bicyclist struck

Bicyclist Struck on George Mason Drive

By ARLnow.com

A bicyclist was struck by a vehicle and injured yesterday evening in the Buckingham neighborhood.

The crash happened around 5:35 p.m. at the intersection of N. George Mason Drive and N. Pershing Drive. Police tell ARLnow.com that “the driver of the vehicle proceeded through a green light when the bicyclist entered the intersection on a red signal and attempted to turn left.”

Initial reports suggest the cyclist, a man in his 50s or 60s, was woozy and bleeding from the face and head after the crash. Police described his injuries as “minor.”

No citations were issued to either the driver or the cyclists, according to police.

The crash apparently looked more serious than it ultimately was. From a Twitter user who witnessed it:

Photo via Google Maps

Bicyclist Injured, Driver Cited After ‘Dooring’

By Bridget Reed Morawski
1/2

A bicyclist was taken to a local hospital with minor injuries on Tuesday (March 6) after being struck by an open car door.

The incident occurred near the relatively busy Virginia Square intersection of N. Fairfax Drive and N. Pollard Street at about 6:40 p.m. The bicyclist was riding in the bike lane when they were “doored,” according to an Arlington County Police Department spokeswoman.

Police were dispatched to the scene, and the driver was cited with opening a door into traffic. The fairly uncommon citation has only been issued one other time in the past twelve months by ACPD.

A Virginia law passed in 2016 requiring “drivers to wait for a reasonable opportunity to open vehicle doors on the side adjacent to moving traffic.” The citation is punishable by a fine of no more than $50.

It’s possible that dooring may eventually be a thing of the past thanks to new technology. Recently developed car tech aims to improve bicyclist safety through an anti-dooring mechanism that would identify incoming bicyclists and lock the doors.

Photos via Google Maps

Local Business Owner Warns of Biking Dangers on Columbia Pike

By Chris Teale
1/4

A local business owner is urging road users on Columbia Pike to be more cautious, after what he said is a recent spike in accidents involving cyclists.

John Harpold, who manages the Papillon Cycles bike store at 2805 Columbia Pike emailed ARLnow.com just before Christmas after one such crash.

The crash took place at the intersection of Columbia Pike and Washington Blvd on December 21 at around 9 a.m. Photos that Harpold took at the scene show a bicycle that had been bent by the impact and an SUV with a damaged windshield.

Harpold said more must be done to make the Columbia Pike corridor safer for all road users.

“These cyclist-involved accidents are bad, and increasing,” Harpold said. “These are my customers and while I waited 10 minutes to get my car free of the resulting jam, 20 cyclists negotiated the mess from this accident and there were ample opportunities for more carnage. This really is a big safety community issue for our part of Arlington, and all road and sidewalk users.”

Columbia Pike was recently the scene of a separate enforcement effort around road safety by the Arlington County Police Department, as officers cited 20 for failing to yield to pedestrians.

Photos by John Harpold

Mother Appeals For Witnesses After Daughter Struck By Hit-and-Run Driver

By Chris Teale
1/2

A local woman is appealing for witnesses to come forward after a driver struck her daughter while she rode her bicycle last week.

In a post on Facebook, reader Cynthia Hoftiezer said her teenage daughter was cycling near the intersection of Lee Highway and N. George Mason Drive between 8:45 and 9 a.m. on Thursday, August 3.

Hoftiezer said a car turning right on a red light from Lee Highway onto N. George Mason Drive then struck her daughter and drove away without stopping. Via Facebook:

Please share: If anyone saw the car turn right on red from Lee Hwy to George Mason Dr. on Thursday morning 8/3 between 8:45 and 9 am, and strike my teenager on a bicycle, please call Arlington County police non-emergency number at 703-558-2222 referencing case no. 2017-08050186. While my daughter is ok, the driver did not stop.

Arlington County Police Department spokeswoman Ashley Savage confirmed the details of the crash, and said that the victim “reported that the striking vehicle initially slowed following the crash but did not stop and continued south on George Mason Drive.”

Savage said the suspect vehicle is a white, four-door sedan.

Image via Google Maps.

Cyclist Struck by Car, Seriously Hurt Near Courthouse

By ARLnow.com
1/10

A driver struck and seriously injured a bicyclist this afternoon near Courthouse.

The crash happened shortly before 4 p.m. at the intersection of Fairfax Drive and N. Queen Street, in the Radnor/Fort Myer Heights neighborhood.

A woman in a Nissan sedan struck the adult male cyclist near the entrance to Route 50. The car’s windshield shattered from the force of the impact on the passenger side of the vehicle. Damage was also visible on the side and hood of the car.

The cyclist was transported via ambulance to the trauma center at George Washington University Hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. Officers remained on scene to investigate the crash, said Arlington County Police spokeswoman Ashley Savage.

The driver remained on scene. No word yet on whether any charges will be filed.

Bicyclist Struck by Car on Key Boulevard

By Jennifer Currier
1/8

A bicyclist was struck by a car at the intersection of N. Rhodes Street and Key Boulevard in the Colonial Village area this morning.

The accident occurred around 9:45 a.m. Witnesses said the victim — who they identified as a male — was riding down Key, though it was unclear if he was turning or continuing straight onto the bike route toward Rosslyn Heights.

The car involved was coming up N. Rhodes from Lee Highway. Though the driver seemed to slow down as he approached the intersection — which has stop signs in all directions — witnesses said he did not appear to come to a complete stop. He allegedly struck the bicyclist as he was proceeding straight through the intersection.

According to scanner traffic, the victim rolled over the hood of the car and onto its windshield, cracking it on the passenger side.

A witness said he could see cuts on the victim’s legs and could hear him yelling in pain from a few hundred feet away.

Initial reports said the victim’s injuries were not considered life-threatening. He was transported to the trauma center at George Washington University Hospital.

Bicyclist ‘Doored’ by Uber Passenger in Rosslyn

By ARLnow.com
1/6

A cyclist was hurt this morning in Rosslyn when the backseat passenger of an Uber car opened a door in his path.

The incident happened around 8:30 a.m. on N. Lynn Street, just south of Wilson Blvd. Initial reports indicate that the white BMW was stopped next to the bike lane when the Uber rider opened the rear passenger-side door just as the cyclist was about to roll by on a Capital Bikeshare bike. The cyclist slammed into the door.

Police and paramedics were called and the cyclist was treated on scene. He refused treatment to a local hospital.

The BMW’s door was damaged and would not fully close. No damage was visible to the Bikeshare bike. The cyclist was visibly shaken but did not have any outward sign of injury. No other injuries were reported.

The cyclist declined to comment to ARLnow.com, except to confirm that the car was moved closer to the curb after the accident.

Police took statements from the driver, the passenger and the cyclist. No word yet on whether any charges will be filed.

The incident happened as Arlington County Police officers were conducting a pedestrian safety detail just a couple of blocks down Lynn Street.

Cyclist Struck in Two-Car Wreck

By ARLnow.com
1/4

A bicyclist was struck and injured by a car near Memorial Circle last night.

The accident happened between 7:00 and 7:30 p.m. on a northbound ramp from the GW Parkway to Memorial Circle and Memorial Bridge.

Initial reports suggest a taxicab rear-ended a car that had stopped to let a group of bicyclists cross the road at a crosswalk. The car then struck at least one of the cyclists.

U.S. Park Police spokeswoman Lelani Woods would only confirm that a cyclist was struck and was taken to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Sub-three-dollar gas in Arlington on 10/22/14

County Board Race is Anyone’s Guess — The outcome of the Arlington County Board race between incumbent John Vihstadt and Democratic challenger Alan Howze is far from certain. While Vihstadt is winning the fundraising battle, Howze is expected to benefit from far greater turnout than the 16 percent who voted in the special election this year. The last general election with a Senate race on the ballot saw a 55 percent turnout in Arlington. [Washington Post]

Vihstadt Peeved at ‘Pro-Streetcar Narrative’ — At yesterday’s County Board meeting, John Vihstadt complained about the county government’s pro-streetcar PR efforts. He suggested that he and fellow streetcar critic Libby Garvey, who make up 40 percent of the Board, should have their views heard through county government channels. Board Chair Jay Fisette slammed that idea, saying “it doesn’t make sense” for the county government to expend resources arguing against its own official policy. [InsideNova]

Cyclist Struck on Lynn Street — A bicyclist was struck by a vehicle on Lynn Street in Rosslyn, between Wilson Blvd and 19th Street N., just before 9:00 this morning. The cyclist was transported to Virginia Hospital Center with an apparent dislocated collarbone.

Bank Robbery in Falls Church — The FBI is looking for a man who robbed a BB&T Bank on West Broad Street in Falls Church yesterday morning. [Federal Bureau of Investigation]

Zac Hanson’s Birthday — On this day 29 years ago, “MMMBop” singer Zac Hanson was born in Arlington. [Hello!]

Police: Cyclist Seriously Hurt After Car Runs Red Light

By ARLnow.com

Route 50 at Irving Street (photo via Google Maps)A cyclist was seriously hurt when a car ran a red light on Route 50 and struck her in the crosswalk last night, according to police.

The 26-year-old woman was crossing Route 50 (Arlington Blvd) at N. Irving Street just after 6:00 p.m. when a driver in a westbound Honda Accord blew through the red light, according to Arlington County Police Department spokesman Dustin Sternbeck.

The woman was struck and thrown a distance, landing on the westbound lanes, Sternbeck said. She was transported to the trauma center at George Washington University Hospital with “significant and critical injuries.”

The driver, identified only as a 46-year-old Arlington man, remained on scene. He’s facing several charges, Sternbeck said.

Rush hour traffic was “significantly impacted” during the accident investigation. All but one lane in each direction was closed for about two hours, according to Arlington Alerts.

File photo via Google Maps

Cyclist Struck by Squad Car on Rt. 50 Ramp

By Ethan Rothstein
1/4

An Arlington County Sheriff’s Office vehicle struck a bicyclist this morning on the ramp from Washington Blvd to westbound Route 50.

The cyclist, named Victoria, said she was waiting to cross the ramp at the crosswalk — at which there’s a stop sign for traffic turning right onto Washington Blvd — when she and the deputy’s vehicle went at the same time. The front wheel of her bike was bent in the minor collision, but she was not transported and there was no discernible damage to the squad car.

Victoria, who works as a lifeguard at several pools in the area, said she has cycled along Washington Blvd every day for the last two-and-a-half months. Tuesday morning, she and a friend were cycling together before the accident.

“It’s always dangerous in this spot,” she told ARLnow.com. “It’s scary every time I do it.”

The intersection is routinely one of the most accident-prone in the county; in 2010, it had 113 calls for accidents in the county, almost double the second-most dangerous intersection.

View More Stories