City Bus Hits and Kills Cyclist on Crotona Avenue in the Bronx

Google Street View of Crotona Avenue near the reported crash location.

The Daily News and NY1 are reporting that a 57-year-old cyclist was killed by a city bus this morning after riding to avoid an open car door. The NY1 report describes the collision by saying that the cyclist “struck” the bus:

According to the New York City Police Department, the woman was
traveling southbound on Crotona Avenue near East Tremont Avenue when
she swerved into the traffic lane and struck a bus.

Information about the crash is still emerging, but you’ve got to question the choice of words here. Does it accurately convey the risks of large vehicles and the responsibilities of their drivers to other people on the road?

“To say that a cyclist ‘struck’ a city bus, when buses weigh somewhere around 25,000 pounds, seems to skew perceptions,” said Caroline Samponaro of Transportation Alternatives. “That language implies blame.”

Update: Here’s the NY1 headline.