The headline in the New York Daily News on Thursday read:
"After Daily News exposes Central Park bike chaos, blind marathon runner Richard Bernstein is struck by speeding cyclist."
The headline was in reference to Michigan's well known attorney Richard Bernstein -- son of Sam Bernstein -- who fractured a pelvis and hip and broke his teeth after a speeding bicycle crashed into him Monday while he was walking on a pedestrian path in New York's Central Park.
The Daily News wrote about Bernstein, a handicap rights advocate:
Less than a week after a Daily News investigation on the dangers of leadfooted bicyclists, Bernstein was crushed Monday morning by a rider doing 35 mph — 10 miles over the limit for most of the Manhattan oasis.
The 38-year-old Bernstein was in the city to train for his eighth New York City Marathon when he went for a stroll in the park above E. 90th St. around 10 a.m.
Bernstein's Facebook page on Thursday was filled with photos of him in a hospital gown at Mt. Sinai Medical Center near Central Park. His Facebook page was also filled with condolences from Facebook friends.
On his Facebook page the day before, he wrote:
Thank you everyone for the kind words, thoughts, prayers, and well-wishes. I cannot begin to express how much it means to me. Unfortunately, as many may have heard, I was struck from behind yesterday morning by a bicyclist while out walking in Central Park. According to police, the bicyclist was traveling at approximately 35mph and even though I was walking in the pedestrian pathway and wearing bright colors I was still injured. Although I'm concerned about my fractured pelvis, hip, and the additional injuries sustained to my face and body, I'm even more concerned about the future of pedestrian safety. I've had the pleasure to work on cases regarding roundabout safety and the repercussions of the "Open and Obvious" doctrine, but it is apparent that the fight is not over and continual attention needs to be directed toward this issue.
The paper reported that Bernstein said he had no plans to sue.
