Cyclists push for bike safety after recent crash

Every cyclist has their story. Whether it’s a near miss or a hard hit, there’s no doubt about it: cyclists are vulnerable.

“We have had to change our bike routes because the roads are more populated with cars and the speed limits are very high, even though there are bike lanes, the drivers are speeding,” said Angela Quinsey, president of the Naples Velo cycling club.

She added: “We’re seeing a lot of aggression toward cyclists. So they will swerve into the bike lane on purpose to scare us or to try to hit us.”

Then there are the times when drivers really do strike bicyclists.

“It was my mistake,” shared cyclist and Naples Cyclery general manager Greg Pelican. “I got hit by a truck, and I was lucky to live. The next thing I woke up, I was in a life flight helicopter, and I was fine. I had a couple broken bones.”

Every broken bone, Quinsey said, serves as a reminder that bicyclists have to look out for themselves, as well as stay educated on road safety.

“We’re all vulnerable because people are just not looking out for us here,” explained Quinsey. “You have to wear something that is extremely high-vis, and wear a lot of lights, so you’re lit up.”

It’s also recommended you ride with a group and, of course, wear a helmet.

In more recent years, Pelican said a camera isn’t a bad idea when cycling.

“God forbid something happened, you know, we could go and play that back and see if there was a car coming, it did something dangerous,” said Pelican, as he showed WINK News reporter Amy Galo how the Garmin Varia works.

This handy gadget is recommended for training cyclists and everyday commuters.

It uses a camera to track where a car is in relation to you on the road, a great tool for areas like where Hollie Masino was hit by a car while riding her bike on Weber Boulevard in Collier County.

The road does not have a designated bike lane and is poorly lit at night, making it dangerous.

Masino was left for dead Sunday night after a hit-and-run crash, and she is now fighting for her life at the hospital.

“That’s just terrible,” said Michelle Avola-Brown, executive director of the Naples Pathways Coalition. “I don’t understand how somebody could hit another human being and then just leave.”

The Naples Pathways Coalition is an organization pushing for change in bike safety through education for both cyclists and drivers.

“We’re trying to get drivers to be more aware of people outside of other vehicles,” said Avola-Brown, “trying to get bike riders to ride on the correct side of the road. For pedestrians, to get them to understand that they need to cross at crossings.”

The coalition does all this while also working towards new legislation.

“The three feet law, you know, is great,” said Quinsey. “But people don’t abide by it, and the bike lanes are too small. Cars will still try to pass you, and half of the time, if they’re distracted, their tires are creeping into the bike lane, which then what happens? Cyclists have nowhere to go.”

Which leads to another important thing cyclists want changed: infrastructure.

“We need designated bike lanes,” said Quinsey. “We need sidewalks and bike paths that connect. We need better lighting, and we need signage that alerts drivers that cyclists are on the road.”

Avola-Brown added: “We really need multi-use pathways to help get people out of harm’s way.”

In the end, there’s no cure-all unless we look out for each other.

If you’re driving: “Please put your phone down, slow down, focus on where you’re going,” said Avola-Brown.

And if you’re on a bike: “We have to try extra hard to be visible, so not just a front and rear light, as is required by law, but I want people to be wearing lights on their body, on their helmet, so that it really makes an obstacle of them, to be seen.”