Be Careful When Driving or Otherwise Crossing a Street – March 8, 2021

This morning near an area where I sometimes ride my bicycle, a 4 year old was killed by a hit and run driver https://www.kwch.com/2021/03/08/pedestrian-hit-by-vehicle-near-downtown-wichita/ (Channel 12 News CBS Wichita). They have found the pick-up and are interviewing the driver. When I drive or ride my bike, I always treat each and every intersection as a danger spot. As I drive, if I hit something, I pull over as soon as it is safely possible to investigate what I hit. It is trash in the road, sometimes a large garbage bag or other large item. I also check the tires as they may be damaged from hitting it. I have yet to hit a person.

I have come close at night when people are wearing dark clothing. I don’t care how pale white is your face is, if it is covered by a hoodie and you are wearing dark clothes crossing illegally on a street with no lights, you are putting not only your life on the line, but the life of anyone who may hit you. Been over a decade ago, but someone crossed the street at night and the only reason I saw them is they had a reflective stripe on the bottom of their shoes. They were dressed head to toe in dark clothes and their face was covered. It was a miracle I noticed them at all.

I regularly run across people on sidewalks wearing dark clothing and paying more attention to their phone or tablet than they are about what’s happening around them. If I get a call on my phone which is rare when riding my bicycle, I always pull off to the non-sidewalk and stop my bike before answering it. That’s to protect me and anyone not paying attention walking or riding. There have been a few motorized scooters and bicycles on the sidewalk. Neither are allowed on the sidewalk as they have motors and should be ridden on the street.