By Carol Tannenhauser
A collision between two bicyclists — one going the wrong way — in the Amsterdam Avenue bike lane around 105th Street at 12:47 PM, sent one man to the hospital in critical condition, police told WSR. Here is their full report.
“On Thursday, June 30, 2022, at approximately 12:47 PM, police responded to a 911 call of a bicycle collision in the vicinity of northbound Amsterdam Avenue and West 105 Street, within the confines of the 24 Precinct.
“Upon arrival, officers observed a male in his 30’s, unconscious and unresponsive, lying on the roadway with head trauma. EMS responded to the location and transported the victim to Mount Sinai West, where he is listed in critical condition.
“Further investigation by the NYPD Highway District’s Collision Investigation Squad determined that a 43-year-old male was riding a bicycle, traveling southbound on Amsterdam Avenue in the northbound bicycle lane, when he collided head on with an E-Bike operated by the unidentified male individual, traveling northbound in the bike lane. The 43-year-old male remained at the scene and refused medical attention. There are no arrests and the investigation remains ongoing.”
Thanks to the officer who wrote the above report. We will keep you posted about the man’s condition.
Someone was traveling the wrong way in the bike lane – were they ticketed? It’s amazing how may bicyclists refuse to comply with traffic laws – street directions, stop signs, traffic lights.
I hope that the rider who was inured recovers quickly.
IF you rode a bike you might be amazed by how many drivers force us into traffic because they treat the bike lane like a parking lane.
Right. Nothing is ever a cyclists fault.
What do you expect? Just curious as to what type of penalty the southbound bicyclist will face.
Was it an ebike (i.e. pedal-assist) or was it a moped (likely illegal)?
e-mopeds, if speed limited, have been legal in NY State since early 2019.
albeit driving the wrong way and through reds is still illegal.
Legal in NY State, but legal in the Bike Lane? (or legal on the street with other motorized vehicles?)
Many are not speed limited as we can see
The unwritten rule is: if you’re salmoning, or you’re doing anything illegal on a bike, you must yield to other cyclists who’re following the rules.
It’s understandable that sometimes we’ll need to go the wrong way because of this city’s garbage bike infrastructure, but if you’re doing that and you force someone who’s going the right way to swerve into traffic, you’re a douche and you should expect to get smacked.
that actually isn’t understandable at all.
SORRY – YOU SIMPLY SHOULD NOT BE GOING THE WRONG WAY!!! WHY SHOULD BIKES UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES DISOBEY TRAFFIC RULES?
Re: “if you’re salmoning….”
Huh? Had to look-up that one; turns out it means “going against the stream” of other bikers, (as salmon do when they return to the headwaters (by swimming, not biking!) where they hatched.
Web search reveals that, in London there are anti-salmoning signs stating “If you can read this, you’re going the wrong way!” Of course that begs-the-question: Can Salmoning Bicyclists Even Read?
Baloney. There’s no “unwritten rule.” I come across bikes going the wrong way frequently, and usually they hog the sidewalk side of the lane which forces me to either stop or swerve towards the traffic lane. That’s exactly the wrong thing, since the wrong way biker can see if traffic is coming from behind me and I can’t. And when I feel that I don’t have room to move over safely, my tactic is to come to a stop directly in front of them.
Nobody is “forced” to ride the wrong way on a street because of “garbage bike infrastructure.” You can go a block over, or you can walk the bike.
There absolutely is an unwritten rule and it is enforced by the cyclist in the right of way positioning themselves in the middle of the bike like and yelling WRONG WAY at the salmoning offender.
There is no polite way to do this. But it is effective
Except in this case it appears the bike traveling the correct way: northbound, was hit by the cyclist traveling illegally southbound and is now in critical condition. Why the guy breaking the law wasn’t at minimum fined is a very good question.
Also, because he felt like it was too inconvenient to just go one block over to Columbus Ave where he would be in the right lane, he’s now probably killed a man.
Cyclists almost NEVER follow the rules of the road. They run traffic lights 99% of the time, ride in the wrong direction VERY FAST and endanger the lives of pedestrians each and every day. It is terrifying, particularly for older people who may walk more slowly or have slower reflexes. It’s disgusting. Riders, pretend those pedestrians are your mother. Assuming you love your mother.
YES!!!!!!!!!! I am constantly threatened by cyclists of all stripes, both on the sidewalks and in the streets, and in Central Park, one can literally be mowed down by the “Tour de Park” crew, traveling at extraordinarily high speeds. NEARLY NONE of them ever obeys ANY TRFFIC RULES! A woman died this way in front of Lincoln Center. But still the police do nothing.
Not in my personal experience it isn’t.
Yeah, exactly this. There are some very limited circumstances in which I’ll ride wrong way for a block or two — very very limited — but I assume that I am completely invisible and yield to goddamned everyone and everything.
NO CIRCUMSTANCES!
At most one out of 100 bicyclists obey traffic rules, the rest do whatever with impunity.
Why can’t they obey the rules like every one of the car drivers?
200 pedestrians are killed each year in NYC alone. Most of these are in crosswalks WITH the light. You are in fantasy land if you think most drivers obey the law.
Why can’t they obey the rules like every one of the pedestrians?
You’re kidding me? Car drivers obeying rules? You can kill someone, be driving with a suspended license, and get off with nothing more than a ticket.
There should be an occasional “calming” bump in the bike lanes, they are not too noticeable for the all pedal rider, but for the e-bike and mopeds that would force them to slow down.
For years, Transportation Alternatives and their activist shills on CB7 have been telling us that we need more and more bike lanes because cars are dangerous. At this point, it is now clear that it is cyclists that are dangerous to each other and pedestrians and that in fact, their reckless conduct has caused accidents with cars as well. Cyclists are the number 1 violator of traffic laws and it is time that a moratorium on new bike lanes on the UWS is enacted and a crackdown on cyclists by the NYPD initiated.
In the last century, people driving motor vehicles have caused hundreds of thousands of deaths (in this country at an annual rate on par with gun deaths) and millions of life-changing injuries to themselves, their passengers, people in other vehicles and, most unjustly, people walking or cycling. Often with recklessness, and usually with impunity, as long as they “remained at the scene” or “felt devastated”. In all that time there has NEVER been a “moratorium”—or even a slowdown—in the creation of “new car lanes” or “a crackdown on drivers.”
But a reckless human breaks a law with a bicycle and causes a serious injury, so let’s immediately halt any efforts to encourage the overwhelmingly safest, cleanest, healthiest, most economical and efficient mode of transportation yet devised. I guess that makes sense in a city and world that have been made over in the image of cars.
Not so healthy in this case. I think the injury rate for cyclist’s in general is not insignificant.
I’d put cyclists at #2. The top spot goes to pedestrians.
That’s true. I stand corrected
The 43 year old was riding a regular bike, according to the report and stayed at the scene. So he was not obeying the law (and the arrows in the bike lane) and was the cause of the accident. Obviously knew he was at fault, since he stayed there. Should be, based on that fact, knowledgeable enough to not ride the wrong way!
Knowledge is irrelevant. Caring is the pertinent factor, and some ppl need to get hit in the head (or in this case, hit someone else in the head) to make them stop and care—about the consequences, for themselves. Pathetic.
If you look beyond the UWS, you will see that bicycle deaths and injuries are continuing to occur all around the city with the vast majority due to no public enforcement of violations designed to KEEP THE PUBLIC SAFE.
How many of us have to daily dodge a cyclist on the sidewalk, on a park path, or going through a red light?
Twice crossing the street at Broadway and 72nd I was almost knocked over by a bicyclist going SO fast ….. Terrifying experience.
West End Avenue between 71st and 66th is a nightmare!
Enforcement will only result when a mayor and the city council demand it. I fear they lack the courage to do so.
My cousin on Citibike suffered serious injuries when she was hit by another Citibiker (going through a red light).
Have observed other bicycle-bicycle hits and very near misses.
And of course, pedestrians are definitely endangered by by bicyclists – who routinely go through red lights. Also sometimes the wrong way.
The horrible crash on Broadway last week was triggered by a citibike rider running a light as the taxi driver went forward when his light turned green. The cab driver did plenty wrong, but no bike running a light, no crash.
Too many bike riders think everyone has to watch out for them, as if they have no agency or control over their own actions.
(And what was the ebike operator doing when the bike was coming at him the wrong way? Checking his phone? There are no “accidents.”)
Gee direction of travel laws have real world relevance?
The Amsterdam “bike” lane was installed without much regard for pedestrian safety, and a delivery guy (driving the correct way) did kill that restaurant manager getting stuff from his parked car, so it’s to be expected based on averages that one bicyclist would likely severely injure another in this “bike” lane.
This crash is a direct consequence of the City not enforcing direction of travel laws for bicyclists and e-bike drivers in these lanes. Wonder if the family of the injured party could sue the City for non-enforcement of the law in civil court.
It is a well known fact that there is no regulation at all of bicyclists. Living on the UWS I have seen it all. Occasionally I find a cyclist who stops when I have the right of way to cross the street. But there are more cases where the cyclist seems to be in a world of their own and not given to following any rules at all. They know they really have no incentive to do so and will see no penalties. New York is the Wild West.
No arrests. Says it all. I ride in the bike lane and am fed up with people riding wrong way and dealing with motorized vehicles of every type speeding along. I hope the victim sues the hell out the perpetrator
are ebikes allowed in bike lanes ?
Good question – seems that if it has two wheels anything goes. There are e bikes and there are what should be called motorbikes – just because it’s electric doesn’t mean it’s not s motorbike – same as a car
I have always said that I don’t know when I’m going to die, but I can tell you exactly how. I live on the UWS and walk a lot. One of these bikes is going to get me one of these days.
Were either of them wearing a helmet? This is rarely mentioned either way in reports of bike accidents. It’s hard to bring up without a whiff of blame-the-victim, but it’s important. Always wear a helmet! Please for the sake of whatever you hold dear!! (And replace your helmet every few years per manufacturer’s instructions.)
The insanity of undisciplined cyclists on the streets and in Central Park continues.! Assuredly, there will be deaths…just like the pregnant woman struck by a cyclist on the Central Park loop a couple of years ago.
Isn’t there a helmet law in this city??? As a biker I can’t believe people ride without helmets!! Further, how many people besides me have stepped into a crosswalk, the light is with me, and had a biker coming from the wrong direction scare me TO DEATH!!??? Phew… I lived to tell the tale!!
By NYC law, only those under 14 are required to wear a helmet. Other laws demand having front and back lights plus a bell or equivalent. Certain studies have suggested that requiring a helmet law discourages cycling which in turn means fewer cyclists, which in turn means more vulnerable riders in necessarily fewer numbers with respect to cars. Denmark believes in making helmets recommended but not mandated. “The Danish Cyclists’ Federation recommends that cyclists wear helmet but we are against helmet compulsion. A helmet protects the individual cyclist in case of an accident, but making the helmet mandatory could devastate the Danish bicycle culture.” They are sensitive to unintended consequences. I agree with this approach, even though our culture is nowhere near as bike-centered.
As far as salmoning the bike lines or anywhere: extremely annoying. Only things worse are motorized mopeds/scooters that have zero to do with cycling, rampant in the bike lanes (and constantly blowing red lights). I’m fine, by the way, with Idaho stop for cyclists, as long as they’re incredibly respectful of any pedestrian or vehicle in the vicinity.
How would mandatory helmets devastate biking culture? Wouldn’t they improve biking culture because there would be fewer injuries/deaths? Explain.
Lisa, read this very informative story. I t should answer your question.
https://discerningcyclist.com/should-bicycle-helmets-be-mandatory/
what is Idaho stop?
It’s the Wild West on our streets,; huge difference between pedal assisted e-bikes and the type ridden by the delivery guys that are basically mopeds.
It’s a free-for-all out there with no consequences.
I am not surprised by the story at all – I hope the cyclist recovers soon.
The streets are more dangerous than ever. Congrats Mayor DeBlasio on your “Vision Zero” for NYC.
I have more than 2,000 skydives and I’m afraid to ride a bicycle in New York City.
A lot of delivery people on e-bikes disregard basic safety laws. It would be wonderful if restaurant owners would ask their employees to be more respectful of RED LIGHTS and one-way streets.
Delivery people don’t work for restaurants. They are freelance, and their incomes depend on how many deliveries they make. Hence they are incentivized to go as fast as possible.
Please stop talking about cyclists as if they were some sort of single organism. Some cyclists violate many traffic laws. Many pedestrians violate traffic laws. I bike because I believe it is an ecologically friendly alternative and good for my health. Since I am doing it for my health, I generally like to survive each bike rides. I only rarely use either Columbus Avenue or Amsterdam Avenue bike lanes and adjust my speed down a lot. If I am going to Union Square from my home I use the West Side highway bike lane even though it adds time to my bike ride. Who needs the stress of biking through city streets saving the lives of pedestrians staring at their phones as they cross streets against the light, or stand in bike lanes doing the same.
I am not surprised! There are so many bike riders who do not obey any traffic rules and just do what they want. And unless there is a life threatening accident law enforcement does nothing! I surely hope the young man who was injured is okay. The streets and sidewalks of the UWS are very dangerous largely because of bike riders who do not believe the rules apply to them.
Riding a bike in the City is scary, and it can be frustrating. Cars double park. Lights are timed for speed limit traffic and not for bikes. Delivery riders on E-bikes speed around, often going the wrong way. My person experience has been that biking on the street while following traffic laws isn’t worth it in terms of the time it takes waiting at almost every intersection for the next light. Making a right turn from a bike lane on Amsterdam or Columbus is equally as difficult – one must stop and cross the street as a pedestrian. As a result, I rarely ride. I understand why other riders choose break traffic laws, but they are crazy to so so from the standpoint of safety (their own and others’). And yet biking has the potential to be a very efficient and clean way around Manhattan. That’s why I support the continuing efforts of transportation officials to problem solve in this space.
Cyclists going the wrong way in bike lines are also very hard on pedestrians. You have to look both ways to cross the bike line and only then deal with car traffic in the street.
I ride my ebike everywhere and the meanness of these comments is stunning. I imagine most people on the UWS support less cars and fighting climate change, yet they hate us on our bikes. Would you prefer I take a taxi to get distant places which is bad for the environment? I have to constantly deal with dog feces everywhere and navigating around dog piss puddles and yet all everyone complains about us on our bikes? I’m sure none of you have ever ordered food delivered? You have? Well they can only do it by riding bikes. Please stop complaining about those of us who deliver your food and don’t damage the environment and instead start cleaning up after your dogs and feel gratitude less of us are fighting you for taxis and ubers which damage the environment..
We pedestrians are not trying to be mean, we are just trying to survive crossing the street where bikes come in both directions, ignore red lights, and ride on sidewalks. Try being a senior whose life or health might be cut short by e-bikes etc. that could care less about traffic rules. When you obey the rules we will gladly stop complaining.
HAS ANYONE HEARD OF BUSES – (MOST ELECTRIC NOW) FOR GETTING AROUND THE CITY? THIS IS NYC!!!! NOT A SMALL TOWN IN EUROPE. USE YOUR BIKE IN THE PARK!! IT IS A RECREATIONAL VEHICLE.
I’M ALSO FOR GETTING THE PRIVATE CARS OUT OF THE CITY.
Bikes are illegal on all paths in all parks in this city.
This is FALSE. Most paths in Riverside allow bikes. Even Central Park allows bikes to cross the park at 95th Street on a shared path between the two park drives.
ALL CAPS = SCREAMING. Just don’t.
Unfortunately, this accident isn’t a surprise to anyone who lives in the city. One could go to any intersection on the UWS any morning and probably count at least clear and unsafe 1 traffic violation per minute by bike riders. The proliferation of very fast and often times very heavy ebikes, regularly going in the wrong direction, and being rode by people frequently checking their phones, is an extreme hazard that the city needs to bring under control. How many serious accidents will it take before the local politicians and police care enough to act?
I had an episode of playing matador vs. bike this week across from Lincoln Center, bike coming right at me against the light as I started to cross the street at the crosswalk. I yelled “red light” at him while he continued to go, just barely missing me, as he shouted back, “I don’t care.”
And therein lies the greater issue.
Vehicles of any sort capable of moving faster than the city’s 25mph speed limit should be registered, bear identification and be insured. Riding anything with wheels should be prohibited and fined on sidewalks. Enforcement needs to be initiated and vigorous. If cameras can ticket cars, they could also ticket bikes if they had a tag.
(And helmets. The guy with the head injury in this accident probably wasn’t wearing one. The vast majority don’t.)
Insured for what.? Ever tried suing a car driver that mows you down? Most have bare minimum to cover damages to car – not people. People don’t seem to get irate about that
Until bike laws are enforced, and there are substantial penalties for breaking them, nothing will change. Who can make the police enforce these rules? What are the consequences for breaking the law? How do we get answers to these questions? Sounds like an article for the West Side Rag 🙂
Mike has it exactly right.
I have been a bike commuter in NYC since 1977. After being recently hit and seriously injured by a delivery van whose driver was driving with a revoked license and went through a red light, I am no longer able to do so.
Now as a constant pedestrian, I feel it is unsafe crossing a street after having looked both ways even on one way streets.
Bikers, e-bikers, moped/motorcycle drivers and phone addicted pedestrians as well as other motor vehicle operators, EVERYONE, is self absorbed, angry or violent AND has no regard for others. What have we become?
I know we’re all at the end of our ropes with divisive politics, pandemic issues, the heat, traffic congestion, trash, rats, you add your own! It’s time each of us starts DOING (not just talking) what we all know is right. At least we can try on this UWS to be kind to all others.
It could start by going with the flow instead of Salmoning as one commentator said. Smiling instead of glaring, speaking instead of shouting. IF WE COULD ALL JUST TRY A LITTLE RESPECT. Please, we all need to share this once wonderful city, which hopefully will return to some semblance of its more glorious days.
Just curious to know why bicyclists think that they can go anywhere and anyplace riding there bikes on sidewalks going the wrong way and deserve no ticketing. When is someone going to do something !!!!!
Shouldn’t the same apply to pedestrians who flout the laws that pertain to them? Everyone is pretty loud and abusive in criticizing cyclists, but they wilt when it comes to defending pedestrians.
Helmet, anyone? And no penalty for being in the wrong lane which is happening more and more. Mother was right, look both ways when crossing the street. Also, red lights do apply to cyclists.
Pedestrians can cross the street the same way they would if they need to get across an official 2-way bike lane of which there are many in the City. Other cities around the world have an abundance of 2-way bike lanes. What differs between NYC and the rest of the world is that pedestrians mostly respect the bike lanes and do not jaywalk or stand in street waiting to cross.
The Upper West Side is experience a compete failure of police traffic enforcement when it comes to bikes, motorized bikes, and motor scooters. Older pedestrians risk their lives every day when they walk on the sidewalks, cross a street, or walk in Central Park.
If bikes are the vehicular alternative to cars (and not purely recreational), then, like cars, the drivers need to be licensed and the bikes registered with the state and insured. And if they’re merely recreational, they need to be confined to the parks.
Bikes used to require a license in NYC.
No surprise. The bike lane on Amsterdam for pedestrians is virtually worth one’s life. We’re so used to flipping our heads quickly side to side to attempt to thwart being hit by cyclists there are fewer collisions than one might expect. I’m guessing that getting clipped is not reported. I’ve been gotten three times despite the head flipping. Gad.
Let’s place the blame where it belongs: On “Transportation Alternatives,” similar anti-community groups, and Howard Yaruss of community board 7. Their advocacy of the construction of so-called “protected bike lanes” led directly to the takeover of our streets and sidewalks by all manner of legal and illegal two-wheeled vehicles. Whereas these “advocates” imagined well-mannered bourgeoisie pedaling back and forth to their jobs in midtown, instead they have reaped the whirlwind. (The only beneficiaries of this chaos and lawlessness being food delivery workers and customers who receive their food ninety seconds faster. Pretty good trade off, heh?)
“Stupid, thoughtless plans have consequences.”
Howard is my hero. The city is safer for pedestrians because of the work of Transportation Alternatives despite what you want to believe. They have delivered lower speed limits, speed cameras in school zones, bulbed out corners to shorten crossing distances, leading pedestrian signals, and much more. Even the bike lanes you hate make pedestrians safer despite what your prejudices lead you to believe. The science is there.
You do realize that every other major city manages bike lanes perfectly well – the problem here is the sanctioning of throttle Ebikes – mini motorbikes and scooters that hit 40 mph. Clear them from streets and bike lanes like most major cities and things would get a whole lot better.
Did people yelling for arrests and tickets not read the part where it states, “Upon arrival, officers observed a male in his 30’s, unconscious and unresponsive, lying on the roadway with head trauma” jeez, where is your humanity?
Police “investigate” and nothing follows. Mayor yaks and yaks, does nothing. City Council members sleep at their desks. State legislators too woke to do anything boring like nuts and bolts stuff like bicycle safety. Where ya gonna turn for help?
We need parking restored on Central Park West. Protected bike lanes don’t save lives.
These motorized vehicles should not be allowed in the bike lane.