JEFF GOETZ

Perspective

June is officially Bike Month in Wyoming. The proclamation is meant to celebrate bicycling within the state, increase awareness of cycling and to encourage everyone to grab a bike and ride.

In a perfect world, cyclists and motorists would share the state's roadways. After all, according to state statute, cyclists and motorists share the same rights and responsibilities. However, as we all know, this is not a perfect world.

With an increasing amount of people atop the saddle instead of behind the wheel, it's more important than ever to be aware of cyclists while you're driving and while you're cycling, be aware of drivers. Over 7,000 cyclists have been killed nationally in the past decade. In 2006, 770 bicyclists were killed in the United States and over 90 percent died in crashes involving motor vehicles, according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration. In Casper alone, there have been 68 crashes since 2002 resulting in 70 injuries and one death (Wyoming Highway Safety Program statistics).

But this isn't a lecture on car-bicycle crashes. A car-bike accident is never a pretty scene and we all know a 3,000-pound automobile will always win against a 30-pound bicycle. Rather, this is about taking small steps which can create an environment that's safe for both drivers and bicyclists.

There are plenty of roads with paved shoulders and cyclists should try to use them. When there are roads without shoulders, cyclists will be on the roadway. Intersections are also a problem area; nearly all of those bike-car crashes in Casper happened at intersections. In these situations, both driver and cyclist need to be extra aware. Look out for each other. Take away the car and the bike and we're all people; friends, family and neighbors. Is it really worth taking a chance on hitting a cyclist or cutting in front of a car on a bike and getting hit? Having been hit by a car while cycling, I can answer both questions with a resounding "no."

My near-death bicycle experience came when I was 15. Even at that early age, I was a veteran of biking on the roads. There weren't many official bike lanes then; everyone rode with traffic on the streets. It was a late summer afternoon and I was riding home, going down a slight hill along a boulevard. I was keeping up with traffic, so my guess is that I was going around 25 mph. The last thing I remember was the driver's door of the parked van opening in front of me. I hit the door so hard it nearly sheared it from its hinges. There were no mini-vans then and the full-size Chevy actually moved a few inches.

I wasn't wearing a helmet; in 1984, that wasn't common practice amongst cyclists. I suffered a broken shoulder and had the top of my head sewn back together. The owner of the van suffered nearly as much, though his pain was emotional: when I hit, I was knocked out and he thought he'd killed me. He admitted later he never saw me, never thought to look. I too wasn't prepared: I never thought to look for van doors opening in front of me.

And that's really the point: be aware and give each other a break. Motorists, give cyclists a break by sharing the road either by moving over or slowing down until it's safe to pass. And cyclists, give drivers a break by riding to the right with the flow of traffic, wearing visible clothing and by obeying traffic laws, signs and signals.

Perhaps 68 bike-car crashes in six years doesn't sound like a lot, but nearly all were avoidable. And try telling the family of the person who was killed that even one death is acceptable. A perfect world for both drivers and cyclists can be found in Wyoming, it just takes a little awareness on all of our parts.

Jeff Goetz works for the Wyoming Department of Transportation in Casper.