I was having a great morning as I moseyed along a stretch of the made-for-walking asphalt path near my home.
It was early, and the sun was rising just above the white fencing that followed my every footstep.
I value my alone time, as it’s the part of the day during which I plan my meeting agendas, presentations and appointments.
As I was immersed in thought, I happened to peer at the ground below and noticed a small
Photo by Wes Kroninger
protrusion, probably a root trunk that was muscling the overlying asphalt upward. Being safety conscious as I always am, I began moving to my left to avoid tripping over this subtle hazard.
No sooner had I begun to move when a young girl riding her bicycle came from behind, no warning issued, and passed me on my left. Suddenly, my focused concentration turned into alarm, as my heart rate jumped dramatically and thoughts about my daily agenda were replaced with inner panic.
As she passed me sans helmet, I thought to myself what could have been. Had I moved over a split second earlier, disaster could have struck. This young girl probably would have met the immovable tree directly to my left. Why couldn’t she have yelled to me as she was approaching and, in a loud voice, said, “passing left?”
I often think about bicycle safety and some of the actions needed, both legislative and educational, to help the many riders in our community avoid mishap. The aforementioned case notwithstanding, the majority of the numerous riders on our roads follow safety rules and outfit themselves in appropriate gear.
Geoff Clark’s piece on cycling safety provides valuable information for the many riders on our open roads and the 30 miles of paths that line our community. Let’s follow Geoff’s advice and help New Albany become America’s #1 Safest Suburb.
Healthfully,
Phil
