WTF VA DOT? - vehicle on pedestrian bridge

[masraum]

SUV vs enclosed pedestrian route

https://www.inquisitr.com/1304330/car-hits-cyclist/

There's so much about this story that seems like it must be fake.

Jeremy Butler

A recently released video shows an SUV driving along a Norfolk pedestrian bridge and slamming into an oncoming cyclist, however police will not be investigating the incident, reports The Blaze.

Kelley Howell was riding her bike in a caged pedestrian bike/walkway along the Berkely Bridge in Norfolk, VA on Saturday when she was struck by a vehicle driving within the enclosed area.

Riding with a handlebar-mounted camera, Howell is seen passing a few pedestrians while riding along the pedestrian dedicated walkway when the vehicle came out of nowhere.

“I saw this vehicle,” said Howell about the approaching SUV.

“Oh, my God. Brake, scream, when I realized I was hitting him. There was no way to stop it, but I had hit immediately on my hand hit the front of his car, I guess, glanced around the right, top right corner, and, then, what hit me the most was the mirror.”

The driver stopped and exchanged information with Howell, but neither person had a cell phone on them to call authorities.

When Howell asked the driver why they were driving on the pedestrian bridge, the driver would not say.

After reaching a phone, Howell alerted the authorities of the incident, but was met with skepticism and doubt.

“I said, ‘I have video if you want to see,’ and he said, ‘Oh, why do you have video?’ And I explained that I use it to educate, and he said, ‘Oh maybe you were the person who caused the accident,'” Howell told Norfolk based ABC 13 regarding the bicycle incident.

Howell was told by police that they could not investigate because they were not called to the scene of the accident immediately following the collision.

Upon hearing their reaction, Howell then contacted the Virginia Department of Transportation and explained the situation.

According to WVEC, the VDOT released a statement following the phone call explaining that the vehicle that struck the cyclist was a VDOT employee, and that the bridge is regularly used by VDOT employees to drive to and from work.

“VDOT is working with its contractor to determine the factors involved in the incident and to ensure that proper policy and procedures were followed,” Jennifer Gwaltney of the VDOT said.

According to the Virginia Pilot, there are signs informing pedestrians that there is the possibility of VDOT motor vehicles using the walkway on the bridge.

The employee has been placed on administrative leave while the incident is being investigated.

Do you think that VDOT employees should have access to the pedestrian bridge on this Norfolk highway?

Should the employee be fired for hitting the cyclist on the bridge? Or should the cyclist have been aware of the possibility of motor vehicles on the bridge?

[Noah930]

I wonder about your skepticism, too. Granted an oncoming car was the last thing she expected to see, but why didn't she swerve? Seems like a basic, Darwinian response, no?

If a masked gunman or mountain lion came running the other way, I wouldn't blithely ride straight on into him, right?

[gregpark]

Fake news? who cares? It's non news. Except maybe in Norfolk. No blood no foul no story

[onewhippedpuppy]

Maybe the car was identifying as a cyclist?

[David]

Here's the crazy part:

According to WVEC, the VDOT released a statement following the phone call explaining that the vehicle that struck the cyclist was a VDOT employee, and that the bridge is regularly used by VDOT employees to drive to and from work.

[gregpark]

"but officer, the GPS lady told me to go this way"

[masraum]

Originally Posted by David

Here's the crazy part:

According to WVEC, the VDOT released a statement following the phone call explaining that the vehicle that struck the cyclist was a VDOT employee, and that the bridge is regularly used by VDOT employees to drive to and from work.

That's the part that seemed the strangest to me.

[stevej37]

Two years ago, while biking on Sanibel Island, I rounded a corner and there was a full sized sedan headed right for us. It was a devoted bike/pedestrian path. The driver was a little old lady who could hardly see over the wheel. She was totally confused. Luckily it wasn't much further to the next road and the trail was quiet.

[cabmandone]

Well! That's one way to avoid VA traffic.

[David]

I just realized this story is 6 years old. A quick internet search shows they don't allow cars on the bridge any longer so we can all rest easy.