I said before – we know nothing. People cross the road in dark clothing – witnessed it many times. The park lights are often out in large portions – which does not help. it could have been any combination of things.
If it had been 5mph he wouldn’t be DEAD
Did the pedal bike have a headlight?
Wouldn’t darkness be another reason to go slowly?
And yet they don’t!
All because someone was indulging his Tour de France fantasy. Senseless tragedy.
You don’t know that and your comment smacks of disdain for someone who is doing an activity that you are not capable of and can’t appreciate.
A cyclist should be granted more leeway at 6:35AM when pedestrian activity is much lighter than during later daytime hours.
No! Wrong on every count.
Why should a cyclist be granted more leeway at 6:30 AM? Do we have these rules on other roads? There is a speed limit. It is not time dependent. I understand that many would like to do their training during early morning hours but there are no special laws for thrm. As this tragedy illustrates there are pedestrians at 6:30 too.
What’s to appreciate? It’s riding a bicycle. Probably the least complex form of exercise there is with the bike doing most of the movement. You’re just rotating your legs. Children can do it.
And no, I don’t want to give any leeway to a person who killed a pedestrian because he was going too fast on his bike.
That’s outrageous. A bike can be ridden at varying speeds and those speeds have to be adjusted to the conditions at any given time and place.
At that place there are always pedestrians because there are well used park entrances on 84 and 86 streets.
The flow of pedestrians is constant and they’re really quite visible.
And yes, they come first.
All because someone can’t look up when crossing the street…
Wrong. If you think a pedestrian barreled into a speeding bike, that’s INANE. ANY competent bike rider can, 1). slow down, and 2). swerve to avoid hitting someone or something. And if you fantasize that a bike rider can’t also fly off a bike and smash his or her head against cement, you’re wrong about that, too. There is nothing at all to say either bike or rider wasn’t looking. ONLY ONE was going at any speed, and that was the bike.
I’m not blaming or excusing, but is it not possible that the bike merely caused the pedestrian to fall and the way his head hit was severe enough to result in a critical injury?
Do we know it crashed into the person?
When they think no one’s around, these cyclists get into “the zone.”
If he could be said to be resting, I very much doubt he’s resting in peace.
Tragic for his family!!!
Motorists should always assume pedestrians and cyclists will do stupid things. Cyclists need to assume pedestrians will be reckless. A more dangerous road user should always be more careful with those who are more vulnerable.
Are you purposely being obnoxious?
OMG! Are you that rider?
If the cyclist was traveling at a reasonable speed, he would’ve swerved in time and the impact wouldn’t have been life-ending. This is yet another cyclist list who thinks he owns the road.
An awful lot of east side bad news in the West Side Rag lately.
The East side of Central Park is actually on the West Side since it is west of 5th Ave
This is terribly tragic and I agree with those who say that many of the cyclists go way too fast without regard for pedestrians. When feasible, I would advised pedestrians to try to use the pedestrian underpasses so they don’t need to walk across the loop at all. There’s one such underpass right behind the Met, just a little bit south of where this accident occurred. I’ll go a few blocks out of my way to use those underpasses because I really don’t like crossing the loop when I don’t have to (due to the speeding bikes). I feel like a lot of people don’t know the underpasses are there.
and get mugged?
Underpass is dsngerous in the dark!
Yes, I prefer to use the underpasses, too. Crossing the loop on foot is an experience antithetical to relaxing in nature!
Why place the onus on the pedestrians, when pedestrians have the right of way? Why not suggest that cyclists should walk their bikes through every crosswalk?
yes. And some comments say the pedestrian should have used a cross walk–but these cyclists barrel through the cross walk and still expect you not to get in their way. Ive never seen a cyclist slow for a crosswalk in the park
Agree!
Or confine cyclists, especially the e-variety, to the dark, dank underpasses. :-p
“Pedestrians have the right of way”. At pedestrian crossings, sure. Not yards away from pedestrian crossings. Jay walk across I-95 and talk to me about pedestrians right to amble where they please.
I can tell that you have never attempted to ride a bike in Central Park, or probably anywhere. It would be absolutely ridiculous for them to “walk their bike through every crosswalk”. There are too many of them. It wouldn’t be ridiculous, however, for them to stop at a red light at crosswalks, and for pedestrians to cross at those intersections when they have the light. That’s the solution. The bikes shouldn’t speed and they shouldn’t go through red lights at crosswalks. But pedestrians shouldn’t be crossing any which way without regard to the bikes, and yes, when there’s an underpass right there, it’s a good idea to use it. (The park was actually designed to have different places for cars, horses, and pedestrians. That’s why those underpasses are there.)
I don’t know where he was going or where in the road he was hit. Couldnhe have been walking in the pedestrian lane going north or south because that was the direction he needed to go in to get to work?
It seems that bikes of all types need to be either banned or strictly controlled where and when they can be used in the city under much tighter scrutiny
Once you could walk by the Hudson on designated paths that have been complerly taken over by the two wheelers
Weaving in and out of traffic in designated and non designated areas
It’s the wild west out there as one tries to navigate not only the parks but the streets of Manhattan. It’s time for the pedestrian to be given control of the streets.
UWS RESIDENT of 50 years
retired teacher and union member
shelley feinerman
Another reason why 72nd St. should not have a new bike lane. Unfortunately, cyclists rarely obey traffic rules and pedestrians are vulnerable.
Was this on the drive? Or on one of the paths towards 5th Avenue. One witness said it was near the Met museum, and not on the drive.
What a tragic story. May his memory be a blessing, and a lesson to the politicos that we need enforceable rules for cyclists of all types.
I was crossing Riverside Drive up in the 80s recently, at the crosswalk. I waited for the light to change. The cars stopped. A bicyclist didn’t, and nearly hit me. I shouted, “Obey the traffic lights.” “F–k you,” he responded, as he whizzed by. Bikers like him are in the majority, this is not one of those situations where an accused group tries to diminish the criticism by saying “Most bikers obey the rules.” They don’t, and they’re dangerous. As the old commercial used to say about another situation, “Let’s help them, but first let’s get them off the road.”
I have the exact same experience on at least a weekly basis, either in the park or on UWS streets.
Larry,
Yes I have found “regular” bicyclists like Citibike and racing cyclists to be the most dangerous to pedestrians – going through red lights, going the wrong way, weaving around pedestrians and so on.
And as you note, often nasty to any pedestrian who cautions no matter how politely.
(In my experience, food delivery workers are more mindful of pedestrians and never nasty.)
Regular cyclists behave badly – and the City keeps rewarding them with more bike lanes.
My family will be donating to the GoFundMe
So sad.
Our family has donated to the GoFundMe.
Just last week my co-worker was grazed by a guy on Citibike who went through a red light.
I was nearly hit last week when 2 Citibikers going opposite directions each went through the red light (and they also almost hit each other)
As a pedestrian, it is a daily thing dodging Citibike.
New York City is unlike most cities where biking is an established and accepted form of transportation. I’ve been to several cities in Europe where bikers and pedestrians know and respect the rules of the road. But in this city anything goes. There’s no respect for the rules. Also, many bikers in the park think that the park road is their practice track, trying to break their personal best going around the park. And pedestrians always have the right of way.
“Pedestrians always have the right of way”. This is the sort of entitlement that gets people injured. It is flatly untrue.
When Pedestrians Do Not Have the Right of Way
• Jaywalking: Pedestrians crossing a roadway outside of a marked or unmarked crosswalk must yield the right of way to oncoming vehicles
In Paris bicyclists stop for pedestrians. Crossing a bike lane is not terrifying.
Speed bumps on bike lanes and in the park. Put a bump every corner and mid-block, every 200 feet in the park or at pedestrian crossings
We’re really at a stand-off…more blood shed…more victims…more hospitals reporting more brain damage- because as more bike-lane , bus-lane, and grid ‘reenvisioning’ happens-it’s ongoing open season with more harm to all. And the tragedies pile up.
Bikes and cars DO NOT MIX on the urban streets of NYC…and if these TA cult fools believe that cars & delivery trucks will be eliminated entirely per the pipe dreams funded by the very financial beneficiaries and corporate interests which pay for the word salad ‘virtue’ narratives i.e. ‘safe streets’ and greenwashing double talk -it’s THEY WHO OWN THESE HORRORS.
Promoting denialism and the ‘whaddaboud’ cars -‘it’s the other guy ‘evasiveness -fostering lobbyist slants & policies are antithetical to be able to serve all of the 8.5 NYC residents and it’s akin to a 21st Century version of colonialism…a ‘taking’ of the grid to keep their ‘ TA ‘sponsors’ fat and happy.
PASS PRISCILLA’S LAW as a credible beginning to personal accountability! Then we can talk.
YES!!!
Roger that! Pass Priscilla’s Law!
Will the council/ mayor ever make a change here. the speed machines do nothing. They need bumps. Bikers thinking its the tour de france, go somewhere else to cause pedestrians harm.
Great idea to disable all the traffic lights on the drive Conservancy.
Without more details it’s hard to have a strong opinion about what led to this horrible event.
Take an educated guess. Only one of the two was travelling at a speed he or she could not control. It wasn’t the pedestrian.
The city is not designed for biking. Stop this madness.
All cyclists need to slow down. The Central Park Conservancy needs to stop facilitating bike speedways. The Mayor needs to enforce speed limits and traffic safety violations by cyclists.
C. Park cyclists are a total menace. Can’t believe this doesn’t happen more often.
It’s a tragic story of a family left without a father and a primary income source. A story where we still don’t know all the details. My sincere condolences to all his loved ones.
You are correct that this doesn’t happen often. It’s a VERY rare event. I’ve been living on the UWS for 30+ years and I’ve used CP for relaxation and exercise run/bike. I can remember less than 5 fatalities caused by a bicyclist crashing into someone on foot.
This is only the second time in many decades someone was killed in the early morning hours. The other incident happened in the last century when a homeless person wonder onto “closed” course for a time trail bicycle race against the clock.
I don’t think CRCA have these events (ITT) any more. I don’t know because I don’t race. The CRCA have been organizing Saturday morning races for over 100 years?
It’s a lighting strike type thing. I hope the police will do a thorough investigation for this, and the other victims of traffic violence that kills a couple hundred New Yorkers each and EVERY year.
Just another NYC pedestrian death caused by a bicyclist, ho-hum. This is starting to resemble mass shootings.
If you’re talking about the American pandemic of school shootings and people getting shot, then you are absolutely correct.
The following statistic is pulled from our A.I. overlords.>>>
“Fatalities from school shootings make up a tiny fraction—less than 0.1%—of all gun-related deaths in the United States each year.”
Even if you add in all the he other types of mass shootings in everyday locations, it amounts to be around ONE percent.
And they’re worried about the condition of the bullet.
That poor family:(
For cars and bikes, let’s stop using the word “accident.” Willful negligence is the proper terminology. If a biker or car runs a red light, it’s a choice, not an accident. If someone is speeding, it’s a choice, not an accident. If someone leaves the scene of the collision, it’s a choice, not an accident. If someone refuses to yield to the pedestrian, it’s a choice, not an accident. There must be penalties.
If a pedestrian jaywalks, it’s a choice, not an accident?
Accidents do happen. Whatever consequences exist for bikes, same for everyone else.
The bicyclist should be prosecuted. That’s not to say it is enough. A life was lost – a husband, father, son. Horrific tragedy.
I, too, got hit by a bike going down a one way street in the wrong direction. I was looking at on coming traffic. I got a broken nose, not good, but it could have been worse. Now, I’m totally paranoid and look in both directions on every street and on avenues, like Broadway, i look in 360 degrees since bikers whip aroud the middle island.
In Central Park, a pedestrian can end up just standing in one spot looking around and around and around.
Absolutely terrible. Something must be done to limit “speed” racing bikers in the park. It has gotten beyond disgraceful. The park is not a racing bike track. At any time. Especially when dark.
Not only do you have to look both ways when crossing any street in Manhattan and most streets and avenues in NYC, you also have to look both ways when walking on your right of way Green light. Bicyclers go through their ‘red lights’ and ride the opposite way of traffic; riding uptown on a downtown avenue. We have street cameras, right? Identify these people. The fine for doing that (double infringement) should be $500. And if a police car witnesses this they should follow this reckless bicycle rider and ticket them! I, by the luck of some God somehow, have avoided, by an inch of my life, being struck by these reckless idiots many times. You gotta have your eyes open WIDE walking the streets of NYC! May this man struck by a bicycle rider in Central Park, a senseless tragedy, rest in peace.
Yet again. So sad. When are we going to take care of our deadly bike problem?
There is a pretty simple debate about the incident. A pedestrian has the right of way over any moving vehicle, whether he, she, them is in the crosswalk or jaywalking, not looking both ways, stupid drunk, It’s the cyclist’s responsibility not to hit, collide, make contact of any kind with someone who is walking. How hard is it to understand this? Bikers are consistently exceeding the 25 mph vehicle speed limit everywhere in NYC, btw.
Incorrect. From NYC DOT:
No Right-of-Way: Pedestrians crossing outside of a crosswalk or against a signal must yield to oncoming traffic.
Prayers for the family. As a cyclist (granted a slow one), I agree 100% with this statement. It’s always on the cyclist or vehicle. If you don’t have the line of sight, you need to slow down. I never liked how the fast bike lane in Central Park is in the far right adjacent to the curb, not that anybody follows the rules anyway.
Flatly untrue. You need to reread your Highway Code.
When Pedestrians Do Not Have the Right of Way
• Jaywalking: Pedestrians crossing a roadway outside of a marked or unmarked crosswalk must yield the right of way to oncoming vehicles
Beyond tragic and as a father I cannot imagine this and now a wife and children growing up without a father and husband. Central Park is a death trap. It should be a safe place to enjoy. A happy place. Instead it’s the tour D’ France with Cyclists and e bikes at full speed, they never stop at any crossing and then you have an organization like Transportation Alternatives who’s behind all of this with no comment. They hide and let the news pass by. Instead of addressing and holding all these cyclists accountable, especially when a life is taken. There should be accountability for everyone.
When crossing a street, always look the right way for the cars and the WRONG way for bicyclists.
There is absolutely no excuse for a cyclist hitting a pedestrian in Central Oarj, where there are many lane. They had to be speeding without looking on a brakeless racing bike. Negligent homicide
THIS NEEDS TO STOP NOW! I witness many times bicyclists not stopping for lights. Reckless. OUTRAGEOUS. TRAGIC.
Our city government has turned the streets over to bikes. There are no rules, accountability or penalties for reckless, speeding bikes that go against traffic and on sidewalks and ignore all laws. The city has become extremely dangerous for pedestrians.
Yes and to successfully form a coalition to push back on the bike advocates you have to form alliances, alliances that include people from New Jersey, Westchester, other boroughs, Long Island, Connecticut who have a different culture than UWSers, in many cases who aren’t privileged enough to live on the UWS, who access the UWS and also are pedestrians on these streets too.
The bike folks simply feel more strongly about transportation and have a more coherent vision for our streets than those fighting against them do and it is one that also appeals to corporate interests who have a vision of NYC that is harmful for NYC long term but benefits certain corporate interests big time. I think pedestrian safety is important and we must rein in e-bikes and reckless bikers. But there are some who oppose the bike lobby who care more about keeping the area worker, doorman or tradesperson from New Jersey or Queens off your precious little UWS because you see them as culturally beneath you and are willing to burn the bridge with them because they are beneath you rather than joining forces with them to stop the bike lobby.
The bike lobby has its advocates that criticize its donors like Lyft, Doordash or Verra Mobility, but at the end of the day they care about the mission of banning cars and more bikes and there’s a limit to how much they get criticized and as corporate actors they expect criticism and have well paid PR teams to work around and get ahead of criticism. On the other hand, the odds are that a person who agrees with you on e-bike accountability will turn their backs to you on a different transportation issue even if they cut their nose off to spite their face is high, very high on the opposition side.
Please come to the NYC EVSA rally at City Hall Tommorow on the steps of City Hall We must take back our parks and streets. http://www.nycevsa.org
You can email me at nyc-evsa@outlook.com
Thank you
Janet
I love to walk & do along the West Side on marked pedestrian paths in parks & along the water, shared by bikers. Many bikers have no regard for us pedestrians & come within inches of us at high speeds! What’s happened to this man is a tragedy & can happen to any of us bc nothing is done to stop these bikers from their recklessness & total lack of awareness. A bicycle is a moving vehicle! I’ve been startled many many times as a cyclist wizzes by me, missing hitting me by inches, that can disappear into a collision by a miscalculation by the cyclist or a pedestrian shifting their path by a fraction! They don’t belong on the same paths, especially the very narrow ones! How many more people have to get hurt or killed b4 anything is done about it! My condolences to the family!
Please let us know how we can donate to help this family.
66 people were killed in NYC by automobiles this year. Where is the outrage? You are far more likely to get maimed or killed by a car than a bike.
Was this person killed by a car?
Stop your deflection.
From what I read on the WSR posts pertaining to bikes/pedestrians, I believe there would be MANY more serious injuries caused by bikes if we all were not jumping out of the way and twisting our heads constantly.
We have norms and strict regulation around them and take car collisions much more seriously.
You don’t have much work to do to get rid of most cars on the UWS, all you have to do is sit there and watch how UWS residents who park on the street are unable to form a coalition to save parking spaces successfully long term on the UWS because they are unwilling to ally with workers, businesses, visitors and “outsiders” who have elected officials more sympathetic to those who drive than on the UWS to save these spots. They care more about keeping “outsiders” out of the UWS than they do about their ability to drive a car. They care more about the UWS being an exclusive neighborhood where they can park on the street for cheap while paying $10k a month in rent or on a co-op and send their kids to private school and be around like minded people while only using their cars to go away on the weekend.
I too, avoid going through the park due to the aggressive cyclists. I feel like as a pedestrian, I have no rights or protections from the guys who speed, don’t stop and don’t care about those of us walking. If we have to allow bikes in the park, speed bumps should be mandatory. My heart breaks for the family. The guy who hit Mr. O’Brian will have to live with this for the rest of his life. I hope he gets charged accordingly.
And after such sadness Richie’s family was able to decide that he should be an organ donor. Such an amazing gift to others – are we all organ donors? I am. I hope others are also.
This is senseless and the bike advocates are making excuses for cyclists riding recklessly while demanding kangaroo courts for car drivers, truck drivers and even MTA workers.
With that being said, the biggest issue with the opponents of the bike lobby is that they are quick to turn on their own supporters, are very choosy about who and what kind of allies they have in this fight and to a lot of them keeping outsiders out and keeping communities like the UWS only to themselves is more important to them than building a broad based coalition to defeat TransAlt and Open Plans.
The bike lobby Transportation Alternatives keeps touting itself as a “transportation” advocacy group – but in fact is a bicycle priority (chiefly Citibike, and personal bike) entity.
The bike lobby is not interested in pedestrians or public transit.
For example, in Brooklyn, Transportation Alternatives has pushed for eliminating MTA bus stops so a bike lane could be built.
Transportation Alternatives also pushed for closing streets (open streets) where there are buses and forcing bus detours (like Columbus, Amsterdam)
None of this actually matters when a sizable amount of the potential coalition against TransAlt and Open Plans is actively looking for a carve out for themselves and is reactionary based. You MUST build a broad based and inclusive regionwide or nationwide coalition that is proactive and highly organized and respected. A structural reality is that bike activists care more about transportation issues than most people whether they are car drivers, truck drivers, bus drivers or public transit users that are not transit buffs. Most people only care about transportation issues that most directly harm them and when that harm is imminent or occurring and almost always by then it is too late.
I am willing to bet once Priscilla’s law gets passed and it is “mission accomplished”, EVSA likely breaks up and a lot of the EVSA members are willing to turn on each other on different transportation policy issues. So Streetsblog articles branding of EVSA as a “pro-car” group is likely at best inaccurate and shows a lack of understanding of the dynamics of their opposition and at worst bad faith.
They should not be allowed to treat Central Park as a race track! Why is it pedestrians are the ones always sacrificing & being sacrificed?
Licence and ***police***every single bike!
When I walk my dog in the park, I have screamed at racing bicyclists who, against the light, have nearly run me over. Their response, hurled back at me, is too obscene to publish here. Nobody seems to monitor them or protect us.
Last summer I also was hit by a cyclist in Central Park on the East Side near 96th – and thrown to the ground, causing a grape size bump on my forehead and a broken elbow. The cyclist, who could have been training for the Tour D’France, just seemed to come out of nowhere. I was in the crosswalk. He did stop and he was nice about it. He was ok and I was ok. But damn. Somehow, this pedestrian/cyclist issue has to be addressed.
I was hit by a speeding e-scooter at the same location last February . In broad daylight I was crossing the east drive on the pedestrian crossing at 84th st. I had the light (there are still working light at that location) several other people were crossing as well, and a lot of bikers had stopped to let us cross. But out of nowhere a speeding scooter swerved around the stopped bikers and his me. The scooter rider left the scene and I left the scene by ambulance to the trauma center all bloodied up. Luckily I survived. The speeding of bikes and scooters is out of control.
How do I install speed bumps? Like just do it myself
Recent neighborhood police conference was suppose to focus on crime. Instead participants focused on bicycle readers. This incident proved their instincts were right on.