A Colorado Mesa University athlete was hit by a car while riding his bike today crossing 12th Street from campus. Christopher Walker, a track and field thrower, was riding his bike toward Mesa Avenue across the pedestrian crosswalk when a woman in a gray four-door hit him. While Walker’s bike was damaged, he did not sustain any serious injury.
“I was on my way home to get ready for practice,” Walker said. “I feel okay, my right side hurts just a tad.”
According to Grand Junction Police Officer Kevin Bavor, Grand Junction requires bicyclists to dismount before crossing the pedestrian walkway, because Walker did not do so before crossing, he was issued a citation. The woman involved was also issued a citation for not yielding.
“Because she did observe a pedestrian, but did not observe [Walker],” Bavor said. “And that’s what happens a lot of times with bikes is they’re moving a lot quicker across the roadway. That’s why they’re required by law to dismount their bike.”
Walker, who is not a Colorado native, was not aware of this law.
“None of these kids get off their bikes, it’s dangerous,” Jackson Freismuth, Walker’s roommate said. “Some public awareness would be especially cool.”
Bicyclists are known for regularly crossing the pedestrian walkway while still on their bikes, technically violating Grand Junction and Colorado law. Bavor has also seen this happen regularly at the crossings by the university.
“There’s no signs, I’ve never seen one person get off their bike,” Eli McMillan, another roommate of Walker, said.
While downtown Grand Junction, specifically Main Street, has signs that instruct bicyclists to dismount, 12th Street has no such signs. Bavor does not know why the crossings near CMU have no such signs.
“That’s probably something I’ll get with the college guys that work for us, you know up here,” Bavor said. “But I really don’t know why they don’t say that up here.”
A CMU representative issued a statement on the issue later that day.
“We’re very relieved that no one was seriously injured. It is a reminder that we all need to be aware of those around us. Vehicle drivers need to watch for pedestrians. Cyclists and boarders need to dismount before crossing. We all need to look up from our cell phones when crossing the street,” Dana Nunn said, CMU’s media relations director. “Do we really need signs posted to remind us to be careful when crossing the street?”
