Cyclists suing over hole in bike path

A cyclist is suing King County Washington for $20 million for an accident he had on a bike path. Injured bicyclist sues King County over hazard in path.

Image via Wikipedia

While on a bike ride in September of 2006 the front wheel of his bike hit a hole around a metal monument in the bike path. He fell from his bike suffering a traumatic brain injury even though he was wearing a bike helmet. He is still recovering from the accident.

Your heart has to go out to the cyclists and his family. A man was cycling one minute and two years later is trying to learn how to walk again.

It is hard to get more bike paths when we sue over the ones we get. Bike paths in most states are not a fiscal priority. In fact it takes tons of work by cyclists to get more bike paths. When a million dollar bike path turns around and costs the county $20 million and legal fees a lot of bike paths, nationwide suffer. This problem is currently facing RAGBRAI in Iowa. After lawsuit, Crawford County bans RAGBRAI.

Historically the courts have held you assume the risk of cycling on the streets. (See Case Brief: New York Court Finds for Club Med in 2002 Patron Bike Fall and Furgang v. Club Med, Inc., 299 A.D.2d 162; 753 N.Y.S.2d 359; 2002 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS 10593. Subscription site).

It will be awhile before we know the outcome of this case. However we will probably feel the effects immediately.