I was appalled to read Annette Herrick's article about Gypsie Goss being struck by a car while riding her bicycle. What shocked me most was the way the article was written. I'm sure that Ms. Herrick did not intend to do so, but she makes it sound like the accident was Gypsie's fault. Perhaps she was inattentive, poorly dressed, or maybe just because she was a cyclist in the wrong place at the wrong time. None of these things were true. The accident happened because some jerk was behind the wheel.

The accident occurred in the early evening. If you ever saw Gypsie riding at night you could not possibly miss her with all her reflective gear and lights. The person that hit Gypsie was a danger to citizens whether pedestrian, car driver, or cyclist. Although Ms. Herrick pointed out that the driver was an illegal alien with an illegal license, she did not bring to our attention other important facts. The driver struck Gypsie, ran over her bike, and hit another car while attempting to flee the scene. The hit-and-run driver was only stopped because concerned neighbors trapped him in a cul-de-sac and took away his keys until the police arrived. I think it is important to present these facts.

I believe Ms. Herrick unintentionally is perpetuating a myth. The myth that the road is solely the domain of cars and bicycles are trespassing when they enter the roadway. Ms Herrick spent the lion's share of her article addressing poor clothing choices and the virtues of reflective gear. That had nothing to do with this accident. The accident was caused by a dangerous person behind the wheel of a car (I understand the hit-and-run scofflaw had his son in the car during this ordeal).

In this state, there is a blind spot in our educational system for being a safe driver on the road. Both cyclists and car drivers are handicapped by a lack of understanding the rules regarding cars and bicycles sharing the roadway. I was riding my bike on a roadway in Marymoor Park with a group of riders. Some of us were riding two abreast inside the park. A woman used her vehicle to force us to stop. She said she was a cyclist and told us that it is against the law for bicycles to ride two abreast. State regulations allow for cyclist to ride two abreast on the road, but how many of us know that.

We are driven by a mindset to optimize our personal time. We lack a commitment to understand driving practices that contribute to our community as a whole. The roads are for cyclists, pedestrians, and cars. Their conduct is dictated by state and city regulations. Know the rules. Share the road.

Oh by the way, this does not require cyclists to dress like clowns although they may do so of their own accord.

There is a worldwide Ride of Silence Wednesday, May 17 at 7 p.m. to honor cyclists that were injured or killed. The Seattle ride starts at Gasworks Park. The more people show-up the more awareness generated for those sharing the road. The website is www.rideofsilence.org

David Goldberg

Shorewood