Monday, June 7, 2010

Total Bike Ban On Mall Possible After Bus Accident

DENVER (CBS4) ― A serious accident Sunday night on the 16th Street Mall may lead to a total ban on bicycles.

A 72-year-old bicyclist was hit by a Free Mall Ride bus and is said to be in serious condition. Normally bicycles are not allowed on the mall, except on Sundays.

The Regional Transportation District expects its bus operator to be ticketed for careless driving, but Denver police indicated the investigation is still under way.

The bus driver honked and the cyclist apparently braked too hard and flipped over the handlebars. A bus tire struck the cyclist's leg.

"The bus driver slammed on the brakes and I could see him, he liked punched the side of the bus and came running out and yelled, 'Oh my God,' and had his hands up and stuff," witness Julian Swayze said.

"It's something we may need to take a look at as to whether it is a safe thing to do now or if there are other procedures to put in place, especially on a Sunday when there are cyclists present," Scott Reed with RTD said.

Banning bikes on the mall doesn't always work. On Monday CBS4 also found bikes, the occasional car, and skateboarders on the mall who claimed discrimination.

"We see bikers riding down the street 24/7 and they don't stop them and they stop us and give us tickets for skating," Shawn Chames said. "I just don't get it."

RTD has been stung with several recent accidents including four deaths in three accidents in April.

Allowing bicycles on the mall on Sundays only goes back a long time when the mall was quieter.

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