Then when I drive and see a cyclist blowing through a red light or streaking in front of me with nary a light or reflector long after sundown, I'm left to conclude that we have no shortage of idiots in Gainesville. But to be fair, I have to admit that my own carelessness has given me several occasions to wear that idiot label. One of the other realities of these car, bike and pedestrian encounters is that when the walker or cyclist makes a serious error in judgment, the results of that mistake can be deadly. A seat belt and a ton of steel wrapping can give a motorist a second chance. The solution is for everybody to look out for everybody.
Cyclists do have to overcome a bias from some drivers.
And sharing the road does carry a reward in addition to safety. No portions may be re-posted without written permission of the author. SunONE is a trademark of The New York Times Company.