The county Fire Department received a call at 8:06 a.m. for a "motor vehicle collision involving a bike" on the northbound side of Route 2 at the Route 665 overpass.

They found the cyclist suffering from "multi-system trauma" and called in a state police helicopter to fly him to Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore.

Authorities did not identify the man this morning. County police are investigating the accident, but as of press time they hadn't released any information about how it happened.

Unrelated to the incident, a motorist who was stuck in the resulting traffic started to have respiratory difficulties, said Lt. Frank Fennell, a fire department spokesman. He was taken to Anne Arundel Medical Center by ambulance.

Flashing lights and the whir of the chopper blades interrupted morning traffic, and cars on Route 2 south were temporarily diverted to Route 665 because of the accident.

Moments after the helicopter left, traffic returned to normal and cars whizzed by on the busy road. Luanne Vizzi of Annapolis drives through the area regularly and said she has been concerned for the bicyclist's safety. She has noticed him riding in the area recently.

She said few drivers seem to pay attention as they fight to get through the daily morning traffic. "Over the last five to six years, as things got congested, I can see the increased road rage," she said. "The traffic is grating on people's nerves."

John Westcott, a sales consultant at nearby Annapolis Subaru, said traffic on the road can be dicey, as motorists tend to speed. "People fly up here all the time," Mr. Westcott said.

Staff writers Pamela Wood and Shantee Woodards contributed to this report.

John Westcott, a sales consultant at nearby Annapolis Subaru, said traffic on the road can be dicey, as motorists tend to speed.

"People fly up here all the time," Mr. Westcott said.

Staff writers Pamela Wood and Shantee Woodards contributed to this report.