Summer is a great time of year for lots of reasons. Cook outs, concerts, vacations, and of course, cycling with friends. However, summer also seems to have become a very dangerous time of year to be out on our bikes. Earlier this summer, on two separate occasions, a few good friends of mine (including Marco) took bad spills when a dog chased the group and ran into them during a regular weekly ride. Both of these accidents could have been avoided if the dog’s owners were responsible and law abiding pet owners who kept their animals tied up or inside a fence. Each incident resulted in the riders taking a trip to the hospital to be X-rayed and patched up.
This past weekend two other friends were involved in cycling accidents which were even more serious. My team mate George is currently in the hospital with 6 broken ribs and a fractured scapula after tangling with someone at the Troy race this past weekend. Steve Barbour, a long time cyclist who is active with COP, was struck by a motorist in Hilliard early Saturday morning while on his way to lead a group ride headed to Bellefontaine. Currently Steve is hospitalized and is in a coma. Sadly, rumor has it the motorist who struck Steve was intoxicated.
Cycling is a great past time and it’s a big part of my life. Unfortunately cycling also seems to be getting more dangerous. Maybe it is simply due to more people becoming involved in the sport as it grows in popularity. But at the end of the day each of these incidents could have been avoided if the individuals causing them had been acting in a responsible manner.
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