NBC 40 Raises Infrastructure Issue After Bicyclist's Death in AC

On the evening of March 14th, 26 Year Old Tariq Davis of Galloway Township was killed while bicycling in Atlantic City. The father of two children, Davis was going to his second job when he was struck by a left turning tractor trailer at the intersection of N. Rhode Island and Melrose Avenues in the City's North End. Our deepest sympathies go out to the Davis family. (Tariq Davis Obituary).

The tragedy occurred just one day after the final presentation of the City's Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan, and Channel 40 made the connection between safety and infrastructure. The video itself is a great snapshot of everyday bicycling in Atlantic City.

NBC40.net

Driver attempts to kill Bradley Beach Bicyclist in hit & run

News 12 New Jersey is reporting that the driver of a black four door Mercedes tried to kill a bicyclist on Ocean Park Avenue late in the evening of July 4th.  Tom Bowker was riding his bike when he observed the Mercedes driving at excessive speed and yelled at the driver to slow down.  


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The driver then put his vehicle in reverse and struck Bowker.  After striking Bowker the first time, the driver of the Mercedes then put his vehicle into drive and struck Bowker again head-on, as Bowker was trying to get up and get out of the roadway. 

This time Bowker was thrown onto the hood and windshield of the Mercedes and dragged for more than a block and a half.  All the while Bowker and the female passenger in the Mercedes were yelling at the driver, "Stop!  Your going to kill him!"  Bowker said that while he was hanging onto the car the driver was smiling, seeming to enjoy horror he was inflicting on Bowker.

Bowker was lucky and escaped the assault with relatively minor injuries in the form of cuts and bruises on his feet and legs.

If anyone has any information regarding this incident that are encouraged to contact Bradley Beach Police at 732-775-6900. 

The suspect is described as a:

• White male
• In his late 20s
• Thin build 
• Thin beard with short dark jelled hair

Op-Ed: Dangerous NJ Rt 27 in Highland Park help leads to cyclist hit & run

MyCentralJersey is reporting of an early morning hit & run crash on Monday that left a Highland Park man in critical condition.  The crash happened on Raritan Ave (NJ Route 27) at Rolfe Ave.  This section of the State Highway is exceedingly difficult and dangerous for cyclists to navigate as the roadway is four narrow lanes, no shoulder, no center turn lane, poor asphalt conditions and is posted at 40mph which is regularly exceeded.


Approximate location of August 15th hit & run crash with cyclist. View Larger Map

I am personally familiar with this stretch of road and do all that I can to avoid it on my bike and even in a car due to what I perceive to be unusually hazardous conditions.  Fortunately for those that are familiar with the neighborhood, there are safe and quite parallel residential streets that one can choose to ride between Highland Park and Metuchen, which totally negate the need to for cyclists to use Rt 27 at all except for that last block if one's destination is in Rt 27.  Unfortunately these alternative routes are somewhat circuitous and are not immediately obvious to cyclists not intimately familiar with the neighborhood.

I have gone to several Middlesex County meetings suggesting that an alternative route to NJ 27 be marked for cyclists using simple and discreet MUTCD compliant signage between the towns of Highland Park and Metuchen.  Unfortunately the county officials needed to defer on this one since both the State Highway Route 27 and the local roads are beyond there jurisdiction.  However this issue is not beyond the scope of NJDOT.  If a roadway is obviously dangerous for cyclists to use as Rt 27 between these two towns and there is an alternative route using local municipal roads (in this case mostly in Edison), I personally feel that NJDOT is obligated to find a solution.

I understand that budgets are tight and staffing levels are low at all New Jersey State offices but that's okay.  I've already done half the work and have figured out routes on both the east and west sides of Rt 27.  All NJDOT would need to do is shoot me an email. Maybe together we can prevent another tragedy and maybe even get more people using bikes to travel in this area.

Achor House bicyclist killed in Clinton Township crash

The Express-Times of Easton, PA reported the tragic death this weekend of Doug McCune as he rode as part of the Anchor House Ride for Runaways on Payne Road near Rt 31 in Clinton Township (1, 2).  At around 9am on Saturday mourning Mr. McCune reportedly crashed into the back of a stopped vehicle.  He was taken to Hunterdon Medical Center and was pronounced dead.  Mr. McCune's death is being called "a tragic accident."


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This is the second deadly crash in the 33 year history of the Anchor House Ride for Runaways which is considered New Jersey's and one of the East Coast's premier charity bicycle rides.  Unfortunately both of these deaths occurred in New Jersey on the last day of the ride.  In 1998 a 15-year-old Mercer County boy, was fatally struck by a car during the last leg of the fundraiser.  The Ride for Runaways is an annual, 7 day, 500 mile charity bicycle ride that exists to support Anchor House, a shelter for runaway and/or abused teenagers located in Trenton, NJ.

We at WalkBikeJersey extend our condolences to Doug McCune's family.

Bicyclist Killed on Route 555 in Gloucester County

The below report comes to us from John Boyle and our friends at the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia:

Another cyclist has been struck down in the wide shoulder of a Gloucester County road, this time it's fatal. 70 Year Old Robert Schwinn of Vineland who as the report states was wearing a helmet and a reflective vest was struck in the shoulder.

From New Jersey Newsroom.com:

"Schwinn, 70, was traveling northbound along the shoulder of Route 555 (Main Road) at 7:23 a.m., wearing a helmet and reflectorized vest. In the vicinity of Weymouth Road, a pick-up driven by Anthony Leatherwood, 32, of Franklinville, overtook Schwinn from behind and struck him, according to authorities."



View Bicyclists Crashes 2008-2010 NJ and SE PA in a larger map

Remarkably at this time there have been no charges have filed against the driver. The circumstances bear some similarities to several other crashes on the straight rural roads of South Jersey. Most recently On June 12th in West Deptford Randall Gartner suffered serious injuries (more serious than posted in the news story) when he was struck from behind at a lethal 45 miles per hour. Gartner was well equipped with ample lighting and a reflective vest. The perpetrator who committed this violent act left the scene and police do not have any suspects. Last July another cyclist Rick Clendaniel was killed in the shoulder of Mays Landing Road in Vineland by a driver that was allegedly driving 70 mph. The driver Jerome Byrd was charged with speeding and not wearing a seat belt.