Open Season

Spring feels like open season for killing cyclists along the Front Range. And open season has begun as proven by three deaths in under a week (that I am aware of). Here are a few of my more recent thoughts:

The Finding Out

There was a point a few years ago when I got fairly angry about how I was hearing of cycling crashes with severe injuries or a fatality. A friend would innocently text me with a, “Did you hear…” message. When they sent that information to me, they had zero awareness of when I would receive the text, where I would be, what my attention would be on at the time, and if there would be anyone nearby me. When I heard of two new cycling deaths I did not share them with Kennett for days because the timing was wrong. I wasn’t about to tell him before he went for a big ride or before bed. I cautiously waited until we were on a quiet walk together.

I have good reason to know that Kennett is also heavily impacted by cycling deaths. Years ago, after hearing that a young girl named Peyton was killed in Longmont, Colorado while riding her bike, we had my sister and her husband over for dinner. I walked upstairs after Kennett disappeared from the living room and found him sitting on the bed silently crying because the tragedy hit him especially hard. Plenty of times the person sobbing has been me. I urge you to be cautious about you share bad news with other people and try to show support instead of simply emoting, because you never know how news will reach another person. 

The Disparity Between Different Crashes

The most recent deaths near us happened this past weekend. Strike that—the most recent death was today. That’s what happens when you write a blog and leave it to simmer overnight. However, I’ll focus on the weekend crashes. One person was a woman entrenched in the cycling community. I did not know her and out of respect for those who did, I didn’t feel the need to comment or share publicly. Her story will be nationally shared because of the rallying cry from other cyclists. The other death was that of a 12-year old boy. The news channel re-victimized his crash by saying he wasn’t wearing a helmet, had headphones in, and was crossing the street incorrectly. The initial police reports are frequently incorrect and even if they were correct, does that give a driver the right to ignore other road users? I am still responsible as a driver (or cyclist) to pay attention to others on the road, even if they are not obeying traffic laws perfectly. How many drivers speed, fail to signal, and make illegal turns directly in front of me when traffic is going 50 mph?

I recently read a public comment on a forum where a woman stated that she did not have the privilege of riding her bike and had to drive. I must assume she has a long commute. However, it is also important to recognize that for some people in our communities, cycling is not merely an option but a transportation necessity. It turns out that owning a car is also an expense and privilege that not everyone can afford. It is important that all cycling crashes and fatalities are taken seriously by the community. I fear for the people who are hit and do not have a network of cyclists to guide them through recovery. Of course, that assumes they make it out of a crash alive.

Tell Your Friends They Rock and Your Loved Ones They Are Your Rock

One of the best outcomes of my crash aside from the simple joy of surviving it was that I had a lot of friends share very honestly and openly what I meant to them. I no longer had to second guess that someone cared about me or viewed me as a friend. Similarly, any doubts I had over my relationship with Kennett disappeared because he proposed to me in the hospital. I encourage you not to wait for those moments when someone is sick or injured to share how much they mean to you. Kennett and I make a point of saying, “I love you” before rides, and frequently just in general. On the rare occasions we leave for a ride annoyed at one another, we almost always turn around to repair the problem and reconnect because we know the potential consequences of being on the road. 

Keep Hope

I am saddened when I hear about people driving to ride their bikes in a safe location, riding inside altogether, or reconsidering their cycling hobby because they feel it is incompatible with being a responsible parent due to the risk of being hit by an inattentive driver. And while I’d much rather stay quiet on the sidelines, it also makes me realize that I can’t stay silent in the background as I’d probably prefer to right now. Please keep riding safely, keep showing up to city meetings that discuss transportation, keep asking friends to put their phones away while driving, keep donating to organizations like C4C and Bicycle Colorado, and keep hope. I’ll be out there doing the same.

Photo Credit: Ben Fenton who helped me find joy on the bike at 6 a.m. I am so grateful for those rides!