Cyclist recounts close calls near site of fatal Lexington hit-and-run

LEXINGTON, Ky. — It has been one week since 19-year-old Chance Martin died in a hit-and-run on High Street in Lexington. A cyclist who has had close calls with cars is raising awareness about bike and pedestrian safety issues downtown.

A Close Call in August

Trey Darnell was hit by a car while riding his bike on a clear day in August.

“As I approached the intersection, I was riding along through. And this gentleman just didn’t - I was checking, you know, off to my left about signals and things. I didn’t see a signal. So I kept rolling,” said Darnell. “This gentleman just turned right and ran me right over. I was fine. Just some bumps and bruises and some scrapes, a little road rash. But I definitely -the next day it hit me - it could have been a lot worse.”

Darnell’s accident happened at the intersection of Vine and Limestone, less than a mile from last week’s fatal accident involving a pedestrian.

“My reaction was just heartbroken because it shouldn’t happen. It’s a very simple thing to just bring your vehicle to a stop, to look left and to look right and to check again and then go,” said Darnell. “Whatever you’re doing can’t be that urgent that you don’t have the two seconds it takes to stop your car. It’s a very preventable accident. It’s a very preventable death.”

Speeding and rolling stops

Darnell said he is thankful his accident was minor, but he wants to spread awareness about bike and pedestrian safety in the area.

“Any time you’re going through downtown, the 25 mile an hour [speed limit] is just a suggestion at this point,” Darnell said. “A lot of people love a rolling stop in this town. They love to just not fully stop with the light. They kind of pull up to it. They see the coast is clear and just keep rolling.”

New fine for parking in bike lanes

Darnell said he wishes more was done about those issues, but he is glad drivers will soon be fined for parking in a bike lane.

“I have sung the praises of whoever could get that done. Because a lot of people park in the bike lanes, and me as a cyclist, now I have to venture into the road, into the full lane of the road. And it puts me again at a greater risk of being hit or just, you know, my life is at risk,” Darnell said.

Darnell credits his helmet for preventing a major injury in his bike versus car accident. He recommends other cyclists also wear reflective gear.

“Take just a split second longer to look and make sure that you can fully see around you and you’re taking in everything,” Darnell said.

Starting on September 27th, drivers will be fined $50 per incident for parking in a bike lane. More information about that ordinance can be found at this link.