Bike/auto collision on Jetton prompting concerns, discussion
July 30. By Dave Vieser. After a young woman on her bike was hit by a car at the crossing at Jetton Park, the Cornelius Transportation Advisory Board (TAB) will tackle the subject of pedestrian safety lights and motorists—many of them speeding—on Jetton Road.
On July 28 a motorist struck the woman on her bike in the crosswalk while the lights were flashing.
Pedestrian safety lights: A good idea, but do all drivers stop?
Details
According to Gary Fournier of the Town Planning Dept., the cyclist was crossing Jetton on her bike with the yellow lights flashing.
One car that was traveling inbound on Jetton stopped, but another did not, and came into contact with the bike.
The cyclist was not seriously injured, although the bike was damaged.
“The Cornelius Police were able to identify the woman driving the car that struck the bicyclist and interviewed her later. She told the officers that she didn’t know what the flashing yellow lights meant, and she didn’t stop at the scene because she saw the bicyclist still sitting on her bike when she looked in the rearview mirror and didn’t think that she struck the bike,” Fournier said.
Citations issued
According to police, Nelder Andres Laniescruz of Charlotte received several citations.
The cyclist was not identified.
The TAB meeting, on Aug. 3, begins at 6pm at Town Hall.
Town officials are actively discussing the safety situation as well. Town Commissioner Denis Bilodeau said he will bring up the issue at Monday’s Town Board meeting. To read more about pedestrian safety, click here.
No Comments
Leave A Comment Cancel reply
Our Partners
This should have resulted in a hit and run violation… nothing less. We see this violations all the time, not to mention speeding.
Let’s face it, drivers don’t always pay attention. Sometimes neither do cyclists or pedestrians. Crosswalks, and the laws that govern them, are intended to protect Pedestrians. If you are on/riding a bike then you are subject to motor vehicle laws.
Personally I do not cross on bike or on foot if I’m not sure of a vehicles intention. I guess I’m old but ‘mama taught me to look both ways’!
All the police need to do is set there on any given Saturday and just start pulling people over once a month. The word will get out that police are watching. I was walking across one day and a woman told me to hurry up . I told her that this is across walk not a cross run. A lot of drivers just plow right through the lights and look right at you when your crossing . It’s not all who are not paying attention. Maybe putting a sidewalk down n both sides of Jetton would eliminate the amount of people having to crossover?