I've heard that police reports often refer to all non-drivers as "pedestrians", even if they were riding a bike (which I learned after a neighbor was killed while riding a bike). I don't know if this is legalese or police jargon, but either way you would hope a journalist who covers these things could translate.

Unfortunately, many police forces don't train the police on how to handle bicycles. For example, in many places riding on the sidewalk is illegal, yet police will suggest a cyclist get off the road and ride on the sidewalk.

From studying many bicycle-related police reports, I was dismayed at how often I read the phrase "a pedestrian riding a bicycle."

Riding on sidewalk is often safer for everyone, though. And, in some places I've lived, it's only illegal in specific marked areas of high foot-traffic. The police maybe shouldn't be giving advice that is technically illegal (if it was), but it may have been pragmatic advice, at least.

Personally, as a biker, I get slightly annoyed by pedestrians who seem to think I have little control or awareness. I ride on the road where practical, and, if on sidewalk, I go much more slowly and sometimes just get off and walk if the area calls for it. Generally, bikers are much more aware of their surroundings than drivers (both out of self-preservation and an unobstructed, elevated view).

Of course, the best solution is fully separated paths for walkers, bikers, and cars. And, in this instance, it looks like there is ample room for building that, with no street parking to complicate things (and the sidewalk also looks wide and sparsely used).

The article also mentions the pedestrian as "a woman walking", so it's not clear whether they are referring to a cyclist as a pedestrian, or whether they are getting different information and actually think it was a pedestrian. Very confusing

The video was released. Turns out it was a woman walking her bike.

Sad event, but it's likely a human driver would have killed her as well. She was on the road at night without lights, jaywalking without attention to the on-coming traffic.

One could argue the car was driving faster than it's headlight distance safely allowed. If so, humans are going to be quite frustrated with how slow autonomous cars drive at night.

A police officer in Nashville shouted at my wife for riding her bike in the road in accordance with Nashville law. Basically, he didn't know the law he was enforcing.

When I lived in California the press reported pedestrian and bicyclist deaths under the same "pedestrian" moniker.

That's dumb. The term means someone who is walking. "Per pedes" means "by foot".

It would explain the "outside a crosswalk" remark better if the person were riding the bike. This is one of those cases where video evidence should be subpoenaed, though. It's far too common for the police to accept the statement from the only party still alive, and come up with incorrect conclusions about what happened on the street.

Seems very unlikely to me that this case will be brushed off without police looking at video.

Perhaps they were walking their bicycle across the street.