Five Riders

Five bicycle riders were killed in Michigan yesterday by the driver of a motor vehicle who, from all initial reports, appears to have been driving while impaired. "They shouldn't have been on the road, they don't belong there." You may know someone who said that, or something like it, in response. You may know someone who has said that, or something like it, at some other time, in regard to some other incident. Undoubtedly you have read comments expressing that very belief - many times.

Five bicycle riders were killed in Michigan yesterday. Statistics tell us, that ninety-two occupants of motor vehicles, whether drivers or passengers, were killed on the roadways of the United States, while 3,287 motor vehicle users were killed around the globe, all on that very same day. I must have missed hearing people say, or even reading someone's comments, stating "they shouldn't have been there, they don't belong."

Five bicycle riders were killed in Michigan yesterday. Five, versus three thousand two-hundred eighty-seven. Tell me again exactly where you believe the problem lies.

Five bicycle riders were killed in Michigan yesterday (and it took me longer to type that sentence each time). I think the heart of every cyclist sunk just a bit lower, skipped a beat, eyes dropped to the ground upon hearing that news. Our community mourns with the survivors, families and friends of the victims of, yet another, senseless and needless moment of road violence.

Debra Ann Bradley
Melissa Ann Fevig-Hughes
Fred Anton
Lorenz John Paulik
Suzanne Joan Sippel