BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
"I just remember lights coming and I’m screaming ‘help’, and that’s the last thing I remember,” Woodway cyclist David Whitten said.
70-year-old Whitten has been riding his bike in Woodway for more than 25 years.
On August 29, a driver hit him while riding down Woodway Drive.
“They don’t realize I’m on blood thinner, and when I got hit, I crushed my helmet, and that’s a death sentence just for me to hit my head like that,” Whitten said.
Police said the driver fled the scene. They said driver and cyclist accidents aren’t common in our city.
“But in the state of Texas, it is a pretty common occurrence,” Woodway community resource officer Griffin Kenneaster said.
Cyclists in our neighborhood said this keeps happening.
“You know, I’ve been riding with a group, and there’s side by side, and they’ll purposely try to run the other rider into me,” Woodway resident Amy Haga said. “It can be scary, and if you’re not experienced on the bike, then it will take you by surprise,”
Woodway officers said it is important for cyclists to follow bicycle safety laws.
“We do see on patrol, many cyclists riding without the proper gear,” Kenneaster said.
Cyclists need lights on their bikes to improve visibility at night. They should also wear high visibility vests or tape on their helmets—and plan out routes ahead of time. Police encourage neighbors to ride in groups during the day, too.
More bike lanes are coming to the city – but one cyclist won't be on them.
“I’m not getting on another bicycle,” Whitten said.
Whitten said he is thankful for the neighbor who stopped to help him and officers at Woodway PSD.
“They don’t know how much they saved my life,” Whitten said. “But I made it and I’m here, that’s all that matters and I’ve got a strong spirit that you never give up.”
