Breakfast links: Tragic carnage on DC streets during Passover and Easter weekend

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Breakfast links: Tragic carnage on DC streets during Passover and Easter weekend
By Matt Gontarchick (Contributor) April 22, 2019

We at Greater Greater Washington are grieving the loss of a contributor and friend to many in our community on Friday and another death Sunday in Anacostia. Today will be devoted to articles about road safety and our memories of Dave Salovesh. There will be more actions in the coming days, and if you’d like to hear about them, sign up using the form below.

Dave Salovesh, longtime DC bike advocate, has died
Dave Salovesh, a well-known figure in the District's cyclist community and GGWash contributor, died after being struck by the driver of a stolen van early Friday at 12th Street and Florida Avenue Northeast. The driver has since been charged with second-degree murder. (WAMU)

A car crash in Anacostia leaves one dead and others injured
On Sunday afternoon, pedestrian Abdul Seck was killed and five car passengers were injured after one driver collided into another in Anacostia in Southeast DC. Police say traffic infractions were likely involved, and local residents say the intersection where the collision occured is dangerous. (WTTG)

Bike advocates call for DC to make conditions for cycling safer
At a Sunday vigil in remembrance of Dave Salovesh, cyclists from across the region urged the District to take action to improve road safety for cyclists and pedestrians. (Meliisa Howell, Zeke Hartner / WTOP)

DC’s bike community mourns the loss of Dave Salovesh
Following Friday's fatal collision involving DC bike advocate Dave Salovesh and a stolen van, members of Washington's close-knit cyclist community held a group bike ride on Saturday and a vigil on Sunday. They placed a white bike at the site of the incident. (NBC Washington)

Even without Dave Salovesh, bike advocacy in DC will go on
Dave Salovesh was a giant in DC's cyclists community, and despite his untimely death at the hands of a negligent drivers, his efforts to make biking in DC more accessible and safer are sure to continue. (Brian McEntee / City Paper)

The District plans to form a new enforcement unit to protect bike lanes
Starting this fall, the District will step up enforcement of bike lane violations by creating a new group of officers that will have more time to investigate violations. The officers, for instance, will be able to document violations with photographs and send tickets directly to a driver's home. (Luz Lazo / Post)

[IronLionZion]

1. This is a dangerous city to drive or bike in

people are always in a hurry, strung out, stressed, and perpetually raging. Plus many intersections have people walking, biking, etc. plus vehicles so there is a lot to look out for.

Vehicles have run red lights and didn't seem to care that I was crossing the road on a crosswalk where I had the walk signal. I'll take my chances with Metro as much as I can.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

2. Then of course there are the cyclists who

ignore all rules of the road.

Saw another one yesterday, on the wrong side of the street and didn't bother with a stop sign. A couple of years ago I saw the same thing, only the cyclists didn't bother paying attention to the red light and was hit by a car legally entering the intersection.

Or they wear dark clothes and have no reflector or light on their bike and they're out at night.

It cuts both ways.

When my son was doing pizza delivery he got a dash camera because cyclists and pedestrians who didn't follow the rules of the road were such a hazard.

[enough]

3. Oh well, I guess the cyclist deserved to die then, what with all those other

cyclists behaving badly.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

4. No, I didn't say that.

There are irresponsible cyclists and irresponsible motorists.