Waving loaded guns

Here's me on a soapbox. Please no flaming. Some of you may know that I do like to do some cycling. Most of the time I end up at WRL (yes, most cyclists will cringe at this thought). I don't ride streets much because I'm mostly a scaredy cat and I know people in cars can be really dumb with their 2 ton pieces of metal. They forget that IT'S THE LAW that cyclists ride on the road and that they are supposed to give space when passing. The honk at you, rev their engines, swerve, yell, throw things. It's almost acceptable to be mad at a cyclist. Plus, many times they just don't see you. Don't believe me...take this counting test.

Well this past weekend, once again, two people gave their life simply by enjoying the sport they love. How many deaths do you hear of at a baseball game? Why should enjoying a sport practiced by the likes of someone like Lance Armstrong be so dangerous? It seems I hear crash stories all the time from cars who just weren't paying attention.

This was a tragedy I heard about through my tri friends. DMN Article or Fox DFW (includes pictures of the car).

The woman raced a triathlon the day before this in the same near area. Bikers are on this route all the time. Here is an excerpt from the story:

"According to police, bicyclists Meredith Hatch, 38, and Michael Alfaro, 36, were headed east on Camp Wisdom Road about 8:20 a.m. when Mr. Bain's Lincoln Navigator hit them from behind. They were pronounced dead at the scene.
Mr. Bain told police he had been to a bachelorette party that ended about 2 a.m., then stayed up the rest of the night visiting friends. His blood was drawn at a local hospital to determine his blood-alcohol level, said Officer Wes Bement, a traffic investigator.
Ms. Hatch and Mr. Alfaro were good friends and riding partners, the officer said.
"It's just been very, very sad," Officer Bement said. "They were obviously very seasoned riders."
Ms. Hatch owned Primrose School day care centers in Mansfield and Grand Prairie.
She grew up in Irving and graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington.
Ms. Hatch is survived by a husband and three boys, ages 6, 9, and 12. She was an accomplished triathlete, a former president of the Mansfield Rotary Club, a member of the Methodist Church and a volunteer with the Meals on Wheels Program.
"She wasn't afraid to do anything," said her father, James Bower Jr., from his home in Bowie on Sunday night. "She was a very driven and determined person. She had guts. She was the type of person who wanted to live life to the fullest, and she did."
Mr. Alfaro's relatives could not be reached for comment Sunday."

Although alcohol was involved in this accident (and I just won't say what I really think this man deserves), many times cars get impatient or are not looking out for others on the road. DFW is getting more and more cyclists so just a plea to please pay attention for cyclists. When you buzz a cyclist it's like waving a loaded gun around - you are playing with someone's life.

In Memoriam

Enjoy the road.