Drivers, pedal a mile in bicyclists’ shoes

Dear Hostile Motorist,

Your anger is not productive. Yelling profanities from your car is not productive. Pass me safely, pull over, wave me down. Ask me why I ride on the road. Talk to me.

The fact is, bicycles may be operated legally on any road in Iowa except the interstate or where it is explicitly prohibited. If you want a bicycle-free drive, stick to the interstate.

Wide sidewalks - please don't call them “bike paths” - are a nice option for novice cyclists, families who want to bike with their children, joggers, etc. They are not mandatory for bicycles. I have had more close calls while riding on sidewalks - wide and otherwise - than I have on the roads. You may not like seeing me on the road, but at least you see me.

Drivers, you are encased in, and operating, lethal weapons. The onus is on you to look out for those of us not so protected. Ride a week on a bicycle. Use the roads. Use the sidewalks. Talk to me when you have a better understanding of bicycling.

Bicyclists lower the cost of gas, save parking spots, filter out airborne particulates in their pink lungs - for you.

Brenda Conry

North Liberty