Hey all,
This was really disturbing and it really upset me. On Saturday after our ride one of our own was hit by an SUV on her ride home. Let's all hope that Tricia gets well soon and is back on two wheels. This driver was malicious and I hope they find the driver. Below is her e-mail on the account of the incident.

hey critical mass-
a bit of news for you. on my way back from the beach, i was hit by an SUV on indian creek & 64th st. scariest experience of my life. thankfully no head trauma, just big scrapes all over my body and my left wrist is broken.

the SUV was honking at me, then passed me and swerved into me, hitting me first with the side mirror and then the truck body. the driver took off, but they may find his plate from a city bus surveillance video.

i thought you should know - these events affirm how important critical mass is! and next time i'll be wearing one of those vests that says to move over b/c it's the law.

tricia

My friend (that lives on 69th and Collins) called me a little while after we left asking if it was someone in our group that had been hit. I cannot believe it was a hit and run.

Another friend (that I ride with during the week) was hit last Thursday by Bayside. When the driver of the car got out, her first response was "you idiot! look at what you did to my car!". He sat under a tree with a dislocated shoulder waiting for fire rescue while she sat in her car with the A/C on. She got a ticket but that's about it.

Forget that there are bike issues involved, how about being a decent human being? What happened to that?

It's reasons like these that we should continue to ride. These assholes have to learn that people deserve respect no matter what they drive. FUVs don't own the roads.

wow - that is so scary.
i just got back from the beaches of Los Angeles where there are bike lanes everywhere. It was such food for the soul to ride without fear of maliciousness. We rode 40 miles and at no point did I fear for my life. What a concept!

Actually, I was laughed at by a driver because, when he stopped at a crosswalk, I graciously waved- utterly confused that he stopped in the middle of a busy street because there was a crosswalk. Even though I'm from the West coast, I've been reprogrammed here in Miami. Shame.

Anyway - I hope the two bikers are recovering and I'm glad the outcome wasn't worse.

thanks for all the nice messages, fellow critical massers!

No news yet on tracking down the driver of the SUV. The police investigators said they hope to have the video surveillance from the city bus by the end of the week. There's also a chance they caught him on the extra cameras posted along the 63rd St Bridge [extra cameras there now due to the construction].

anyways, I'm recovering okay, and hoping they won't need to do surgery to repair my wrist. I'll find out for sure next week. I guess I have to miss the next critical mass in September, but let's hope i'll make the one in October!

thanks for all your kind words -- in the midst of everyone telling me I'm CRAZY for biking around Miami, it's great to have people who believe in human powered transport like I do.

Tricia

Hey everybody-

It is upsetting to read about everyone's accounts of hostility from motorists. Everyone seems to have been victimized or have known someone who has had a bad experience. I hope you all are riding safely and taking care to look out for maniacs on the road! Miami, especially, is a city where little consideration is given to bicyclists and pedestrians- anyone not in a car is considered target practice (and bikers are worth 50 points!).
Please stay aware and cautious on the roads!

I hope you are back on a bike soon, Tricia! We will miss you during your recovery!

Ride well, everyone!
-Adam

Wrote it up just now --

http://blogs.miaminew...


Isaiah