Cyclists, ride in heavy motorized traffic areas? Motorists, drive routes frequented by cyclists? Others, know anyone in these groups?
Read on.
Though the deed’s been done, so to speak, I still read articles like the one linked below with interest. Partly cathartic. Partly wanting the cyclists among us to realize they are piloting vehicles over regulated traffic grids and can be hard to spot. Partly wanting motorists to realize that pedal powered road riders can be hard to spot, and that their impatience can and does easily flare into anger. At that moment they’re piloting a one and a half ton battering ram.
Not all accident-involved cyclists are in the clear. Neither are all accident-involved motorists guilty of malfeasance. But, phamous physicists’ notions are sometimes tragically proven when two and four wheeled objects, of distinctly different size, weight, inertial mas and speed, traveling on regulated traffic grids, with vastly unequal crumple zones, meet (contact force).
Often, the box score reads: Cars 1. Bikes 0.
So, read, hone your awareness, understand the potential of physics, appreciate crumple-zone inequalities, wear a properly fitted helmet (cyclists), and pass along. Thanks.
