Cyclist, skateboarder injured in S. Tahoe collision
A bicyclist and skateboarder from South Lake Tahoe were injured Wednesday when they collided near Stateline.
Steven Magelssen, 20, was unconscious when police and paramedics arrived at Highway 50 and Heavenly Village Way at 8:30pm July 17. Officers said Magelssen, who was on the bike, regained consciousness and lost it a few times before he was airlifted to Renown Medical Center in Reno.
Pablo Bobadilla, 23, was taken to Barton Memorial Hospital with cuts and abrasions.
South Tahoe police said Magelssen was at fault because he ran the red light and violated the right-of-way of a pedestrian in a marked crosswalk.
Magelssen was riding his bicycle in the center left turn lane of Highway 50, approaching a red traffic signal at Heavenly Village Way. Bobadilla was on his skateboard in the company of other pedestrians while attempting to cross the highway in a marked crosswalk. Bobadilla was crossing from the corner of Tahoe Tom’s gas station toward the south side of the intersection. The traffic signal was directing pedestrians to cross at that time.
Magelssen, according to police, failed to stop at the red traffic signal holding westbound traffic and the left turn lane. As he was turning left against the red left turn arrow from Highway 50 to southbound Heavenly Village Way, he collided with Bobadilla in the crosswalk.
— Lake Tahoe News staff report
I have nearly hit cyclists four times this summer, including last night. One was on the wrong side of the street and blew through the red light as we started to turn on our green, all of the rest were in the wrong lane, coming towards me on a curve, or causing me to slam on my brakes and almost get rear-ended because they weren’t obeying the law or using common sense. Bike versus person is bad. Bike versus vehicle is a death wish.
There are a lot of good and aware cyclists out there, but there are also a lot who think the road is totally theirs.
Thank you, councilwoman for opening this door. I see violations of traffic laws almost everyday on my way to and from work. By cyclists. (no pun intended). What I have NEVER seen is any of these blatant offenders being challenged by law enforcement. How about you? Have you seen that? If the answer is an honest NO, then you have the power to address this with the people who can make a difference. While we emphasize tourism, let’s not forget that we still need to maintain order. The casinos already breed an entitled clientele that believes the rules are “off” in Tahoe. If the City’s goal is to promote a “Family Fun” recreational area, people need to feel assured that societal norms are followed and that their family is safe. Yes, I do understand how the City is financially unstable and can not afford more enforcement agents. Hiway 50 is a highly visible area. If people start seeing officers enforcing cycling rules from the start of the summer season, the word will get out quickly that when you are in Tahoe South, you must obey the laws of the road.
My husband and I almost hit a cyclist in Meyers a few years ago. We were making a right turn off Hwy 50 headed toward the Roadrunner. The cyclist was in the bike lane and did not stop for the stop sign in the bike lane. Fortunately my husband was paying attention and stopped. We were rewarded for our action by being flipped off by the cyclist. His thanks to us for not hitting him.
We are trying to promote Tahoe as a bike friendly community. I am all for that. Now we need to make the cyclists follow the rules of the road so that we can all co-exist. I think we should be more diligently enforcing these rules with warnings and/or tickets to those who breack those rules.
Hey, let’s keep in mind, regardless of fault, these young men have families and I am happy and blessed to be apart of one of these families…! Compassion goes further than finger pointing
Lets hope we do not get to many of these.
Stopping and starting at the traditional Stop signs and Stop lights can wear you down on the Bike, the temptation to cheat a bit is always there.
Hitting a pedestrian in a crosswalk is Just WRONG. Hope he recovers regardless. It appears Steven Magelssen is paying a very heavy price for his lapse of common sense.
Just missed two this summer alone. Both riding the wrong way running stop signs. As far as giving them tickets good luck. They are the entitled ones. Remember when people would get a ticket for blocking the rear plate with a bike rack.
Serena, I don’t think we are pointing fingers, most of us are genuinely concerned for the recovery of both of these young men.
What we are is frustrated; it is a miracle no one was killed in this accident. Bicyclists have to realize they must obey the motor vehicle code and the laws or they may be killed, or cause serious injury to someone else.Hitting a car that turns illegally in front of you is not preferable. Hitting a bicyclist, who is in the wrong, will not make it any easier to bear if you kill them.
JoAnn is right on this one. Nobody wants to hurt somebody else. But doggone, after awhile driving in this town, it starts to get really frustrating. So many cyclists have SUCH a bad attitude. I’ve been flipped off by them and yelled at by them when they were clearly in the wrong. They don’t seem to realize that when they are on a bike, they are NOT pedestrians, they are vehicles. I used to commute on a bike when I lived in town. I’ve been on both sides of it, and we all, motorists AND cyclists make mistakes. But a gesture of apology goes a long way. Just because you’re on a bike doesn’t give you any more rights than somebody driving a car. At least take off the headphones and LOOK to see if anybody is coming at that intersection, even if it is too much trouble for you to stop. It isn’t only YOUR life on the line. You could destroy somebody else’s too.
Unfortunately it’s seems like the cyclist are in there own world no matter where there at here in Palm Springs the other day a cyclist went through a red light and was hit by a car he spending some time in the hospital the driver of the car was not citied
While clearly there are many bike riders in Tahoe who ride on the wrong side and blow through stop signs, most that I see are young people riding to get get through town and not sport cyclists. But that being said, as I cyclist I see the other side of that coin. Drivers who cut you off on a right turn, even though bike are considered vehicle with the same rights and responsibilities..(Mama bear, if the cyclist was in the bike lane, he was a vehicle and only obeys the same signs you do… not sure on who had right-of -way in your incident and am curious to look at it next time I am there), drivers look you in the eye and still turn left in front of the you even though the cyclist has right of way, open a driver side door without looking, come too close (I have felt the air from and exhaust pipe on my leg the driver was so close and even had a car clearly come across the road to aim at me on a narrow curve just to scare me. This is a two sided coin.
No, it is not a two sided coin it’s the big little rule! Please play accordingly.
I do have empathy for Serena. . .but cyclists do not help their cause when they don’t pay attention, or assume that ordinary “rules of the road” don’t include them. . .
We’ve already had enough cars that hit cyclists, who’ve paid dearly, including the one at the Y, and the recent death of a pedestrian hit by a drunk cyclist at Donner Lake. . .
I myself was hit by a truck (8/11) merely walking down the sidewalk (a ‘not-paying-attention’ left turn), so can attest to the fact that it can happen to anyone at anytime. . .and be post-concussive for years, if not worse. . .
I also sincerely hope that both end up O.K., but there is no excuse (or “good reason”) for not paying attention, as we continue to find out. . . with due respect for those affected by it, as is Serena. . .
I am the mother of the victim Paulo Bobadilla I am sorry to what happen to your son I know what you feel I am also a mother. And no PARENTS want this to happen to their kid/s And I hope and PRAY that he will be fine. MAY GOD be with you and your family most especially Steven And with GOD Grace and Healing Power he will be HEALED. Instead Pointing finger to this kid fault I am asking YOU ALL to PRAY for Steven recovery and add him to your daily PRAYERS. May GOD Bless each of us and Our Family. GOD BLESS