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Bikes and Boards

What you need to know for the ride downtown

 

BY IAN TITUS

 

Seth Kugblenu is like many 20-somethings living in Charleston. He works in the restaurant biz, loves going to the beach on his off days, frequents Upper King on the weekends and rides his bike everywhere. But the 23-year-old Charleston native’s life was nearly cut short a year ago, when he was hit at the intersection of St. Philip and Calhoun.

      “Woman ran a red light and clipped me,” he recalls. “When I fell off, she panicked and bolted, and by the time I realized what had happened, she was long gone.” Kugblenu was lucky to receive only minor cuts and bruises from the incident, but the dangers of biking downtown became a reality for him that day.

     Other bicyclists, like Micheal Friedrich, a bass player at his West Ashley church and an all-around bike enthusiast, have been hospitalized from accidents downtown. “I just remember being on my bike, and then I woke up at the hospital,” Friedrich says. “Apparently I passed out when the car hit me. I’ve been a lot more cautious since that happened.”

     The risk of injury while biking on the peninsula is very real. In just the first quarter of this year, five bicyclists had been killed in Charleston. And it’s not just cyclists; skateboarders also can find themselves in harm’s way. Zack Mauldin, winner of Charleston’s fastest skater competition two years in a row, has almost been hit more than once riding his board. The talented skater has managed to avoid an accident so far, but that doesn’t keep him from being cautious and following the rules posted downtown.

     “I know the three streets you can’t skate on downtown are Coming, Calhoun and King. You stay away from those and off the sidewalks, and you’ll be good,” says Mauldin. “You also gotta use turn signals at intersections. If you don’t, motorists are going to assume you are going straight and that can end up bad.”

     So if skateboarders and cyclists are in constant danger during what should be an enjoyable ride downtown, what is the solution to stopping accidents? Charleston Moves, a group that is dedicated to bringing cyclists together and promoting issues concerning biking in the Charleston area, has asked the state to make changes to the roadways in order to provide bikers with a safer way to get around—to add striped, buffered and protected bike lanes in the region. “Charleston County residents and visitors deserve to travel on foot or by bike without fear of death or injury,” says Charleston Moves Executive Director Kurt Cavanaugh.

 

     Others believe that the problem can be solved by simply raising awareness and following the city codes regarding skateboards and bicycles. Patrick McLoughlin, a College of Charleston public safety officer who has seen the problem close up, recalls one particularly gruesome accident. “I could see the kid’s bone sticking out of his foot,” he says.

     McLoughlin urges riders to wear helmets and follow rules in order to avoid injury. He points out that using turn signals, flowing with traffic and wearing reflective gear at night are all ordinances created to help avoid accidents with bikers and boarders. McLoughlin also believes that motorists need to be more aware of their surroundings and not focused on texting or other distractions that could limit their awareness behind the wheel.

     “You need to be aware of what’s going on around you when you’re on a bike or skateboard downtown,” he cautions with the hope that he’ll soon have fewer gruesome stories to tell.  

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