Edhat StaffThe Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office has released the identity of the bicyclist that was struck by a vehicle and killed on Modoc Road early Friday morning.
Daniel Robinson, 54, was a transient in the Santa Barbara area.
The Sheriff’s Office did not confirm if Robinson was under the influence at the time of the collision.
The initial report is provided below.
A bicyclist was struck by a vehicle and killed on Modoc Road early Friday morning.
California Highway Patrol (CHP) reports that at approximately 12:39 a.m., a collision between a 2003 Ford Explorer and bicyclist took place near Modoc Road and Encore Drive. Life saving measures were attempted but the bicyclist, a 54-year-old Santa Barbara male who’s name has not yet been released, succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The initial investigation by CHP reveals that 48-year-old Monique Martinez of Santa Barbara was driving the Ford Explorer west on Modoc Road and did not see the bicyclist who was traveling in the same direction outside of the bicycle lane. The bicyclist, who was not wearing a helmet or lighting devices, was ejected from the bicycle when struck by the vehicle.
Martinez, who was driving with three passengers, was evaluated by CHP at the scene and was found not to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs. It is currently unknown if the bicyclist was under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Modoc Road was closed for several hours while CHP processed the scene. All roadways are currently open.
There’s other indications as to where the bicyclist was riding, other then someone saying it…….
They ride outside the bike lane, or ON the edge of the line closest to the traffic, all the time…..
I drive on that part of Modoc road at least 3-4 times per week, at different times of the day. I have yet to see a single bicyclist “going over the line” unless it’s a momentary thing to avoid sticks or glass or such. I have ridden those lanes on my bike. They are nice and wide.
I live on Modoc and drive Modoc every day going both directions in the vicinity of the “accident” and most days see bicyclers out of the bike lanes. It is a very common occurrence.
Coming off the bike path onto Modoc so I don’t think so. Either way, at night, zipping out in dark clothes, with no lights, he was taking a risk for himself and others. Anyone who hit him and whoever was in their car would have been traumatized for life.
Ignorance can be cured with information; stupidity and entitlement are pretty much permanent.
It’s time to enforce bicycle rules… Helmets required. Lights required. Ride in the bike lane, or all the way to the right, stop impeding traffic. Use the streets with the bike lanes. Use arm signals when turning. Stop at the stop signs & red light. Stop for people in the crosswalks.
Sometimes there’s a lot of debris on the south side of the bike path along Modoc, but no helmet and no lights are a different story. One night about 9pm coming from Vista del Monte toward Hollister/State, a guy on a bike in dark clothes, dark backpack, no lights came zooming out of the bike path and across the road. If I hadn’t had good tires & brakes, my brights on and was in no way distracted, I’d have hit him. I assumed “bum on a bike” but am prejudiced about that presentation at that hour.
I drive and bike in equal amounts, and commute along Modoc daily. While that bike path is nice and wide, others are fairly narrow, and many are mostly concrete curb/gutter with a ridge down the middle, so riders either have to stay near the white line, or ride over all kinds of debris. AND MOST IMPORTANT: this town sweeps its parking places weekly, but basically NEVER the bike lanes. There is SO MUCH DEBRIS IN MOST BIKE LANES. Also on Modoc–the westbound stretch between Las Positas and La Cumbre is worst. Try riding down Hitchcock from State to Calle Real, or up Calle Real to La Cumbre (always, not just now after the repaving). Rocks, sticks, trash, auto parts (lead weights from wheel balancing)–cyclists have good reason to avoid them. DRIVERS BE AWARE OF THE 3 FT RULE: no matter where the cyclist is–they/we have full rights to the full lane, bike path or no–don’t pass unless you can leave 3 feet between your car and the cyclist. That is MORE THAN AN OUTSTRETCHED arm (mine is 30″). Be courteous and keep your distance until it is safe to pass.
That said, I agree: cyclists light up or at least reflectorize!
I totally agree with you as the bicyclists on the sidewalks are too much only people that get a pass from me riding on the sidewalks kids.
CHOOSE! Are roads for parked cars or transportation coordinators for pedestrians, bikes, strollers and motorized vehicles? Most every SB residential street is too narrow for what officials expect to be accommodated. Please SB Officials: 1) No street parking of vehicles or bike riding either on streets under 70 feet wide. 2) Improved street lighting on streets with bike lanes. It’s hard enough for seniors to see bikes weaving around parked vehicles or where there are no bike lanes on narrow streets. On most nights, there are occasions I must fast break for a cyclist or car in front of me maneuvering to miss a cyclist.
Regarding bicycle lanes specifically … the CA DMV says cyclist do not have to use them when they’re traveling at/above the average speed of traffic (cyclists and motorists both being legal users of the entire roadway). But cyclists do need to use the bike lane when they’re traveling at slower than the average rate. How one determines what the average is could be up to interpretation, but if you’re the only user of the road, you’re riding at the average rate. From a practical viewpoint, a cyclist would want to use a bike lane when possible – but it’s not always mandatory. However, per the DMV, motorists are not allowed to use the bike lanes unless turning or entering/existing the roadway (e.g. driveway).
I live in Bel Air Knolls where the streets are nice and wide, and I see a strange phenonmenom all the time. People walking in the street. It’s SO dangerous, cars speed here, yet every day there are tons of neighbors out there with their dogs, even babies in strollers IN THE STREET!!! They need to be on the sidewalk. It drives me nuts.
EASTBEACH: I have pulled up next to drivers, although not recently, to ask them if they knew they were driving in the bike lane. Here’s a tip for every driver: you’re supposed to ease into the bike lane a short distance before you commit to that right turn. And it’s also against the law, when you’re turning right, to leave enough room for a vehicle to pull up beside you on your right. Everyone: watch out for those “turn left from the right lane on a one-way street” dummies, er, visitors. I have seen three such turns made in the past two weeks.
“Whether the pot hits the dish or the dish hits the pot, it’s bad for the dish.” A bike sharing the road with any motorized vehicle is a definite “dish”, a good thing to remember when you’re riding. . .