MELBOURNE, Florida — Traffic investigators from the Melbourne Police Department are currently investigating a vehicle crash where one person died.
At 3:48PM today, Melbourne police officers responded to Eau Gallie Boulevardand John Rodes Boulevard for a motor vehicle crash involving a Florida Power & Light Company bucket truck and a man on a bicycle.
At this point of the investigation, police say it appears the bicyclist was traveling westbound on the south sidewalk of Eau Gallie Boulevard as the truck was attempting to make a right turn from John Rodes Boulevard.
According to investigators, as the truck made the right turn to go east, the bicyclist traveled into the crosswalk in front of the truck. The driver of the truck was unable to see the cyclist as he crossed in front of him. The cyclist went under the vehicle and was killed instantly.
At this time, the name of the deceased is not being released pending next of kin notification. This incident is still under investigation.
The Melbourne Police Department is currently investigating this incident and more information may be available at a later time. For additional information, please call the PIO phone number listed above.
If you have any information please call Crimeline: 1-800-423-TIPS (8477) or The Melbourne Police Department’s Crime Tip Line: 321-409-2259
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OK so the driver was in partial control over a vehicle that was driven into an area that he could not establish as safely clear because of a blind spot large enough to completely obscure an adult male human on a bicycle. And this was the cyclist's fault how? The description had the cyclist in the road before the truck began its turn, which means the cyclist may have been ahead of the turn signals even if the driver signaled his intent.I'm still trying to figure out how a vehicle that is almost completely blind to the front and right is legal to operate on crowded city streets with pedestrians and cyclists in the same space.
The article says the cyclist was on the sidewalk heading west-the truck made the light to turn right heading north turning east-the cyclist entered the crosswalk in front of the truck. The truck driver could not see him because ALL truck drivers have a different line of sight close to the truck because they sit up higher. To answer your question-the cyclist was at fault because if the truck driver had a green light the pedestrian did not have the right of way. If there were a crossing light the "hand" would be lit and red. In the abscence of a crossing light pedestrians gain the right of way when the light turns green in their direction of travel. Even if the truck driver could not see the cyclist, did the guy on the ground not see or hear the big truck? Sounds like one of three things: cyclist looking for an insurance claim; cyclist trying to end himself; or a tragic accident. The result is the same.
A truck should not be driven because it has a blind spot? All cars and trucks have blind spots in front such as a small dog in front of a car would not be seen, the only difference is the truck is larger. Also the article stated the cyclist was on the sidewalk and THEN entered the intersection in front of the truck, the only thing the article did not say was who had the light. Was the light green? which means the cyclist should not have been in the intersection. Or was it red and the driver crept up to make a right on red and hit the cyclist? Without the facts I cannot say who is to blame but my personal rule of thumb is if its bigger than me I never assume they can see me to think other wise can prove fatal.
OK so the driver was in partial control over a vehicle that was driven into an area that he could not establish as safely clear because of a blind spot large enough to completely obscure an adult male human on a bicycle. And this was the cyclist's fault how? The description had the cyclist in the road before the truck began its turn, which means the cyclist may have been ahead of the turn signals even if the driver signaled his intent.I'm still trying to figure out how a vehicle that is almost completely blind to the front and right is legal to operate on crowded city streets with pedestrians and cyclists in the same space.
The article says the cyclist was on the sidewalk heading west-the truck made the light to turn right heading north turning east-the cyclist entered the crosswalk in front of the truck. The truck driver could not see him because ALL truck drivers have a different line of sight close to the truck because they sit up higher. To answer your question-the cyclist was at fault because if the truck driver had a green light the pedestrian did not have the right of way. If there were a crossing light the "hand" would be lit and red. In the abscence of a crossing light pedestrians gain the right of way when the light turns green in their direction of travel. Even if the truck driver could not see the cyclist, did the guy on the ground not see or hear the big truck? Sounds like one of three things: cyclist looking for an insurance claim; cyclist trying to end himself; or a tragic accident. The result is the same.
A truck should not be driven because it has a blind spot? All cars and trucks have blind spots in front such as a small dog in front of a car would not be seen, the only difference is the truck is larger. Also the article stated the cyclist was on the sidewalk and THEN entered the intersection in front of the truck, the only thing the article did not say was who had the light. Was the light green? which means the cyclist should not have been in the intersection. Or was it red and the driver crept up to make a right on red and hit the cyclist? Without the facts I cannot say who is to blame but my personal rule of thumb is if its bigger than me I never assume they can see me to think other wise can prove fatal.