RICHMOND HILL – A bicyclist, riding north on US 17 just south of Richmond Hill, was struck by a Ford F-150 pickup truck a few minutes before 1 p.m. today.

The cyclist, described by a Bryan County Sheriff Deputy as a middle aged male from Virginia, was transported to Memorial University Medical Center by ambulance for treatment.

While the extent of the man’s injuries is unknown, an official on the scene said he was conscious prior to be taken to Memorial.

The speed limit on the section of highway where the accident occurred is 55 MPH.

The accident is being investigated by the Georgia State Patrol.

Sounds like he’s ok but very little info so far.

Cyclist struck by truck on Highway 17 South of Richmond Hill

By Melanie Ruberti

SAVANNAH, GA (WTOC) – Skidaway road is a familiar trail for Nick Baker. It’s one he rides at least three times a week. But his path took a detour last Friday when he says a driver hit him from behind.

“The first thing I remember is the good lady in the ambulance asking me to wiggle my fingers and toes as I was lying down. Which, when I was able to do that, I felt quite relieved,” he said.

Knocked unconscious, Nick has no memory of the accident. But his bike gear including his helmet and reflective vest, tell the story. His helmet now has a dent and his vest is covered in blood.

“The mirror hit my helmet here and knocked me out,” Nick explained. “Had I not been wearing it, I wouldn’t be here.”

Stitches, bruises and scrapes mark the side of Nick’s face. But it’s not the injuries he’s worried about. It’s the driver who hit him and drove off without even checking to make sure he was okay.

“Why didn’t you stop? I could be dead,” Nick said.

Nick’s been cycling for 35 years. He’s entered many European races and was a cyclist in the 1988 Olympics. While he’s had some near misses, he’s never been hit. This is now serving as a wake up call that changes need to be made on Savannah’s city streets.

“It’s not just good enough saying, ‘be aware of a cyclist,’” Nick said. “They need to leave the correct amount of room when they’re passing a cyclist.”

Since his accident, Nick’s had several calls and emails from other cyclists with similar experiences.

“We’re pretty much at the mercy of cars,” said Drew Wade, chairman of the Savannah Bicycle Campaign.

He also cycles to work every day and believes some roads in Savannah need to be more bike friendly.

“It behooves us to try to improve the roads, to make them accommodate all users and to try and educate the public,” he said.

Savannah mayor Otis Johnson is trying to make Savannah a little more bicycle friendly through his “Dump the Pump” campaigns.

Mayor Johnson says plans on having driver education classes to help people understand what rights bicyclists have. He also wants to increase the use of helmets and create more marked bike paths around the city.

Those are some of the changes Nick hopes for too, but he knows it may take awhile.

Meanwhile, he has placed signs along Skidaway Road hoping that anyone who saw the accident and knows what happened will come forward with information.

“Did they see me? Did they not see me? If they didn’t see me, we need to talk about that,” he said.

While the accident won’t take away Nick’s passion for cycling, it will determine what route he takes next time. “I probably won’t ride this road again,” said Nick.

Savannah-Chatham police say the person who hit Nick was driving a white pick up truck. If you have any information or saw the accident, call police or CrimeStoppers at 912.234.2020.

The LAB administers the Bicycle Friendly Communities Program, and the City of Savannah has completed the first of its two-part application.  The four hour workshop will review facilities and programs in Savannah for their bicycle friendliness, and include a review of the Bikability Checklist.

Whether or not we as a community rise to the national definition of Bicycle Friendly Community (in Georgia, only Roswell has achieved this status), we are sure to learn about how to get better and closer to that goal.

We as bicyclists often face adverse conditions — this workshop represents a chance to look at those and discuss how we can make things better locally rather than complaining into the abyss — we are strongest when we speak together!  Please consider joining us and Savannah city officials on Wednesday, January 21.