20 thoughts on “Cyclist Falls Off Bike in Watertown Square, Backs Up Traffic

  1. This is an incredibly dangerous intersection, with a high volume of vehicular traffic and TOTALLY INADEQUATE PROTECTION FOR BICYCLISTS. It’s fortunate that the bicyclist suffered only “minor injuries”. As planning for Watertown traffic flow moves forward, let’s hope that there is adequate consideration of pedestrian and bicyclist safety.

  2. And of coarse you don’t think the bicyclist may have gone through the light ? Sorry , bicyclists run lights all the time !

    • One thing I hate about that intersection is they have green lights and pedestrian walk lights in at the same time. Like when turning right from Mt. Auburn Street onto Main Street. It’s such a big intersection it really needs to be one where all car traffic is stopped when pedestrians get the walk signal.

      • 100% agree..this is called passive lighting I believe. I almost got hit at the Star Market intersection in Belmont. There is a green light for going straight while the left turn signal is dark until it is green. We waited for the pedestrian walk signal at the entrance(Star) to cross, the woman was looking at the traffic oncoming and not the crosswalk and floored it to get into the Star, where I was. I stopped abruptly seeing her and was clipped into my pedals and leaned the wrong way falling over…nice big hematoma, I was ok. I do understand that this can be confusing for both pedestrians(thinking they have clear path) and the driver given there is a green light while there is a black(no) turn left signal. These sorts of intersections should have a red left turn if the pedestrian signal to walk is on otherwise this is dangerous. If the pedestrian signal is not on the turn signal should be yellow to allow turning with caution(which allows for more flow of traffic while still being safe).

      • If they are considered vehicles, they should have to pay an excise tax too. People who own cars are paying for bicyclists lanes. They can also do what they want-most do not follow the laws of the road. If they want to share are roads, they should have to abide by the laws and pay to ride their bikes on the streets too!

  3. I been driving 34 years I was at a red light in Wartertown down from my house and this bike crossed the street in between my car and the car in front of my I almost hit him when the light turned green they never watch what they do and we drivers get untrouble for hitting them they think they own the road

  4. Before we get into a battle over roads need to change for bikes and keep changing the roads in this town for the worse until it is unreversible (it’s the unsafe bikers who don’t follow the rules of the road and think they are above them that is the problem) check the facts of this story. I was outside by Dunkin’ Donuts when it happened the biker was drunk and fell off his bike was not hit by the car. Driver just stopped to check on him

  5. I am sorry if I am not making the point sufficiently clearly. I am not making any assumptions about who is or is not at fault here. Generalizations about the habits of bicycle and automobile drivers are not helpful. This is a dangerous intersection, one of many in Watertown. What is needed is a transportation infrastructure that enhances safety for all. Pedestrians and bicyclists are the most vulnerable and need protection.

  6. The cyclist fell prior to the intersection, between The New York Diner and Dunkin Donuts, in the lane of traffic. If you showed up after the cyclist fell, it looked as if he had been hit by the car that had stopped. Thank you Charlie for looking into the facts on this incident. Although this incident did not involve a vehicle hitting the cyclist, it does not nullify the comments people have made about the area being unsafe for various reasons.

  7. Cyclists need to realize they will always loose when they come up against a car it’s a fact that can’t be denied the extent of their resulting injuries is the only variable, they have a responsibility to ride defensively at all times, take out their cell phone earpieces when riding and obey traffic rules of the road just like the cars they constantly whine about are expected to do ,unfortunately in the world we live in today that probably won’t happen instead they’d rather constantly whine about the cars being at fault….
    .

  8. The commenters above who are whining about cyclists are probably the first to complain about traffic. Think about the fact that bicycles equal traffic reduction. Also think about the fact that the laws of the Commonwealth give cyclists the right to use any unrestricted road.

    Now taking that thinking a step further, more bike infrastructure like bike lanes, protected bike tracks and rail trails will likely result in more bikes and fewer cars as well as a more predictable operating environment for everyone. So getting used to this brave new world may make sense for those of you who prefer to, or must, drive.

    Finally, it is unfair to say that cyclists don’t pay for their infrastructure. Most cyclists also own cars. And we all pay taxes. No one is forcing you to ride a bike. But the presence of bikes means that motorists must be extra careful. That’s okay by me. We can all be safer that way.

    • It’s actually quite hilarious when people fall of their bikes. balance is not that difficult, and requiring an ambulance for a minor fall is actually quite pathetic.

      • Really? You laugh at someone getting hurt? Very grown up of you. I hope we get the chance to laugh at your misfortune someday.

        • Thank you Joe Levendusky. It is a very pathetic person that has nothing better to do with their time than to laugh at and make fun of an injured person, something that is inherently not funny at all. Something is wrong the person who does laugh. And I’m sure that we will someday get a chance to laugh at this person’s misfortune.

  9. Joe, we live in New England. Long bitter winters that make bike transportation unrealistic for the majority of the year. We place too much emphasis on it for what it’s worth. I am for anything that reduces traffic here but I don’t think bikes are the answer. We need to improve public transportation services. It’s an old problem. Pouring more money into it doesn’t seem to be working. We need to fix it somehow.

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