Hello all,
I usually don't post, but I've seen this happen in too many forums/groups/social media. The following are my opinions. Take them for what they're worth. :-)
I don't think there are many folks that recognize the harm that this type of discussion thread does (kind of like most people don't realize the harm facebook does). Given that this group is targeted at bicyclists, it is highly probable that either we personally know someone who has been injured/killed in a bike accident, or have ourselves been involved in such. Just like, for example, rock climbers or skydivers are more likely to know of people injured/killed in those sports. But bringing attention to these things only serves to make it more likely that we will be focusing on the risks (instead of the rewards) the next time we think about going for a ride.
I realize that when I get on my bike to ride on the road (road riding is the only kind of riding I do), I'm getting out there with other vehicles that weigh MUCH more than I do and are not only capable of, but usually are, going much faster than I (or even profession cyclists) can. And I know there are (a small number of) motorists out there who are, for lack of a better term, a#**oles to cyclists. Further, I know that with the advent of cell phones, there are even more distracted motorists on the roads. Knowing this information, I can either decide it's too dangerous (for me) to ride on the road, or I can get out there to enjoy the thing I love doing, and do as much as possible to mitigate these dangers. I choose the latter because I'm not willing to let fear take me away from something I love doing. I acknowledge that the possibility exists for me to be involved in a collision and as a result, do as much as I "can" (I don't wear full body armor :-) ) to avoid it. I've been struck twice by vehicles, both of them the drivers' faults. I've also been in 2 car accidents while driving (with other cars). And I've been in 2 bicycle accidents (with other bicycles). I've been 'brushed' (i.e. no contact) by multiple vehicles (one was a camper, that was pulled over by the state troopers right after it happened, and another was a UPS truck), and I've had things thrown at me from passing vehicles. And, as many of you have also probably experienced, I've been yelled at (to 'get off the road') by multiple drivers. But none of this will keep me from doing what I love.
I want to say thanks to Ken for his post on this discussion. I also hope that we continue to see laws passed that try to provide a 'safer' environment for bicyclists, as well as increase the consequences for injuring (or even just terrorizing -
https://www.bicycling.com/news/a20036452/coal-rolling-made-illegal-in-colorado/) bicyclists. And I hope those laws continue to be more strictly enforced.
In closing, I sincerely hope in the future we can keep the discussions on this public forum to the lighter/enjoyable side of the sport. I support the decision to discuss the 'darker' sides in person if you choose (I'll have a 'toast' to a fallen 'comrade', but will remove myself, like I intend to do with this conversation, if it starts to go down the path of what I feel is fear-mongering), but also balance it with not just what you've seen/read in the news or what others in the sport have heard/read/seen, but do the (objective) research on the statistics and then make your decisions.
I hope to see all of you out on the road in the future, as there are a lot of great places to see out there! And I for one would much rather see them on a bike than any other way.
“When the spirits are low, when the day appears dark, when work becomes monotonous, when hope hardly seems worth having, just mount a bicycle and go out for a spin down the road, without thought on anything but the ride you are taking.” - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle