CALIFORNIA BICYCLE NEWS AND CYCLING SAFETY TIPS BLOG

A police car in Brooklyn struck and injured 31-year-old cyclist Justin Johnsen last November, according to the New York Post. A 2009 Ford Taurus ran into Johnsen from behind as he was cycling to work on Flushing Avenue that morning, and the vehicle turned out to be an unmarked police car. Johnsen said he was following traffic rules and riding in the bike lane before being sent flying. He did not receive any citations following the incident that left him with deep cuts that required stitches—but he did get something else last month that was the equivalent of salt in the wounds: a $1,263.01 bill for the damage to the police cruiser that struck him. “I think it’s preposterous,” Johnsen told the Post. “I was upset. I was kind of in disbelief that they were going to send this letter after four months or so and ask me to pay…
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A bicycle accident victim received a $1.2 million settlement from the city of Coralville, Iowa, as well as the state, according to the Iowa City Press Citizen. Bridgid Ruden lost control of her bicycle on May 24, 2008 as she was riding on the North Ridge Trail on the University of Iowa’s Oakdale campus. Ruden slipped into a coma and required several surgeries. She suffered permanent damage and a traumatic brain injury despite the fact that she was wearing a helmet. According to Ruden’s lawsuit, the city, state and Horsfield construction were negligent and contributed to the accident. The lawsuit alleged that there were flaws in the design of the trail, improper maintenance of the trail and negligence in allowing water and mud to gather on the trail. Her lawsuit claimed these conditions contributed to a foreseeable accident, such as hers. “Obviously, this was a very traumatic event for the…
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