Prospect Park Volunteer In Coma After Being Struck By Cyclist

The Gothamist: Prospect Park Volunteer In Coma After Being Struck By Cyclist

A 55-year-old Brooklyn woman is in a medically-induced coma at Kings County Hospital after she was run down by a racing cyclist in Prospect Park last week, A Walk in the Park reports. The FDNY confirms that Linda Cohen was struck by a speeding bike on November 3rd just before 3 p.m. She had just left the bridle paths and stepped onto West Drive near the Vanderbilt playground when she was struck by a cyclist going south.

The cyclist, whose name we have not been able to obtain, remained at the scene and refused medical treatment. Cohen, a long-time volunteer at the park, was reportedly conscious when she was taken to the hospital before being sedated and put in the coma she remains in. Sources tell A Walk that the cyclist was a "bike racer."

When asked about the sad story, a spokesperson for Transportation Alternatives reminds cyclists that, "Bicyclists should always yield to and look out for pedestrians. Our responsibility to others increases in direct proportion to our ability to cause harm on the street."

Despite all the concerns about the Prospect Park West bike lane and the danger it does or does not present to pedestrians, clearly the interior of the park can be a rough place too. Earlier this summer a petition was put online that aimed to make the park safer for cars, bicyclists and pedestrians. It was started after another pedestrian was struck by a cyclist in the park and suffered a brain injury. At least in both cases the cyclists were decent enough to stick around. A recent study found that bikes hit more pedestrians than had been previously thought.