# Cyclist run over by commercial truck in San Diego



## Kristatos (Jan 10, 2008)

Anyone been following the story of the cyclist run over on Friars Road? From all accounts that I've read so far, a commercial truck exited I-15 and then ran this poor guy down as he was riding eastbound on Friars. I know that off-ramp and it merges into eastbound Friars. The SDPD claims the cyclist violated the trucks right-of-way by crossing in front of him. 

There's a ton of places in SD where ramps dump fast-moving traffic right into a surface road that has a 45+ mph speed limit. I am wondering what the rules are - usually I keep riding along and then merge over when it's safe, but if someone decides to run me down I guess they can legally do that? Seems to me like if you run someone down from behind you violated their right of way and not the other way around. Not sure what I'm missing here.


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## dwgranda (Sep 8, 2009)

Wow, sorry to hear that. It does sound suspicious. I'm not familiar with the intersection, but just looking at the google street view (which even has a truck in the shot) maybe he tried to jump to the shoulder early before the appropriate merging area? It's tempting to do because otherwise you have fast moving traffic on both side of you for awhile. Otherwise I agree with you it seems like he would have the right of way as he almost for sure would have been in front of the truck. Maybe his family needs to get some lawyers involved. That seems to have gotten things moving for an incident we had here in the Bay Area where the authorities' explanation just seemed improbable to a cyclist.


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## e34john (May 31, 2010)

Saw all the traffic that day and was wondering what was going on. I was going north to Aero.

Another place that is dangerous is Clairemont Mesa going west at the 805. We have Southbound people getting off and trying to merge left while the people trying to get on the freeway are speeding up to cut off all the people comming off the freeway and then theres a bikelane going parallel to all of this and a pedestrian crossing. 

All of this is right after people in the far right turning lane are taking their turns wide to avoid the onramp and about once a week I am almost sideswipe because I turn from the outside lane like I am supposed to. I should start taking the 15 home.


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## the sarge (Jan 10, 2011)

I live in the middle of both of those spots and frequently ride through both!!! Crap I need to find new routes!!


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## rydbyk (Feb 17, 2010)

terrible. that is all.


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

*e34*



e34john said:


> Saw all the traffic that day and was wondering what was going on. I was going north to Aero.
> 
> Another place that is dangerous is Clairemont Mesa going west at the 805. We have Southbound people getting off and trying to merge left while the people trying to get on the freeway are speeding up to cut off all the people comming off the freeway and then theres a bikelane going parallel to all of this and a pedestrian crossing.
> 
> All of this is right after people in the far right turning lane are taking their turns wide to avoid the onramp and about once a week I am almost sideswipe because I turn from the outside lane like I am supposed to. I should start taking the 15 home.


I work off CM East of 805 (East of 163). Where are you going? I know that ramp, same @ 163. I take alternate routes.
There's other routes, let me know where you're headed


I avoid Friars because of crap like that


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

*I'm assuming by descriptions*

it was here
right about where the truck is in sad irony


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## e34john (May 31, 2010)

atpjunkie said:


> I work off CM East of 805 (East of 163). Where are you going? I know that ramp, same @ 163. I take alternate routes.
> There's other routes, let me know where you're headed
> 
> 
> I avoid Friars because of crap like that


I work right off Clairemont Mesa and Convoy. I take the 805 South to get to Lemon Grove. Sometimes I just get right onto the 15 but I don't like that huge ridge in road right before Kearny Villa. Friars is bad. I want to ride to work sometimes but I figure I will only make it as far as Friars until someone plows me over, or if I make it past there I don't know if I can make it past 99 Ranch before someone runs me over.


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## e34john (May 31, 2010)

That GoogleMaps photo looks right, thing is people dont even wait till the merge, they cut over the solid white line while still going freeway speeds especially since that is a long straight road. I am holding my line waiting until I can move right the they are already driving into me.


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

*you are in a hole*



e34john said:


> I work right off Clairemont Mesa and Convoy. I take the 805 South to get to Lemon Grove. Sometimes I just get right onto the 15 but I don't like that huge ridge in road right before Kearny Villa. Friars is bad. I want to ride to work sometimes but I figure I will only make it as far as Friars until someone plows me over, or if I make it past there I don't know if I can make it past 99 Ranch before someone runs me over.


I work CM and Chesapeake so I come in on Murphy Canyon from North Park. You are in a bad spot, lemme check my maps


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## rward325 (Sep 22, 2008)

There are a couple of places like that here in OC. I avoid them like the plague! Sad someone had to lose their life over this.


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

*get to Monetzuma*



atpjunkie said:


> I work CM and Chesapeake so I come in on Murphy Canyon from North Park. You are in a bad spot, lemme check my maps


head into Mission Valley on Fairmount
take Camino Del Rio North to the west. Watch after the left turn, idiots trying to get into Starbucks
Rt on Ward, Left at the 24 hr fitness. Takes you into the stadium. Hook on the bike path that takes you to Murphy Canton Road.
West on Aero to Convoy, NO RAMPS as it crosses I-15. The left from Murphy to Aero is pretty basic.


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## the sarge (Jan 10, 2011)

Anyone hear of another accident yesterday? Wife said she saw one with. Mangled bike and a car with it's windshield destroyed.


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