The death of two cyclists out for their routine Sunday morning ride in their ʻEwa Beach neighborhood is still reverberating among the West Oʻahu and cycling communities.
Honolulu police opened a negligent homicide case after a driver fatally collided with 62-year-old Naomi Meyer and 75-year-old James Rowland.
The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported that a 20-year-old driver lost control of his vehicle, eventually hitting the couple while they were crossing Fort Weaver Road in a crosswalk heading toward the pedestrian island.
"I can't imagine what their families are going through. But it's just an opportunity for us to recommit to safer streets, to make sure that everyone knows it's their responsibility when you're using a vehicle, whether it's a car or a bicycle, to act responsibly, to go the appropriate speed to be able to manage your vehicle safely," said Eduardo Hernandez, the advocacy director for the Hawaii Bicycling League.
According to the league, nine cyclists were killed last year. In Hilo, Barbara Klein was hit from behind while on her recumbent bike. And Volker Weiss was killed on Maui in a head-on crash by a driver trying to overtake other cars.
"Bicyclists have a right to be on these roads and it's just a matter of making sure that everybody knows it and then creating the infrastructure," Hernandez said.
He also called for better enforcement and observance of existing public safety laws, such as the 3-foot passing requirement for cars.
"If you can't give 3 feet, you have to wait until you can. And the cyclist is allowed to use as much of the road as the cyclist needs to be safe with the understanding that slower traffic stays to the right," he said. "Recognize a few minutes of your time could actually save someone's life."
Hernandez plans to talk with city and state transportation officials about what additional safety measures can be added on Oʻahu's west side — and across the islands.
The league's 2024 Haleʻiwa Metric Century Ride is on April 28.
This story aired on The Conversation on March 27, 2024. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1. Sophia McCullough adapted this story for the web.
