Boston Police officer Rachel McGuire confirmed that a collision took place Wednesday afternoon in front of 722 Commonwealth Ave. between a biker and a vehicle.
According to bystanders, the biker was hit by a black vehicle while riding down Commonwealth Avenue and the vehicle immediately fled the scene following the collision.
The victim, Patricia Nelson, 28, of Allston, detailed how the accident happened.
“There were two buses here, there was the BU bus, which was parked in the bike lane, and then there was the MBTA bus, which was taking up the entire right hand lane,” Nelson said. “So after checking everything, I go and I get passed the MBTA bus and then by the time I’m at the BU bus which is in front of it, I see parts of my back wheel flying into my vision, and that was the car plowing me down.”
Nelson, who is a bike messenger, expressed relief for her safety but commented on how dangerous Commonwealth Avenue can be.
“Fortunately I didn’t go under, and I just have a scratched elbow,” Nelson said. “The car just drove off, the police are making a report. It was like a black sedan or something. If a single person in a car can plow someone down, you know, and keep going that’s messed up … I’ve been through a couple of different streets in the entire area of Boston, and this particular street and this particular side of the street is absolutely dangerous.”
Bike lanes on Comm avenue aren’t doing cyclists any favors. They’re so overcrowded by busses, parked cars with doors flying open, pedestrians and dangerous debris that to expect cyclists not to use the full lane is lunacy. The traffic solution of a full lane designated for bicycles used on Brighton avenue and Beacon street is far safer and less annoying for cyclists. Especially on Beacon, the lights are timed so terribly that having cyclists in the right lane doesn’t slow any motorists down. I’d like to see Boston infrastructure and Boston drivers both value the lives of cyclists over the prospect of a few seconds saved.