Risks of Life, Pace of Work

[rebeccmeister]

This morning, I found out that a bicyclist was struck and killed by a motorist at an intersection very close to my house. News reports indicate that the motorist was not found to be at fault, and state that the bicyclist was wearing a helmet. In the majority of car-bicycle accidents, it's actually the bicyclist who is at fault, not the motorist. But of course the bicyclist always loses out, for it is his or her fragile body contacting a several-ton hunk of metal that encases the driver. I've watched too many bicyclists behaving poorly at that intersection. And almost every time I get on my bicycle, I have to think about the risks involved and the possibility that that ride may be my last ride.

It's not a pleasant topic to write about, but I have to say that if I am killed by a motorist while I am riding my bicycle, I hope that my hypothetical death is used as an opportunity to properly educate people about road safety - ALL users, motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists. Peoples' lives are not a trivial matter, and I have to hope that all of the efforts I've put into trying to make the roads safer for bicyclists are effective and are appreciated. Personally, I've tried to put a lot of effort into learning safe and legal riding habits, and so far those habits have kept me out of trouble. So far.

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In other news, today has been much more productive than yesterday. I have to remind myself that sometimes it just takes time and the right mental state to get into a productive mode. There's no point in forcing things if I feel tired or unmotivated.

Back to work.

Comments

[trifold-flame.livejournal.com]

I was glad to hear about the ghost bike idea. What a sad thing for the family and the community. It is good to have a memorial like that.