An alert and obviously well-informed reader got a copy of the police report from Tuesday's fatal bike crash in Lancaster. Some readers felt that I assumed the car driver to be at fault without knowing the facts. The point of that article, and this one, isn't to place blame on anyone but show how the media, in it's efforts to not place any sort of blame, often makes it sound like cyclists are at fault in these sorts of collisions.
It's more than bad enough that a young man lost his life in a crash, some commenters felt the road condition is more to blame than the driver, but it's made worse that press reports would place blame on the departed.
From the police report:
On Septermber 23, 2008, at approzimately 1205 PM, deputies from the Lancaster Sheriff Station responded to the call of a traffic collision on 30th Street West, near Avenue L-6. Upon their arrival it was determined that a bicycle versus vehicle had occured. It is unclear exactly what happened at this time; however it appears Mr. Fuller was traveling south on 30th Street West in his 1989 Honda Civic. Mr. Tran was also traveling south on 30th Street West on his bicycle. The two collided on 30th Street West near Avenue L-6. Mr. Tran was airlifted to Holy Cross Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. It has not been determined at this time whether or not speed or alcohol played a part in this collision.
Below this statement in handwriting:
Cyclist SB, motorist same direction. Struck cyclist with R/F portion of automobile. No helmet. Light on Bike? Yes - street was illuminated. No detected alcohol involved-driver volunteered blood test.
If nothing else, we can assume that Dan Tran did not "collide with" the Civic as CBS reported. Streetsblog continues to wish Dan's family and friends best wishes as they deal with this tragedy.
