Pedal from the metal

Today, one path for cyclists

Regarding "Pedaling to work works" [The Reader's View, April 8], extolling the virtues of bicycle commuting, I wanted to respond at the time, but ironically that morning I was sitting by my husband's hospital bed. He was commuting by bicycle when he was hit by [an SUV]. The driver was looking left while turning right.

[He sustained] five broken ribs, a broken femur, fractured pelvis and a bruised liver. It will take him three months to recover. It's a miracle he survived at all.

He has no desire to get back on that bicycle. You see, when it's bike vs. SUV, the bike loses, hands down.

Even with gas at $3 a gallon and dreadful gridlock, it is still cheaper, more convenient — and safer — to be in that car.

We weren't saving any money when we dropped that second car, and now we're paying, and paying, and paying. I don't see that [circumstance] changing until driving a car in Seattle becomes like driving in Paris — a fairly major headache. This is a pity, because we could do something about it before the streets turn into a sea of frustrated drivers.

If we are really serious when we talk about oil conservation, reducing the pace of global warming and encouraging alternative transportation, then we will get serious about making bicycle commuting safe and convenient. We will build bike lanes that don't share space with parking. We will protect the bicyclist from those who are taking that "free" right while looking left. We will make trails that are accessible from all sides of an intersection, instead of forcing bicyclists into crosswalks on the left-hand side of the street. We will at least put a northbound bike lane through downtown!

So, can we ignore the convenience of the majority who want to blame gas prices on anyone but themselves, or can we get serious and make some responsible decisions?

Kathryn Wickward lives in Seattle.