Author: ArizonaBikeLaw

PD: Street racing may have led to driver crashing into Tempe building

10/15/2018 9:30PM; Rural Road just north of Guadalupe Road, Tempe. Yesterday evening, a speeding driver lost control, crossing over bike lanes, sidewalk, and eventually ran into a building.

PD: Street racing may have led to driver crashing into Tempe building
TEMPE, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) – A driver has life-threatening injuries after slamming into a building…Police say two drivers were speeding next to each other when one of them spun out and crashed into the building on the corner.

Continue reading “PD: Street racing may have led to driver crashing into Tempe building”

Suspect arrested in hit-and-run that injured deputy

This horrible incident occurred in Springfield Township, OH October 2018. I’m listing it here as a point of reference regarding hit-and-run and traffic justice. It’s also a good reminder that law enforcement officers face significant risks from dangerous drivers, compared to other occupations risks, e.g. bad guys with guns. Continue reading “Suspect arrested in hit-and-run that injured deputy”

Wrong-way driver kills bicyclist on A-mountain

10/11/2018 Thursday “morning”; victim 71 y.o. bicyclist Rick Ellwanger
Driver arrested suspected impairment. Wrong-way; hit-and-run; additional pedestrian victims.

On Friday afternoon police identified the suspect as 20-year-old Yanibra Moreno saying she’s being held on susp of 2nd degree murder and leaving the scene.

Continue reading “Wrong-way driver kills bicyclist on A-mountain”

Toole Design explains why we don’t have bike lanes in the US

According to Toole, et al, were it not for Forester, we would now have bike lanes everywhere. And not just bike lanes, the entire US would look something like Utrecht, Copenhagen, or Amsterdam. The March 2018 article is a review of a paper by Bill Schultheiss, Rebecca Sanders, and Jennifer Toole of Toole Design Group :

A Brief History of How American Transportation Engineers Resisted Bike Lanes

The “VC is only for old white males” is a trope. John Forester, author of Effective Cycling reiterates, e.g. in this August 2018 discussion thread (group membership required to see whole thread): Continue reading “Toole Design explains why we don’t have bike lanes in the US”

Personal delivery device

Polar Labs delivery robot testing in Tempe, seen June 2025

Autonomous Deliver Robots were enabled in Arizona in 2018, and further re-vamped the law in 2020.
Side-note:This all reminded me of the pizza delivery robot in an episode of Black Mirror.
As of Sept 2025, Doordash says they are rolling out “Doordash dot” for testing.
Polar labs based in Tempe/Mesa have been testing for some time (?early to mid-2024. At the time I saw them, pictured right, they were still accompanied by a “chaperone” following on an ebike).

Polar Labs appears to be supplying doordash.

Continue reading “Personal delivery device”

Driver jumps curb, kills Mesa man on sidewalk

victim Dana Machado was killed while walking on the sidewalk

9/23/2018 9:30am pedestrian 48 y.o. male Dana Machado was killed when a driver drove onto the sidewalk where the victim was walking his dog. Police arrested driver Richard Cruz on susp of DUI and are awaiting tox results.

Continue reading “Driver jumps curb, kills Mesa man on sidewalk”

What is an e-scooter?

Xiaomi Mi Electric Scooter

Just what is an e-scooter?  … what rules of the road apply?

For our purposes here, an e-scooter is an electric powered “kick” scooter that is sized to accommodate up to most adults; with weight limits being typically 220lbs. They travel on level ground up to about 15mph. A very popular model, the Xiaomi which is no longer sold at retail is said to be typical, and the basis for most of the scooter sharing companies, a la Bird, Lime, etc.

This article IS specifically trying to get to the bottom of what definitions and requirements may or may not apply. It IS NOT intended to delve into traffic safety; nor the relative merits of dockless sharing systems

Continue reading “What is an e-scooter?”

Chandler police investigating collision that killed bicyclist

9/25/2018 ~ 4pm Victim 24y.o. male Daniel J. Clark. (ASDM says 9/26, not 9/25)

Virtually no details were released, other than the approx location of near the intersection of  Germann Road and Airport Boulevard. There is a trail/canal crossing Germann Road there. Continue reading “Chandler police investigating collision that killed bicyclist”

Arizona Crash Facts 2017

ADOT has released Crash Facts 2017 in mid-year 2018 as usual; I received the database from them sometime in late August, as usual on a burned CD.

The graphical crash map has been updated and now contains 2009-2017 for both MV-bike and MV-ped crashes.

The Fatality Grid has been reconciled and contains some specifics on every bicyclist fatality in Arizona from 2009-2017 Continue reading “Arizona Crash Facts 2017”

3 killed in fatal SUV crash on SR 89

Fatal head-on near Florence. photo: DPS

There have been a couple of particularly violent & deadly head-on crashes on state routes recently. In both cases, there was no immediate speculation or cause of why the drivers crossed over and drove the wrong way.

In an Aug 30, 2018 incident occurred on a Thursday afternoon when the 47 y.o. male driver of a Ford SUV crossed over and collided head-on with a Suburban. Both drivers were killed as well as a toddler who was a passenger in the suburban. Continue reading “3 killed in fatal SUV crash on SR 89”

Fatal bicycle-vehicle crash restricts Baseline Road in Gilbert

9/13/2018 ~7PM Bicyclist 40 y.o. female,  Rebecca Benson

No details; Gilbert police announced at 7:14pm that “Officers are on scene investigating a fatal vehicle vs. bicycle collision on Baseline, east of Lindsay Road”. Continue reading “Fatal bicycle-vehicle crash restricts Baseline Road in Gilbert”

Arrest Warrant issued for speeding lawmaker Mosely

Coshise County attorney did come through with a criminal speeding charge on August 3rd; which Mosely either ignored or was unaware of (hmm, unaware). He eventually surrendered, plead not guilty, and was immediately released, with a trial scheduled for October 18. Well, at least he won’t be special much longer, as… Continue reading “Arrest Warrant issued for speeding lawmaker Mosely”

2017 Arizona Bicyclist Traffic Fatalities

There were 32 reported bicyclist traffic fatalities in Arizona in 2017.

For a grid-view of each of the 32, see this google docs sheet, which cross-references everything.

16 of the incidents have individual articles about them (tagged 2017 cyclist fatality). Below is a narrative as much as can be determined from either a crash report, or simply the data; for each of the other 16 fatalities that are not other wise documented in an individual article. Continue reading “2017 Arizona Bicyclist Traffic Fatalities”

El Mirage bicyclist killed in early morning hit and run

9/4/2018 “early morning hours”. Victim 20 y.o. Cody Nielsen.

The timeline is a bit confusing but apparently he was struck by a hit-and-runner; then sometime later (at least long enough to make a phone call) while apparently lying in the road (otherwise incapacitated?) was struck by a second driver, who remained on the scene. Police have not released any description of the hit-and-runner(?). Continue reading “El Mirage bicyclist killed in early morning hit and run”