bicycles in the news....

in my web searching I get some GOOGLE ALERTS
and I do some basic searching
simply type in some key words
either doing a web search or a news search
the findings tend to be similar each day

with bicycle or cyclist selected I will often get a long string of related stories
the news tends not to be good
all sorts of tales about fatalities and series injuries
not good news... not the news I am looking for... not the stories I am looking to share

yet...
these stories have their merit
these stories are important as an ever present reminder of the risks of cycling
there is a recurring theme in these stories
in so many cases the accident involves a car
actually in most every story listed the accident involves a car

so many situations of hit and run
so many accidents that could easily be avoided

this morning there was a Washington Post article about elderly drivers

on the bicycle there can be this Superman Syndrome
a feeling of invincibility
power and confidence
as great as these feelings may be
the human body is frail and fragile
human life needs to be respected
even if that human life is on the bike

cartoon by andy singer