Jan Johnson: Safety essential for bicyclists, drivers

We vehicle drivers don’t want to see a ghost bike someone’s name on it, as there is for my wonderful firefighter/EMS son-in-law. He did everything for safety, was where he should have been, everything lawful, but he’s dead anyway. Hit by a driver in a huge pickup. Grief is never ending for those left behind.

There’s no way a bike and a human can compete with a vehicle, no matter who’s correct or lawful.

A cyclist wrote that he’s off his bike as he’s fearful of the traffic (“Fearful of drivers, I’m off my bike, “ Nov. 27 Point of View). A very wise choice, not only for him but for his family and loved one.

Please use all our combined resources to change the law so bicyclists can ride on the sidewalks when available and have paved bikeways where there are no sidewalks. Traffic in this area is thick, so a tragedy can happen even though every safety precaution is in place. Even where traffic is thin it takes only one vehicle.

Bicyclists, please wear bright clothes and reflectors.

This story was originally published January 21, 2017 at 6:18 PM with the headline "Jan Johnson: Safety essential for bicyclists, drivers."