A Bike Went Down on the Bay Bridge Yesterday

[James Burleigh]

We lost a fellow rider yesterday on the San Francisco Bay Bridge. If initial reports are to be believed, he was going very fast (70 MPH reported) when he entered a temporary section of the bridge called the S-curve, where there have been many accidents and where many signs alert drivers to slow to 35. Here is a pic of it on the top deck, heading into the City (toward the camera, as was the rider; note how the new construction on the left will connect in beyond the temporary S-curve).

I have ridden that curve many times, and it's a very good idea to mind the speed limit, not because a bike can't go through there at 70 MPH, but because the cages don't keep their lines through those curves and may change lanes despite the solid white lines. This one may not have been on the cagers this time. RIP fellow rider....

Here is some raw video footage of the crash scene from yesterday, including shots of the bike on the tow truck and of some moto-cops holding up a white sheet while the coroner's crew load the gurney into the back of the van. You can see by the body language of the CHP cops when they walk away that they are feeling very low; it must be hard to do that job.

Here is the thread from the Bay Area Riders Forum (BARF), and here is the chronology for emergency responders:

Fatality - 80 West at Call Box 139 10:46 AM

* Message/Item Delivered Oak Fire 10:47 AM

* Ll Fire 10:47 AM

* Per L774 // Mc Was Doing 70 Mph vs Back of Vehicle in Slow Lane--Drk Gray Toyota Coa 10:48 AM

* Message/Item Delivered Bridge 10:48 AM

* Caltrans Mont G, Message/Item Delivered Bridge 10:48 AM

* Ll Bridge 10:48 AM

* Mc Rider Got Ejected off His Mc 10:49 AM

* Message/Item Delivered Dotcc for Info, Message Sign on 10:50 AM

* Per Bridge Lanes 4-5 Blocked // Cpy Line 16 10:50 AM

* Fire is 97 10:59 AM

* CHP Unit on Scene 10:59 AM

* Issue Sigalert 11:00 AM

* 4-5 Lanes Are Closed 11:00 AM

* CHP Unit on Scene 11:00 AM

* **issue Sigalert** 80 West Before Ybi-Lanes #4-5 Are Blocked for an Injury Traffic Collision-Unknown Eto-Expedite Delays and Possible Use Alt Bridges 11:03 AM

* Sigalert at Least 1 Hr 11:04 AM

* CHP Unit on Scene 11:04 AM

* **update Sigalert** Eto for Lanes 4-5 is Approximately 1 Hr 11:05 AM

* CHP Unit on Scene 11:05 AM

* Roll Coroner 11:07 AM

* Message/Item Delivered Dotcc Line 35 11:08 AM

* Roll Oo Sf 11:09 AM

* Message/Item Delivered Sf Coroner ETA is 15 11:11 AM

* CHP Unit on Scene 11:19 AM

* CHP Unit on Scene 11:20 AM

* Roll Tow Truck Required Residence-Not Impound-Toyota Avalon to Sf CHP Office 11:36 AM

* ETA for Coroner Per 84 M 11:52 AM

* Thomas Guide Map Coordinates: 648 2F

 

[carlson_mn]

damn

 

[semongtaulie]

That's too bad. Not good anytime but especially not this time of year. Prayers go out to the rider's family and to everyone else that was involved.

 

[dcarver]

Me thinks it's all fate. Mad jack got nailed at 55 from the 6 and is with us. This guy not. Who knows, more importantly, .......