A cycle lane has been recommended at the Dublin junction where a cyclist was killed last year by a truck turning left.
Cyclist was killed in crash with turning truck in Terenure
The jury at an inquest into the death of a woman cycling in Dublin last year has recommended a cycle lane be installed at the crash scene.
Luby Maryori Ramirez (39) was from Spain but living and working in Ireland when killed last year.
She had left her work at a catering firm at around midday on March 27th and was cycling home when fatally injured.
She reached the junction of Whitehall Road and Templeville Road in Terenure, Dublin 12, and was hit by the truck.
Witnesses told the inquest at the Dublin Coroner’s Court the truck reach the junction first.
It was stopped and waiting at a roundabout with its indicator on to turn left. Ms Maryori Ramirez then arrived on her bike.
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She cycled up the side of the two-axle rigid truck. As the way became clear the truck driver, Iulian Farcas, moved off in his vehicle.
However, when the truck began to turn left he caught sight of a cyclist’s helmet in his mirror and he stopped.
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He got out to investigate, by which time the victim was on the ground injured.
She had fallen from her bike and went under the wheels of the truck, suffer catastrophic injuries.
An ambulance was summoned and took her to Tallaght Hospital. However, she was pronounced dead there shortly after arriving.
One witness, Alison Whelan, saw the incident occur. “Something didn’t add up about the cyclist’s position,” she said.
“It got to a point that as the truck turned that she just had nowhere to go.
“She was tilting on her bike as if she was going to fall. She came off the bike and fell in front of the truck.”
Cycle lane recommended
Mr Farcas said before moving off to turn left he had checked his mirrors and saw nothing. He added the vehicle was a big one for that particular junction.
It was estimated he drove the turning truck about 20 metres before realising something was wrong and stopping.
The coroner asked if it was possible to separate cyclists from vehicles on the approach to the junction.
However, a Garda witness said it would be possible only if cyclists shared the footpath with pedestrians.
The inquest jury returned a verdict of accidental death. And it recommended the junction to be altered to include a bicycle lane.
Luby Maryori Ramirez was one of 15 cyclists killed on the roads of the Republic last year.
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