A 56-year-old man was crossing the Bourne Bridge this morning when he lost control of his bicycle and fell onto the roadway and in the path of a tractor trailer. According to State Police and Bourne police, the man was heading northbound, off of Cape Cod, at about 5:40 a.m. when the truck driver, traveling in the opposite direction, saw him lose control, possibly due to strong winds rushing over the bridge.
Firefighters were able to remove the victim from underneath the wheels of the truck’s cab, during which time the bridge was closed off completely. According to Bourne Police Lieutenant Richard Silvestro, the truck driver “saw that the bicyclist appeared to be out of control” and attempted to avoid hitting him, but he ultimately went under the rear wheels and became trapped there. The man was then removed and flown to a nearby hospital where he was treated for “serious, but non-life threatening, injuries.” The bridge was closed in both directions for about an hour.
State Police are examining the scene, but according to Silvestro, the crash was the result of the bicyclist breaking one of the rules regarding bridge traffic: “You are supposed to walk it over the bridge. He didn’t walk it over the bridge and fell into the roadway.” In addition, he noted that the winds crossing the path of the bridge can be very powerful, even on a seemingly calm day. The accident is a reminder to bicyclists and motorists alike to take caution on the bridge and be aware of rules that might apply to different areas of the roadway.
Bourne Bridge closed for an hour after bicyclist falls into roadway and is hit by truck, Boston.com, June 11, 2012