The dangers of being a cyclist

[nyankoframe]

I happened to see this news story on a mailing list at work, and... I don't really know why, but it really affected me.. I had to actually take a few minutes away from my computer to compose myself before I could get back to work.

Fallen cyclist was a "star" at Bastyr

Fortunately, I haven't had any serious near-misses, although once I did get horned at when making a left turn into traffic, and several times I've had to brake suddenly (including today) when I see a vehicle about to come out of a driveway or road junction. So I guess I've been lucky so far.

But still, it's a reminder to be careful when cycling on the roads, that your safety and your life is in your hands. And that perhaps one day, even if it's on a route that you've cycled many times before without incident and there aren't any risks, something unforeseen may happen to you. No one can ever be sure...

I obviously don't know this person, but I hope at least that she didn't suffer...

Comments

[testing4l.livejournal.com]

It's worth noting that it's not just cyclists -- auto accidents were the third most common cause of death in the US behind heart disease and cancer. They might still be, but those stats were old the last time I looked at them.

Incidentally, study of this is what led me to think that four-wheel slides and spins should be covered on the driving exam.