Ocean City Maryland Settles

Lawsuit With Injured Bicyclist

 

After more than three years Kevin Cox can finally put his accident with

an Ocean City Maryland municipal bus behind him.    Or, at least he will

try.   Mr. Cox is probably not at 100% from his accident, and may never

be so.    When the news went out the next day three plus years ago that yet

another bicyclist had been clobbered by a town bus or vehicle, it really had

become an accepted fact that you play with your life if you use the bicycle

lane for enjoyment in Ocean City, Maryland.   But when the news was learned

that the accident was so severe, yet alone someone I personally knew….

I was deeply saddened and extremely upset.    My feelings of anxiety stretched

back to the mid 1970’s when our group of summer warriors on 41^st Street

dubbed the Animals on 41^st Street by the then late great Mayor Harry Kelley,

began dropping like flies from run ins with vehicles on Coastal Highway.

One side of the street were summer workers, the other side of the street weekly

residents… our dubious name was the result of the feud between our landlords,

not any real rowdy behavior.    As a matter of fact… the fireman and the Shriners

caused more havoc  than the summer warriors…  one of us was even struck

from a bath tub on wheels that the Shriners were racing down the street.

 

In July 1998 Kevin Cox was struck by a town municipal bus while riding

his bicycle northbound on Coastal Highway, he apparently was hit when close

behind the he tried to pass it on the right side… the handlebar hit the side of the

bus and Cox lost control of the bike and fell to the ground.   First treated at

Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury, he was then rushed to the

Shock-Trauma Center at University Hospital in Baltimore for internal injuries.

The accident occurred at 2:30 AM, Mr. Cox is a restaurant Chef – late nights

are not uncommon especially as State laws mandate food must be available

coinciding with adult beverage service.  

 

The original lawsuit for $1.5 million was filed against the Town Council, the Mayor,

 and the bus driver.    The lawsuit was settled for $100,000 and was deemed a

 very difficult case to try because there were no witnesses.   The bus

driver was unaware the bus had struck Mr. Cox until and continued driving north,

until police pulled the bus over later a short time later.   

Although seeking $1.5 million, and receiving $100,000…. the maximum that

could have been awarded would only have been $200,000 because of a “cap”

placed on lawsuits on municipalities.

 

Lucky for Ocean City Maryland that only $200,000 may be awarded on lawsuits on municipalities… because the suits will continue to mount from pedestrians, bicyclist, rollerbladers, and anyone using the so dubbed “bicycle lane” on Coastal Highway.      We have seen school buses racing down Coastal Highway loaded with young heads full of mush from the public school system…. race in and out of

the bus/bike lane and into the right lane at 50 mph for 40 streets at a time… We clocked them, and we counted the streets.   We have seen bus drivers who were so large we couldn’t figure how they might even turn around in their seats to observer what was happening.    We have seen, as you may as well, the all to common occurrence of cars, vans, and suv’s  race down the bike/bus lane to circumvent traffic, in and out of the right lane for 10 or 20 streets.

 

The traffic problems in Ocean City, will only get worse.. until an alternative mode

is brought forth and hopefully take the monolithic mentality out of the dark ages

and into the future… either with vehicles as simple as the latest “Thing”, or more

structurally solid as a monorail system.    An airport is not going to make Ocean City safer…. an extended boardwalk all the way to 146^th street would.

 

Best wishes Mr. Cox… good luck in the new year.

R.V.L.  aka  Hatman