Why we don't get Killed

When I'm working on a title for my post, I often reject titles that don't spin in the positive direction. The word "killed" is one of those words that can put the wrong spin on a title, but I think this title works for the topic I want to write about.

We were talking bicycles (as I'm apt to do) and one guy says he would love to put a trailer on the back of his bike and make all sorts of trips to the Farmer's Market and run other errands except he would get killed. I asked him what route he would take to get to the Farmer's Market and he named the biggest road between his house and the market.

I don't ride that road. I don't like that road when I'm in a car -- narrow, four-lane, twisty, with lots of commercial entrances. The phrase "I would be killed" describes this road whether driving or cycling.

The conversation moved along, but later that evening, I considered how I would get to the Market from his house. One route preferred by cyclists would have worked for him. Motorists would only know those streets if they lived on those streets and because motorists don't use that route, it works for bikes.

We don't get killed because cyclists find the "Good Routes". The Good Routes don't have lots of cars. The Good Routes do have lots of bicycles. The Good Routes are pleasant because the people can talk and engage each other at a human pace. They may be longer -- especially in a car -- but they are more satisfying.

We also don't get killed because we are experienced cyclists. We follow the rules of the road and avoid situations that would so much as surprise motorists much less antagonize them.

We don't get killed because we accept a world where other things matter. We think outside the car.