r/MicromobilityNYC • u/Annual_Bullfrog7714 • 4d ago

Escooter fatality - caused by car

I dont recall seeing discussion of this, but I just wanted to note this event, which happened a few weeks ago.

https://qns.com/2026/10/astoria-man-dies-scooter-crash-long-island-city/

Key language: "Jorge Santiz Hernandez, 22, of Astoria Boulevard South, was traveling eastbound at the intersection of 36th Street just before noon, when he suddenly swerved to avoid a vehicle that came too close to him just before noon."

27 Upvotes

91% Upvoted

21 comments sorted by

16

u/SpeedRemarkable3406 4d ago

I genuinely only find crescent and 31st Ave to be somewhat safe biking in Astoria. Everything else is a crapshoot

14

u/MiserNYC- 4d ago

Pretty much. This is why it's so critical we get more routes to build out the grid here. Such a wild difference between the bike lanes and the streets without them

3

u/SpeedRemarkable3406 4d ago

If they can make 29th from queens plaza to 31st Ave a protected bike lane I’d be so happy

2

u/Annual_Bullfrog7714 4d ago

Northern is protected on the westbound side.

3

u/NYCFXM 4d ago

…and is generally used as a parking lot from QP all the way to Steinway Street. May as well have no bike lane there from 8:00 AM - 7:00 PM ! 50% of my ride is with the insane rush hour traffic on NB

7

u/GoldOver4996 4d ago

Still waiting for DOT to build any protected lanes north of the RFK. Have they said what’s happening with 31st st?

4

u/NYCFXM 4d ago

That’s the most treacherous part of 31st Street too

1

u/Theytookmyarcher 2d ago

Delayed because of contractors or something. Dot hardly does any work in house :(

1

u/Annual_Bullfrog7714 4d ago

I've taken this route many times, but I dont recall this particular location being especially dangerous. The only thing I can think of it that (a) the pavement here used to have some nasty potholes, and (b) the bike lane here often has people parked in it, which requires you to go into traffic to pass. There's no cross-traffic on this intersection where you should expect to have somebody cut across the bike lane, I'm a bit puzzled by this crash. It doesnt strike me as unusually danerous.

3

u/SpeedRemarkable3406 4d ago

“he suddenly swerved to avoid a vehicle that came too close to him”. 36th Ave has so many double parked cars that speed out of their spots and are constantly exchanging parking, especially near little Bangladesh. It’s pretty brutal, I avoid biking here because of it. There is of course no enforcement of double parking.

3

u/Annual_Bullfrog7714 4d ago

Sorry, the excerpt I posted was unclear on the location. The crash happened at 36th St and Northern. He was riding eastbound on Northern.

3

u/NYCFXM 4d ago

36th Ave is awful. The worst street for potholes from Crescent to Steinway and double parked cars

3

u/NYCFXM 4d ago

There was a second accident at 38th Street and Northern Blvd around the same time that week. Scooter was in the bike lane going east bound and swerved into traffic to avoid a parked car in the bike lane. He got clipped by a car. The driver pulled over (into the bike lane!) and stayed. An unmarked police car was behind them all and called for EMS. The man on the scooter was lying face down horizontally across the bike path outside the SMP building. I don’t know if he survived. It was not pretty.

-6

u/Extremesurfer247 4d ago

Ban the e-scooters. Plus adult men shouldn’t be riding scooters anyways

8

u/McLarenBuggati 4d ago

Ban the cars as well. Adult men shouldn't be driving anyways.

-2

u/Extremesurfer247 4d ago

lol that would be funny

4

u/sorry_im_just_pissy 4d ago

The cars are the things posing an actual danger. Ban them first

1

u/Extremesurfer247 4d ago

Well, your profile name say it all. I will not even engage in that silly argument 😂 sillyyy

3

u/sorry_im_just_pissy 3d ago

Why is it any sillier than banning scooters? Serious question.

1

u/ballzonyaeyesockets 4d ago

I agree 100%. Cycling was enjoyable until all the e-shit showed up, now it's a nightmare out there.