Update: 1 hurt in van-motorcycle crash on Avalon Way

(Thanks to Tony for the photo – taken before police/fire arrived)
8:58 AM: If you haven’t left yet, avoid Avalon Way – at Genesee, traffic is going one direction at a time in the aftermath of a crash involving a motorcycle.

9:04 AM: All lanes now back open. At least one person is hurt; a private ambulance was just leaving as we got there (which indicates non-life-threatening injuries). We’re checking on their condition.

10:33 AM: Seattle Fire spokesperson Kyle Moore tells WSB the injured person was the motorcycle rider, “sitting and conscious when (firefighters from Ladder 11) arrived. They examined him and found no obvious major injuries. The rider, who was in his 30’s, was wearing his helmet. AMR transported him to Harborview as a precaution.”

10:33 PM: Just got a note from Ray, who identifies himself as the motorcycle rider hurt this morning. He says he left the Harborview trauma center with “a few dozen stitches and 3 fractured toes.” He wanted to thank the witnesses who helped him; from what he knows of what happened, Ray says, the van driver “did not see me coming and pulled out onto SW Avalon (left turn) and hit me on the right side (I was heading northbound toward the bridge, down the hill).” He recalls that the driver seemed “apologetic.”

SJ2 June 14, 2012 (9:15 am)

I drove by this on my way to work. The motorcycle looked horrible. I was surprised to see the guy involved looked do alert. Thank goodness he appeared to be much better off than I had expected based on the looks of the motorcycle.

AEL June 14, 2012 (9:34 am)

The light planned there needs to get installed right away. There are countless close calls there.

John June 14, 2012 (9:46 am)

This is a horrible intersection. Oddly staggered cross-street with downhill traffic not having enough time to react. It’s very sad to know that an accident like this was almost an eventuality.

Our thoughts and prayers for those hurt.

Cait June 14, 2012 (10:37 am)

That intersection is terrible- is there actually a light planned for it?

ad June 14, 2012 (11:41 am)

Could you explain the difference between private ambulances &…the alternative?

I hope the motorcyclist is ok.

WSB June 14, 2012 (12:11 pm)

Medic units have the ability to provide varying degrees of “life support” – there are some awesome experts in the WSB readership who will explain if they see this – but if the injuries are not major, the fire crews usually will call for a private ambulance, which provides a different level of care. So even if we have no formal information about the situation, we mention which level of emergency unit transported the patient, because that at least lets us know if life-threatening injuries were involved … TR

old timer June 14, 2012 (11:44 am)

Dangerous uncontrolled intersections, roadways a jumbled mess of cracks and potholes, yet the elites can finagle a way to use our bonding capacity to fund another stadium.
Rant off/

LB June 14, 2012 (11:49 am)

Yes. Last time I checked I didn’t see any markings for the controller or any new poles that would be needed.

blander June 14, 2012 (12:38 pm)

In a city whos traffic is so uterly controlled that most drivers are unaccustomed to paying attention and making descisions, an intersection that requires both is dangerous.

AlkiAnne June 14, 2012 (12:50 pm)

Saw the ambulance crew put the rider into the ambulance and take their time cleaning up the scene and getting everyone back in so it looked like they weren’t in any rush to get going. They pulled out in front of us and didn’t speed or use the lights and even seemed a little lost on how to get onto Fauntleroy. The van that hit him was pulled off to the side and had some pretty heavy damage to the right bumper. Just goes to show that you should always wear a helmet and protective clothing when out for a ride because it can save your life (ehem Alki cruisers in your flipflops and tshirts).

WSB June 14, 2012 (1:29 pm)

To those who say they passed the scene … please keep in mind that we have no official info on who was at fault, if either party (and we are unlikely to get it), so unless you actually saw it, we don’t KNOW that the van “hit” the motorcycle … sometimes it happens the other way around … or they “collided” … thanks.

ad June 14, 2012 (1:15 pm)

Thanks, Tracy.

HJD June 14, 2012 (1:22 pm)

I also drove by the scene at about 8:25 (in fact, that silver car in front of the Subaru in the picture was me). The guy was a bit bloody but was upright and alert … certainly in way, way better shape than his motorbike, which was completely mangled. Not exactly sure what happened, but it looked an awful lot like the bike was heading up Avalon and was heading into the center lane to turn left onto Genesee. That looks like where he got plowed into by the minivan, which I conjecture was coming up Genesee and was attempting to cross to turn left up Avalon.

Echoing a previous comment, close calls and wrecks happen at this exact location way too often. A light would really help.

Happy to hear that everyone involved is generally okay.

Walking the NIMBY fence June 14, 2012 (1:36 pm)

I hate this intersection. Too many variables. Most people are taking a left from Genesee, there’s a bus you can’t always see around, people speeding both up and down the hill, and most terrifying, a crosswalk! I worry for pedestrians who are crossing there…what happens if someone gets impatient and guns it to turn left without looking? Scary!

AlkiAnne June 14, 2012 (2:20 pm)

Sorry TR, the van that was part of the collision had an ugly looking bumper as a result.

L June 14, 2012 (2:32 pm)

ad asked, “Could you explain the difference between private ambulances &…the alternative?”
.
WSB’s answer is thorough, but a short answer is that the difference is around $857.

Sybil June 14, 2012 (2:34 pm)

I also despise that intersection and turn on to Avalon from Genesee multiple times a week. It is especially hard when a bus is at that stop on Avalon, like it is in the photo. They are impossible to see around and sometimes sit there for a while. A light would be wonderful!
I hope the motorcyclist is okay. How scary to be involved in an accident like this.

Mike June 14, 2012 (3:16 pm)

Ambulance service is used when injuries are not critical in order to avoid downtime for the paramedic units. We want them back in service ASAP, not doing a non-critical run to the hospital.

jeff platt June 14, 2012 (4:38 pm)

we need to admit these days that your average driver is just to stupid to hadle making a turn.
i think we should repave it with curb dividers and big speed bumps, put a traffic ticket camera there too
er wait i think this shows the need for a overpass there! that way cars coming up the steep hill could just go over the oncoming northbound traffic! lets spend all this years road repaving buget on the overpass i think thats our best bet
ya know there was a single accident on a corner that been just fine the past 50 years omg!
your life will never be the same

datamuse June 14, 2012 (4:45 pm)

Some of these comments come awfully close to saying that if you’re in a collision ever it must be your fault because you weren’t paying attention.
.
Geez, people. Get a little kindness, wouldja?

Krystal June 14, 2012 (5:12 pm)

I hope everyone is okay!

This is one of the worst intersections in West Seattle. I’m always hyper-vigilant when I drive it because of the buses, cyclists, extra long crosswalk, motorists trying to turn from a side street onto Avalon (tricky to do with uphill and with all the parked cars). A lot of moving parts. Sad to hear there was an accident.