HOUSTON—
Just how safe are the roads for cyclists in Houston? Not very. According to a League Certified Instructor at Bicycle World of Houston, the Bayou City was the No. 1 least bicycle friendly city in the nation. The League of American Bicyclists have changed that ranking by adding more trails and routes for cyclists.But riding through town is still unsafe. On Saturday, The Harris County Sheriff's office responded to a fatal crash involving an 18-wheeler and cyclist in Northwest Houston. On Sunday, 39 News was at the scene to learn more about what happened as well as the dangers of pedaling through Houston.
What happened to a bicyclist in the 14100 block of Stuebner Airline Road on Saturday is affecting the cycling community across Houston.
"We take that very, very personal," Tom Tirado, a League Certified Instructor through the League of American Bicyclists, said at Bicycle World of Houston.
The Harris County Sheriff's office said a cyclist was found dead around 2 a.m. on Saturday. According to investigators, he was knocked off his bike and run over. The name of the victim has not been released.
"What I understand, he was stopped on the road trying to repair his bike," said Tirado.
Police confirmed that cyclist was having mechanical troubles and stopped in the moving lane of traffic.
"The truck driver probably never even saw him," said Tirado. "It was a matter of visibility there."
Tirado wants to send an important message to the cycling community about safety:
"You just have to make yourself visible. You have to prepare, especially if you use your bicycle as transportation," said Tirado.
For example, having a light on the back is not required by Texas law but using one could save your life. It may seem obvious to have lights on while cycling at night, but using them during the day isn't something people usually think about.
"You're more invisible during the day riding a bicycle than you are at night because the people at night always put lights on," Tirado said.
And people can't forget about the vest, especially if they're in the dark.
"The ins and outs of commuting is really almost 95-percent being prepared," said Tirado.
As for what happened on Saturday on Stuebner Airline Road, the case is still under investigation.
