Update: 35th SW reopens after motorcycle rider hit by driver, taken to hospital

5:32 PM: Another crash reported on 35th SW. Radio communications describe this as involving a car and motorcycle. 35th is blocked at Othello. More to come.

5:45 PM: 35th is closed at Myrtle on the north side of crash scene and (updated) at Webster on the south side. The car’s driver was also hurt. It is in the northbound lanes while the motorcycle is down on the northwest corner (in the background of top photo).

5:59 PM: Police at the scene tell us the motorcycle rider is the only person who had to be taken to the hospital; the rider’s injuries apparently are not life-threatening, as the Traffic Collision Investigation Squad is NOT being called out. They have called for tow trucks and expect the road to reopen once the car and motorcycle are cleared. Preliminary investigation, they said, showed the motorcyclist was rear-ended while trying to turn, and thrown into the path of a second car (the one in the foreground of our photo).

6:29 PM: Police are reopening 35th.

add January 26, 2014 (5:53 pm)

looks like a really huge response – hope everyone is OK. And, please, everybody take it slow (and take turns when only one lane can get by at a time) when you’re trying to get around it on the side streets!!

Red January 26, 2014 (6:04 pm)

My husband and I witnessed this – I was the one to call 911. Motorcyclist was making a left turn and while waiting for opposing traffic to clear the car came from behind and slammed right into the motorcyclist. The car should have clearly saw the motorcyclist. I hope this isn’t another case of texting and driving. We both ride and our prayers are with the motorcyclist.

WSB January 26, 2014 (6:09 pm)

Thank you, Red, that confirms what police told us – was the motorcyclist turning onto 35th from Othello, or onto Othello from 35th, is the only part we didn’t get.
.
WSB team member Katie, who heard this on the scanner while we were away and let us know, says the motorcyclist was doing OK enough for rescuers to ask him where he wanted the motorcycle towed to … a good sign.

Tiffany January 26, 2014 (6:12 pm)

I was just a couple of cars behind the car that rear ended the cyclist. It was really a horrible sight to witness and I hope that the cyclist’s injuries are minimal. Please, be careful out there!

Loree January 26, 2014 (6:36 pm)

I live at the corner and heard this happen. Glad to hear the rider isn’t seriously injured – the sound of the bike skidding across the pavement made me think it was going to be a lot worse.

G January 26, 2014 (7:20 pm)

Ditto: hope no serious injuries.

Seattle is about the worst place to ride a motorcycle with poor visibility, blind spots, rain, and darkness. I lost a friend, a bartender years ago in an accident in the north end – killed instantaneously. Bikes are great, but if I knew someone I cared for who rode, I would have a serious talk with them about the risks, at least in city.

smokeycretin9 January 26, 2014 (7:21 pm)

I am so glad to hear this rider is ok (as well as one can be after almost getting killed by an driver who wasn’t paying attention)
Please people..pay attention. the phone can wait. Facebook isn’t worth killing someone for.

West Seattle since 1979 January 26, 2014 (7:33 pm)

Scary stuff. I’m glad the motorcyclist wasn’t seriously injured.

NW January 26, 2014 (7:46 pm)

This is unfortunate and scary that we have drivers out there who don’t take being behind the wheel seriously ,I see it all the time and it may not be the case here, texting while driving. I hope it doesn’t take someone losing their life being hit by a moving vehicle while the irresponsible driver has his attention taken away for just a second 123 booom . You just ended someone’s life ……. .

Lura January 26, 2014 (7:49 pm)

Where does it say the motorcyclist wasn’t seriously injured? I’m not reading that at all. I read that he’s not expected to die, and that he was conscious. That still leaves room for a whole lot of serious, life-altering injury.

WSB January 26, 2014 (7:55 pm)

Lura is correct. The injuries may be serious, but not *life-threatening.* The only reason we can even draw a line is that, since condition information wasn’t available at the scene and was not heard over the scanner, we know it wasn’t the latter because police protocol is to call out the special investigation team if there is a fatality or a chance the victim(s) could die.
.
Also, regarding the speculation the driver was texting etc. – we did not hear ANYTHING to that effect, so while general “pay attention” reminders are of course always appropriate, at this point someone dropping into this thread might assume that was found to be the cause of the crash. We don’t know that and may never know – unlike criminal incidents, traffic-incident reports are not as semi-readily available afterward. Thanks. – TR

no more crashes on 35th January 26, 2014 (8:23 pm)

This is frightening. Glad to hear the injuries are not life threatening. 35th needs more left turn pockets. There are none in the stretch where the accident happened. Many accidents on 35th could be prevented if the road was better engineered.

Red January 26, 2014 (8:23 pm)

The motorcyclist was on 35th turning left on Othello – people please pay attention when driving! No texting and no talking on cells!

Wendell January 26, 2014 (8:43 pm)

Thoughts and prayers for the downed rider. Get well and ride on my friend.

I commute every day by motorcycle, have done so for years. A few years ago—because of a change of employer—my route to work changed and included a stretch of 35th.

Going to work involves a left turn at Morgan, the Food Bank corner. Waiting to make a left at that intersection while cars come flying down the hill at 50mph and faster is pretty scary, you can see these vehicles and their maniac drivers jockeying for position in an effort to beat the light. It gets even crazier when there’s a northbound bus blocking the curb lane.

Coming home was even more frightening because it involved a left turn near Providence Hospital. “Involved” past tense because I have since changed my route to a longer alternative, just to avoid a left turn on 35th, even in broad daylight.

Riding my bike is the second best feeling in the world so I will continue to do so, but something really needs to be done to slow down the jackasses on 35th. What the solution is, I don’t know, but if you see a guy on a motorbike, give him some space, it may be me. Thank you.

en January 26, 2014 (10:05 pm)

Sending positive thoughts to the motorcyclist and injured driver.

Please pay attention when you are driving.

Kate January 26, 2014 (11:28 pm)

Thank you everyone for all your thoughts and prayers. The driver of the motorcycle is home albeit in pain but life and limb intact. He’s incredibly lucky and your posts have been heart warming.

WSB January 26, 2014 (11:30 pm)

Thank you for the update! Wishing him speedy and thorough healing.

Please sue the city - only way to get change, apparently January 27, 2014 (2:01 am)

Glad the injured cycle driver’s OK. Still, I wish everyone hurt or worse would sue the city. It seems no matter how many die or are injured on 35th – the city doesn’t do a thing. I don’t blame the city for every reckless driver, but by now injuries and death on 35th are the standard. Clearly, careless drivers aren’t going to stop. Only a road diet will stop it – and only a major lawsuit will make the city act to protect the public. Sad, but true.

Chris Seattle January 27, 2014 (3:45 am)

Dejavu!

JimmyG January 27, 2014 (9:48 am)

Sue the city?
Serious?
That isn’t the answer, that means I as the taxpayer pay for the poor driving skills of others.

And to the motorcyclist, glad to hear you’re home. The next few days I’m sure you’ll be feeling aches and pains you didn’t realize you would. Here’s hoping they gave you good pain killers. May you be out riding again soon.

Joe Szilagyi January 27, 2014 (10:08 am)

Kate, please tell the motorcycle rider that a lot of us are going to do what we can from the community and civic level to get this fixed.

Kathy Dunn January 27, 2014 (4:26 pm)

Sign my petition on Change.org to encourage the city to bump up the priority of a safety redesign of 35th Avenue SW.

http://www.change.org/petitions/city-of-seattle-rechannelize-35th-avenue-southwest-seattle-washington

miws January 27, 2014 (6:23 pm)

Thanks for creating and sharing that petition, Kathy.

It might not hurt to post it over in the Forums as well.

Mike

Laura January 27, 2014 (10:41 pm)

Best wishes to the motorcycle rider for a quick recovery. :)

cradius January 29, 2014 (10:06 am)

I’m hoping to get some more information from folks who witnessed the accident. Particularly from “Red” who made the call to 911. If you actually saw what happened, please message me at cradius@hotmail.com. Thanks!

Sorry, comment time is over.