August 25, 2004
Sunset Tragedy
Police have identified the most recent victim of a hit-and-run on 19th Avenue as Tu-Cuong Tran. Tran, aged 26, was found lying on 19th near Lincoln at around 12:30 this morning. Read the SF Chronicle brief here.
19th Avenue is a well-known hazard for drivers and pedestrians alike, as Tran is the seventh pedestrian to be killed on 19th between Golden Gate Park and San Francisco State University since 2001. In November of 2003, Vincent Del Rosario was struck and killed on 19th and Taraval by a green Honda. The driver has never been caught. In May 2003, Srijaya Dalton was struck and killed at 19th and Quintera. The driver in this accident also remains at large.
In April of this year, Assemblyman Leland Yee, (D-San Francisco) sponsored a bill making a a 5.1- mile stretch of Highway 1, including 19th Avenue and Park Presidio, a double-fine zone between Junipero Serra Boulevard near San Francisco State University and Lake Street in the Richmond District. It passed the Assembly that month, but it is expected to take a few months to go into effect.
SFist has lived along 19th for years, and has been driving on it for even longer. We can't even begin to tell you the number of near misses we have had on it, from sudden and unexplainable lane changes, to people who don't seem to believe that the stop lights apply to them, to the pedestrians with what can only be a death wish. The speed limit on 19th is 35, people! The lights are for you! And, seriously, SFPD, is it that hard to find the drivers of these cars who have accidentally killed people?
SFist asks all of you drivers to slow down for the yellow light, all of you pedestrians to wait a moment and look before crossing the street when the light changes, and everyone to be just a little more aware of surroundings. It's a scary world out there, folks. Be safe.
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one of the real problems with 19th between sfsu and the park is cars trying to avoid stopping on the hill. people (including myself, i admit) try to hit all the green lights so as not to get stuck at a red on the incline. and the only way to hit them is to speed.
they could fix the speeding problem by timing it such that you *had* to slow down for the next light if you sped. similar to the long 35 mph, 12 light stretch along the oak corridor. going fast on oak is pointless as you'll just hit a red light. whereas on 19th, going fast will help you avoid red lights.
very sorry to hear about this poor kid, though, and i'll definitely drive slower tonight on my way home.
Wow... I was Tu-Coung's best friend in 1st grade. I moved out of SF long ago and didn't keep in touch. I couldn't believe it when I heard his name on the news... sad.
My gosh, I can only imagine that this was quite a shock for you. Even though I realize you were no longer close to him, please accept my sympathy for your loss.