If you know me well, you know I’ve spent a lot of time on a bicycle--many thousands of miles on a road bike. And hundreds of hours on my mountain bike.
You may have heard about the death of Joyce Frey. Joyce, an avid cyclist, was riding on Old
Niles Ferry Road recently when she was apparently struck and killed by a
vehicle that left the scene.
I first became acquainted with Joyce and her husband Ernie
several years ago when we were both helping with the annual Tour de Blount
bicycle ride. More recently, I attended
a flyfishing class that she and Ernie provided through Parks & Rec. Joyce
and Ernie had seemed to dedicate their retirement years to helping others.
Some folks are using this tragedy to make it clear that they
don’t think that bicycles belong on roads.. Many state loudly that the
Greenbelt Trail is the place to ride a bicycle.
Let me state unequivocally, the Greenbelt is meant for
casual biking. It was originally conceived to be a conduit for
transportation. It’s an awesome asset
for our community but it’s not place for the serious rider. You don’t want me
on the Greenbelt, unless I’m out for an easy ride with a grandchild.
A lot of people hate people on a bicycle. It’s true. I’ve
been cussed, been the recipient of way too many single finger salutes, and have
had vehicles (mostly trucks) swerve in an attempt to scare me.
My wife, who used to quietly support my need for riding, now
makes it clear that she doesn’t like for me to go out on my road bike.
But here’s the thing—bikes have every right to be on the
roads. There are laws governing bicycles on public roads (stay to the right,
double line only, pull off if traffic is backed up behind you), but it is
completely legal for me to ride my bicycle on a road. Any road.
It may not be smart, but it is legal. It is also illegal to
come within 3 feet of a bicycle rider on the road. That law was passed after a
local man was killed, riding on the shoulder of the road.
Smart riders—and that would be most of us—stay off busy
roads. Main arteries in and out of town should be avoided, but what about the
person that rides their bike to work? Or maybe the individual who made a
mistake and lost their driver’s license?
Many more people are killed on motorcycles every year, but
is anyone proposing a ban on motorcycles on The Dragon?
Do some bike riders ride irresponsibly? Absolutely. I preach to riders all the time
to follow the law and ride safely. Is it a great sport? Undoubtedly. Is it
smart to ride on the roads? I’m not sure anymore. The debate will go on.
Don’t hate us. We’re friends and parents and somebody’s son
or daughter. And don’t threaten us. We’re just out there getting some exercise
and enjoying the outdoors.
These days, you’re more likely to find me on my mountain
bike, but know this for certain--I will defend to my last breath the right to
ride a bike on the road. And I’ll still get out on my road bike from time to
time because I do still love it. But I will pick my roads carefully and ride
defensively.
