Dear Motorist: A Follow-Up

Last month, following the rash of cycling fatalities in London over a two week period, I composed a post called Learning from London (Or Are We?) in which I reviewed and critiqued the reactions of the media, the mayor and a former Olympic cyclist. My point, that there isn’t a single type of road user to blame and that simply being more aware, whether you are on a bike or in a motor vehicle, is as necessary as devising more complicated infrastructure improvements, caught the attention of Wesley Bauer, who sent along a link to his video. As the creator of Dear Motorist, Wesley hopes to raise awareness that cyclists are “more than just obstacles on the road.” Enjoy the piece and Wesley’s words below.

Dear Motorist transpired after a personal friend of mine was hit and killed while cycling on the road. Truthfully, this is something that has greatly shaken me up and I have yet to get back on my bike. Instead, I have turned my focus to gathering the assets that I have to develop the Dear Motoristcampaign to encourage both motorists and cyclists to do better. I am fortunate to work for ENDEVR, a company that manufactures MyID, an evolved medical identification bracelet that keeps your medical information current and up to date. Having the full support of my company has been something I have been grateful for. They understand better than anyone the importance of being safe on the road. My firm goal with Dear Motorist is to save the life of at least one cyclist. I feel we can accomplish this goal by:

  1. Creating an understanding that we are more than just cyclists
  2. Creating the understanding that as cyclists and motorists, we both can do better
  3. Ensuring that everyone has the proper equipment: highly visible clothing, a medical identification bracelet, and a helmet
  4. Continuing to improve education and the infrastructure of cities to be inviting to cyclists
Truly, the more the video is shared, the more I hope that motorists have the chance to see these individuals reading their letters. At the time of filming, all ten of the individuals who are reading the letters had just lost a close friend the week before while he was out cycling and was struck from behind.
I, too, live on both sides of this discussion. I ride and I drive. I am a daughter, a cyclist, a sister, an automobile driver, a friend and a friend of many cyclists. And I couldn’t agree more that we can all do better.
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