Saw about 8 FCPD cars, an ambulance, EMS/Supervisor SUVs, the helicopter overhead, and a bunch of onlookers. Anyone have the scoop?

Northbound traffic was backed-up to Crosspointe, as there was only one lane getting past.

Thanks!

Car vs bicycle. Guess who lost? Do have to say that FC police fire and EMS response was very quick. Took the bicyclist by helicopter to the hospital. Hope he's okay.

to eyewitness:

I did see about a 1/2 doz.+ cyclists, but with the busy trail, wasn't sure.

Saw a dark red little SUV in the wrong place by the corner of the subdivision.

What exactly happened? Was the cyclist on the road, or was it on the bike/multi use trail?

Unfortunate, for sure, either way.

Bike was on the bike path crossing whatever that road was. SUV turned in and hit him. The SUV you saw was another eyewitness and blocked the road to protect the cyclist who was hit - we couldn't move him until EMS arrived.

Wow! That sounds bad!

So it was a different vehicle which had the accident with the biker?

Did the biker stop for the intersection? Most of those intersections are marked with a stop sign on the trail, but only the big intersections are really respected. Silverbrook, Lee Chapel Rd. etc.The smaller intersections, bikers just blast on through, rarely see them stop.

Hope all are ok! Where did the helicopter land?

For some reason, the stop signs at Ox & Gauge have been removed. Got yelled at by a cyclist blowing thru there yesterday morning, even though we were at the intersection first, waiting to turn right on Ox.

Don't know whether the county took them out or whether it was vandalism.

If a STOP Sign has come up missing, you could contact the appropriate agency in Virginia to try to get it replaced. Here is a link, which may be of help:

http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpwes/navbar/faqs/streets_etc.htm

you'd think the cyclists who bike there and would have noticed the stop sign missing would have used that link already...........

@stop sign - if you were in the intersection first, you had right of way with or without a stop sign for the cyclist - I know they THINK that if they are keeping straight that they get right of way, but that's simply not true if you have entered the intersection with your vehicle first, same as any pedestrian...
http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+46.2-904

A person riding a bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device, motorized skateboard or scooter, motor-driven cycle, or an electric power-assisted bicycle on a sidewalk, shared-use path, or across a roadway on a crosswalk, shall have all the rights and duties of a pedestrian under the same circumstances.

edit: if the cyclist was watching out for him/herself instead of depending on another vehicle for their safety, they would not have been injured this weekend. YOU ARE A FOOL if put your safety in the hands of complete strangers, cyclists. STOP BEFORE YOU CROSS THE STREET!


pic RELATED



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/14/2012 09:09AM by Gordon Blvd.
Attachments:

Driving past again, interesting enough, the intersection where the accident occurred, the bike path looks to be marked with a bike trail stop sign, and a "stop bar", along with the word STOP (on the trail), before the intersection.

To the Eyewitness, do you know if they stopped, or ran the sign/intersection?

@anyone - that's the law on all bike paths - they just put signs up on the 123 path cause it is part of Bikeway 1 , a Federal attempt at a true bikeway-style highway - runs from thru a huge chunk of the state, but is barely signed (there are some around Occoquan and around Station Break)
Anywho, sign or no sign, cyclists are supposed to stop at intersections...........but of course just like with red lights, they dont care about highway laws when it pertains to them....................

Regardless of the rest, the SUV appeared to turn from the through lanes with no turn signal. There is a marked turn lane there. The driver just didn't feel the need to use it. Or turn at a safe speed.

Has there been any word on the condition of thee cyclist?
Hoping for the best

There is a great saying among the sailing crowd: "The bottom is littered with boats that had the right-of-way." Even more true for the bicycles.

Yo Daddio Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> There is a great saying among the sailing crowd:
> "The bottom is littered with boats that had the
> right-of-way." Even more true for the bicycles.


So true, but in this case, it seems the intersection of the bike trail is very well marked with s STOP sign, stop bar, and the warning to STOP before proceeding.

If it were one of the other intersections along 123, it might not have been well marked, but this one, after looking again, is clearly marked for people on the path, to stop.

Nonetheless, let's hope the cyclist recovers from whatever injuries they may have.

Some of the cyclist need to be ticketed. Cyclist have to be the worst law breakers I've seen.

Cyclist regularly blow threw stop signs and traffic devices. I'm surprised more cyclist are not kill and injured.

Can you tell which intersection this occurred at? Also, which direction the car was turning? I live in the neighborhood and am very troubled trying to drive appropriately around cyclists. It's a bit frightening to have to make a quick left turn across 123 to get home in traffic and also worry that a cyclist may suddenly cross my path.

Given that we had a recent pedestrian death on Silverbrook, many of us in the neighborhood are pretty vigilant (or maybe uptight is more accurate) right now.

Can you tell which intersection this occurred at? Also, which direction the car was turning? I live in the neighborhood and am very troubled trying to drive appropriately around cyclists. It's a bit frightening to have to make a quick left turn across 123 to get home in traffic and also worry that a cyclist may suddenly cross my path.

Given that we had a recent pedestrian death on Silverbrook, many of us in the neighborhood are pretty vigilant (or maybe uptight is more accurate) right now.

No idea how that happened!

Ox Road and South Run Oaks Drive. The SUV was going northbound turning right off of Ox Road. Daylight, sunny. Hard to miss a bicycle on the path. I was at a dead stop going southbound - water break - and if I had proceeded would have also been smacked hard, which is what it really is all about.

Thanks, eyewitness. The info helps. Driving around here on weekends has become a bit of a challenge, since cyclists vary in how they handle intersections and whether they use the path or ride on 123 itself.

I've developed the habit of being much more careful about scanning for bikes & peds with right-turn-on-red, but it seems there's always some citizen behind me laying on the horn if the extra second or two annoys, even though it could save a life. End of rant.

Another intersection that seems to me to be particulary dangerous is Burke Ctr Parkway & 123. A lot to watch out for, especially on weekends. However, a right turn into South Run Oaks doesn't seem that it should be such a problem.

Best wishes to the cyclist for a full recovery.

Was the SUV driver charged? Why isn't the Patch covering this? I'm guessing the cyclist survived otherwise FCPD might have put out a press release and then the Patch would report it. Maybe I just missed it?

I was returning home on Silverbrook at about 3:40 Sunday afternoon and saw 3 emergency vehicles going down Silverbrook Road. Usually they land the helo at Silverbrook Elementary School, and the ground ambulance transports the victim there for pickup, so perhaps they were headed there. Anybody know how the victim is doing?

Maybe it was the old guy bike rider that went right in front of me at Silverbrook and ox about 5 seconds after the light turned green on Saturday. Maybe he didn't learn his lesson the day before when I nearly hit him. Car v. bike guess what wins. Luckily my Saturday wasn't ruined by soneone, feel sorry for the driver on Sunday.

Well scumbag old biker? - you feel sorry for the driver who made a reckless right turn from the through lanes? How about the cyclist the driver took out at an uncontrolled intersection? Would you feel different if the SUV hit a mom and a kid crossing in the marked crosswalk? Douche.

Will all due respect to everyone involved, I disagree about the intersection being "uncontrolled".

Did the cyclist on the bike path come to a stop, before entering the intersection, as required?

Driving by the intersection again, I took note, there are actually two markings, notifying those on the trail to STOP. Then, there is a clearly marked stop bar, followed by a STOP sign.

Four separate items to encourage pedestrians, cyclists, etc., to stop before entering the intersection. So again, the intersection is a controlled one.

Now, I don't know the circumstances of the accident, but do agree that many - not all, but many cyclists do not stop for these trail signs. It stands to reason, if one ignores the signs/signals, they must accept the end results.

Now, was the driver of the vehicle charged? Again, I don;t know, but am curious.

Respectfully,

http://fairfaxstation.patch.com/articles/bicylist-hit-accident-ox-road-south-run-oaks-drive-sunday-may-13

Maybe at some point the cyclist in the area will learn that they don’t own the road and should probably stay out of the path of much larger and heavier vehicles. Until then run them over.

Sad to say, but if the cyclist blew through a clearly marked stop, he clearly was taking a huge risk. However, cyclists do this all the time, all over the DC area. And yet, they wonder why they don't get any respect when they start quoting the law.

Whatever happened to "better safe than sorry?"

The way that bicyclists ride the trail along rt 123, it is no wonder another got hit - or from the sounds of things, hit a car...

It is ridiculous to think a bicyclist couldn't slow, then stop for a well-posted intersection. From what it reads, it was clearly marked, maybe more than other intersections. So why pull into the crossing?

When I was a kid, learning to ride a bike, I was taught to respect traffic. Then again, I was also taught to look both ways before crossing the street...

No Stop? Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Sad to say, but if the cyclist blew through a
> clearly marked stop, he clearly was taking a huge
> risk. However, cyclists do this all the time, all
> over the DC area. And yet, they wonder why they
> don't get any respect when they start quoting the
> law.
>
> Whatever happened to "better safe than sorry?"

Agreed!

Like I said before, the car turned off of Ox Road from the through lanes, not the turn lane. Safe to say if the car was in the turn lane anyone on the multi use path would have seen that and stopped safely.

YIPE! Sounds like there's more to this than meets the eye

CYCLISTS TAKE NOTE!!! NOT ALL DRIVERS CARE ABOUT YOU SO YOU MUST MUST MUST THINK THAT WE ARE ALL TRYING TO KILL YOU WHEN YOU COME TO INTERSECTIONS THAT INVOLVE CARS!!!!

Cyclists always complain that ppl driving cars are stupid............then go about their cycling day riding around, risking their LIFE, as if all the ppl driving the cars are NOT stupid. Result this time is an old man may not ever be able to walk right or ride again, and he's lucky if all he gets from this is pain the rest of his days. That's if he's LUCKY could still be crippled for life. And even if he is, he's still LUCKY! So worth that right of way, eh?

NOT BLAMING THE BIKER, what I am TRYING to do is get at least ONE cyclist to pay more attention to stupid drivers. Slow down when you approach a roadway. Stop blowing thru intersection like the cars around you are going to see you cause sometimes THEY ARE NOT.

p.s. SUV driver is going to get a ticket. OK? Ticket. Failure to pay attention, or some right-of-way violation, maybe a reckless charge. That's the worst that is going to happen to the driver of the SUV as long as they stayed on the scene and werent intoxicated.

eyewitness Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Like I said before, the car turned off of Ox Road
> from the through lanes, not the turn lane. Safe
> to say if the car was in the turn lane anyone on
> the multi use path would have seen that and
> stopped safely.

From your description, that driver was reckless. Otherwise, please remember that when driving north on 123 in that area, the path is sometimes hidden from drivers' sight by bushes. Also, cars are traveling 55 and must decelerate a lot in a short space moving into the turn lane. So, depending on the speed of a cyclist who doesn't stop, even the most careful driver might not see one in time.

I used to wish that all cyclists would use the path rather than the road, but at least if they're on the road they are visible!

Common sense & courtesy for all would do a lot to improve this situation, but I think those days are long gone. Sigh...

Bicyclist Struck by Car Sunday
The incident happened at the intersection of Ox Road and South Run Oaks Drive. Cyclist's injuries were said to be life-threatening, but no update available.
By Rachel Hatzipanagos
May 15, 2012
http://fairfaxstation.patch.com/articles/bicylist-hit-accident-ox-road-south-run-oaks-drive-sunday-may-13


A 61-year-old bicyclist was struck by a car at the intersection of Ox Road and South Run Oaks Drive on Sunday, according to authorities.

According to the Fairfax County Police Department, the accident was reported at about 3:30 p.m. Sunday when a 2006 Hyundai Tucson SUV was driving northbound down Ox Road. The bicycle was also traveling in northbound in the bike path.

As the two approached Southern Oaks Drive, the driver of the car attempted to make a right turn at the same time the cyclist entered that intersection, police said.

“The bicyclist didn’t stop and the driver didn’t see him,” said Don Gotthardt, spokesman for the police department.

The two collided, and the bicyclist was taken to Inova Fairfax Hospital, said Dan Schmidt, spokesman for the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department.

The bicyclist reportedly had life-threatening injuries when he was taken to the hospital, Schmidt said. There was no immediate update on his status.

No one has been charged in the collision, police said.

The names of those involved were not immediately available.

Stop speeding and look both ways. I see so many bikers not following the rules. Splat.

McGruff - The Crime Dog! Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Bicyclist Struck by Car Sunday
> The incident happened at the intersection of Ox
> Road and South Run Oaks Drive. Cyclist's injuries
> were said to be life-threatening, but no update
> available.
> By Rachel Hatzipanagos
> May 15, 2012
> http://fairfaxstation.patch.com/articles/bicylist-
> hit-accident-ox-road-south-run-oaks-drive-sunday-m
> ay-13
>
>
> A 61-year-old bicyclist was struck by a car

Isn't this almost as bad as starting a new thread on an old subject?

Traveling Ox Rd today, I saw three people on bikes, run the stop signs at that intersection. And I bet if they were hit, they would point fingers at automobile drivers. Sad...

What would get bicyclists to stop?

A) More STOP markings
B) Bicyclist education
C) Another accident
D) None of the above

e) brain surgery
f) relearning of basic laws of physics
g) Ghost Bikes
h) mandatory viewing of video showing a cyclist being struck by a vehicle EACH AND EVERY TIME before they get on the bike?
i) still prolly none of the above :(

The injured cyclist has posted in the comments section of the Patch article that, albeit with many fractures, s/he is out of the hospital.

Best wishes for a full recovery!

Bike riders never stop for the stop signs at 123 and South Oaks Drive. If one of them gets injured for ignoring a stop sign it's their own fault.

KopCiller Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Bike riders never stop for the stop signs at 123
> and South Oaks Drive. If one of them gets injured
> for ignoring a stop sign it's their own fault.


Saw another bicyclist tear through that intersection today, not stopping, or even slowing for the stop sign. And there was a vehicle close to entering the intersection. Unreal behavior, with our any degree of personal responsibility. I am sure it's going to be the motorists fault, should there be another accident.