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Man on Bike Killed by Muni Bus Driver at Bryant and Division

3:31 PM PDT on October 18, 2013

Image: ##http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/local/bicyclist-fatally-struck-muni-bus/nbRZy/##KTVU##

A man riding a bike was killed by a Muni bus driver this morning at the intersection of Bryant, Division and 11th Streets on the southwest end of SoMa, according to media reports.

From the SF Chronicle:

The crash involving a bus on the 27-Bryant line was reported at 8:44 a.m., said Mindy Talmadge, a spokeswoman for the Fire Department. She said the bicyclist, identified only as a man, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police and Muni officials said the bus was traveling southeast on 11th Street, and collided with the bicyclist while turning right onto Bryant Street.

The intersection is under Highway 101 and is controlled by traffic lights. However, Albie Esparza, a police spokesman, said, "Its unknown at this point the dynamics of the collision."

None of the roughly three dozen passengers on the bus were injured, Esparza said.

Paul Rose, a Muni spokesman, said the male bus driver, who has about 10 years of experience, was cooperative after the crash, and will be given a toxicology test under agency protocol. The driver was not immediately identified.

At the scene, KTVU reported that the bicycle had a black garbage bag tied to the rear rack and plastic bottles scattered across the street. KTVU also noted that the Muni bus had a camera on board which may have footage of the crash.

In a blog post, the SF Bicycle Coalition noted the poor design and high speeds at the intersection where the crash occurred, which lies underneath the Central Freeway.

"Division is easily one of the most dangerous streets in SF. Poor sight lines, lanes merging and separating with little transition, and streets meeting at unusual angles with unpredictable signalization," said Bert Hill, a bicycle safety instructor. "Being under an elevated freeway doesn't help, either."

Hill was consulted by the SFMTA in the production of a training video showing Muni operators how to safely navigate the streets with bicycle riders, which noted the extra care needed to watch for blind spots while driving a bus.

"Today’s victim was the fourth person this year to lose their life while biking on SoMa’s fast moving and deadly streets," the SFBC wrote. "In each of these deadly crashes, the rider was hit by a large vehicle."

SFMTA Director Ed Reiskin issued a statement this morning expressing condolences "to all concerned" in "the tragic accident."

The SFBC also noted in its post that there have been reports of a separate "serious crash on Folsom at 10th Street today, where a person biking was hit by a large van." Though few details are available on that, accounts on Twitter indicate no one was killed.

"These deadly and serious crashes on SoMa streets are not one off 'accidents,'" the SFBC wrote. "These deaths are preventable and within the power of the city to change immediately."

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