I’d like to think that a little bit of bicycle advocacy and even more awareness will help make the streets safe for cyclists. Sometimes things are out of our control. The following is a story from a fellow cyclist who was caught up in an accident while heading home from the last Bike Friendly Oak Cliff group ride. When it happened, she was legally stopped on a neighborhood street in Richardson.
Here’s her story (holding back on the graphic details):
Hi, I wanted to share a few words about an event that occurred on Sunday afternoon.
I was riding back from the Oak Cliff Ninjas vs. Pirates bike ride when two cars slammed into me. I had left Arapaho Center Station and was at the Coit and Melrose intersection waiting for a green light – I was just sitting on my bike.
A car in the cross-traffic took a sharp, unprotected left turn and a car driving the opposite way struck it. The two cars then slid toward me; slamming into my body and causing me to fly back with them… The incredible part about all of this was I walked away with only scrapes and bruises. After being rushed to the ER and staying for a few hours, I was released… Even my bike was spared major damage.
Because of this event I wanted to stress two points to everyone who bicycles, will, or knows someone who does:
1) Wear a helmet! Simplest rule but I know many disregard it. Many people at the Ninjas vs. Pirates bike ride didn’t wear one. I too wore a costume, but I also wore a helmet. Remember, I was basically a pedestrian who was struck, they say I had a concussion; but nothing more.
2) Continue advocating for car-free and/or car-light lifestyles. Promote alternative forms of transportation as they are safer, healthier, and friendlier for us. What would you want to be on the road: 18 pound aluminum frames or 4,000 pound tanks?-Angelica Huerta
There’s no denying that this was a traumatic experience for Angelica. She was stopped at the wrong place at the wrong time, but fortunately, was able to walk away from it. If anything, this is a good reminder that safety should always be a priority when we ride.
Hopefully, knowing that more of us out of there, drivers will be less willing to take such dangerous chances on the roads we share.