This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
I walk, bike and drive in Salt Lake City. As I write this, less than 24 hours ago a beautiful young woman was killed by a hit-and-run driver ("Driver sought in bicyclist's death," Tribune, June 9). By her friends' accounts, she was riding legally and impeccably: with traffic, on a green light, helmeted and well-lighted for nighttime. The driver apparently right-hooked her, and then fled.
Already, I've heard some people suggest that the cyclist would have been safer on the sidewalk, where she "belonged." Physics says otherwise. In addition to threatening pedestrians, cyclists are in greater danger on sidewalks than riding legally on the roadway.
The reason is simple: motorists are notoriously bad at spotting and yielding to pedestrian traffic at driveways and crosswalks. Compound this danger with the speed of an average cyclist, and visibility goes down as the rider's stopping time increases.
Some motorists can't tolerate roadway cyclists. Some street-speed cyclists refuse to cede the sidewalk. They have one thing in common: they're under-qualified for wheeled transportation. A few miles on foot (preferably downtown, at rush hour) might improve their perspective.
I recommend visiting http://www.BicycleSafe.com and the online Utah Driver Handbook (publicsafety.utah.gov).
Erin Saunders
Salt Lake City