Bicyclist Injured by 18-Wheeler on FM 482 in Comal County, TX
Comal County, TX -- March 28, 2022, a 37-year-old bicyclist was seriously injured after being hit by an 18-wheeler on Farm to Market Road 482 in Comal County.
Authorities say the incident happened around 7:05 a.m. on FM 482 near Old State Highway 81. Preliminary investigation suggests a Volvo semi-truck with an attached trailer was traveling north on the roadway when the driver said he saw the victim on a bicycle, riding north in the middle of the road. He said he believed he had space to pass around the bike in a no-passing zone and started to do so when he had to hard-brake to avoid oncoming traffic. The truck skidded over 100 feet after the brake and then collided with the cyclist.
The rider suffered serious injuries in the collision. The truck driver was unhurt.
Investigators determined the cyclist was riding illegally in the middle of the road rather than far to the right as required by law. The cycle had a blinking red light on its rear visible up to 500 feet. IT was also determined the truck driver exercised faulty evasive maneuvers before the crash.
No further information is available at this time.
Commentary on Truck/Bicycle Accident on FM 482 in Comal County
I don't have any particular reason to doubt the story reports tell here, but as so often happens I feel like they don't necessarily cover all the bases. Police got a fair handle on what happened out there, I suppose, but there's little insight about why things happened that way. As the truck approached the cyclist, why did the driver decide to try an illegal pass? How fast was the truck traveling at the time? Did the trucker notice oncoming traffic before starting to cross left of center? If not, why not? Were there other, better ways to handle that situation rather than blasting past the cyclist in a no-passing zone? Speaking of the cyclist, why did they ride in the middle of the road instead of the far-right or the shoulder? Were they aware of the truck approaching behind them? If so, why didn't they get out of its way?
I'm not trying to point any fingers here. Reports suggest both parties involved in the wreck may have a share of the responsibility for it. However, I can't help but notice that only one of the two had to take a trip to the hospital afterward. A civilian cyclist and a professional truck driver are not held to the same standards of care and accountability in the eyes of the law, so I wonder if the person behind the wheel of the 40-ton truck acted as safely and responsibly as his training and experience really dictated he should. If not there may be further questions of negligence to address here and the bicyclist, despite allegedly riding somewhere he shouldn't have, may be entitled to some help getting back on his feet. It would likely take deeper investigation than law enforcement may be willing to invest to know for sure.
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