Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition

As many of you may have heard, a cyclist was struck and killed by an SUV in Los Gatos on Monday, February 1. The victim was Joshua West, a 28 year old single father and car-free resident of Los Gatos. At SVBC we find this news deeply saddening, and we know from the many emails we have received that the cycling community at large is shocked and saddened by this tragedy.

Of course we all know that line from Charles Dickens' "A Tale of Two Cities" but it also describes the current state of cycling on the Peninsula and in the South Bay.

A cyclist was struck by a car and killed on December 18 while crossing Hwy. 101 on Hillsdale Blvd. in San Mateo. The victim was an as yet unidentified 68 year old man. He was hit by a Caltrans vehicle.

A man was struck and killed in Cupertino on Tuesday, November 10. The driver was a student in his 20s and was turning into De Anza college when he struck the cyclist. He has not been arrested.

Our condolences go out to the family and friends of the victim. We have had far too many reminders lately of the dangers faced on the road when people don't stay cautious and observant.

Incidents like these are no reason to stay off your bike, though. Rather, accidents are sad reminders that we need to educate cyclists and motorists about how they can work together to stay safe on the road.

Dr. Christopher Thompson, a Los Angeles doctor, was found guilty of six felonies and one misdemeanor on Monday, November 2. The convictions concerned an incident of motorist-on-cyclist road rage last summer that left two cyclists badly injured.

From the Los Angeles Times: