Cyclist struck by hit and run driver on Greenpoint Avenue last night (@Thund3r_H4wk)
Nov. 12, 2019 By Allie Griffin
A minivan struck a cyclist who was biking inside the Greenpoint Avenue bike lane in Long Island City Monday night and then sped off through a red light.
The shocking hit and run was caught on another cyclist’s gopro and the video was posted to twitter.
Police confirmed that a 36-year-old male cyclist was stopped at a red light inside the bike lane on Greenpoint Avenue near Borden Avenue when he was rear-ended by a silver toyota sienna which fled the scene around 6 p.m.
In the video, the minivan is seen speeding down and then a loud crash followed by a man’s yells can be heard as the vehicle veers into the bike path. The minivan goes through the red light to flee the accident.
Two cyclists, including the one recording, then help the 36-year-old victim, who is lying on the street and yelling out in pain.
Police said the cyclist complained of injuries to his back, but did not have information on whether he was transported to a hospital.
The Twitter user who posted the video said police responded, reviewed the video and provided an email address to send it to.
The driver of the minivan hit several cars before striking the cyclist and then several more while fleeing the scene, she said.
Many on Twitter criticized the unprotected bike lane’s pathway wedged between lanes of traffic, making it dangerous for cyclists.
Greenpoint Avenue bike lane is between two car lanes (Google Maps)
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11 Comments
Anyone that rides a bike down a street like that, especially at night, needs their head examined. Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.
Great point, the driver was recklessly breaking the law, and in the wrong lane.
The cyclist was following the law, in the right lane, and had lights and a reflective jacket on.
Still, let’s blame them; how dare they ride on the street?!
Even the biker that recorded the incident tweeted the bike lane is a death trap.
integrating poorly designed bike lanes into nyc traffics is a joke. i’m pro bike lane but only where it makes sense! ny is not holland or germany and the insistence of politicians like bloomberg and deblasio will never make it so!!
Good point, Holland invested in cycling infrastructure, it’s safer for cyclists and reduces traffic for motorists.
We shouldn’t do that here though because, “muh libruls” or something?
All bike lanes should be in the center between 2 lanes….when they are to the left or right it forces vehicles to make a turn across a lane of traffic(albeit bicycle traffic)…they are illegal designs….thank you DOT
Ya, that would be great! Riding narrowly towards oncoming traffic is an ideal solution!
in the center of the driving lane just like in the picture in the article….the way it is on Greenpoint ave is the way it is supposed to properly be implemented….sorry for not being clear on that
It must not be their fault.
What a stupidly laid out bike lane!
I hope the bike rider recovers quickly and the driver is caught.
Safety is truly a big concern..who was the genius to put a bike lane between two traffic lanes in what seems to be a busy roadway ..hope the rider is doing ok