Dear Motorist – transcript and video

This is a video appealing to everyone, drivers and cyclists, to be more mindful in traffic.  I made a transcript so that I could break it down, and discuss some of the points in separate blogs in the future, and to make the content more accessible.

[sz-youtube url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Euu2QRIuEPk” /]

Over the last 10 years, 6,957 cyclists have been killed. Our goal is to save at least one. Cyclists have written the following letters.

Dear motorist,
Dear motorist,
Dear motorist,

I am a mother.
I am a daughter.
I am a cyclist.

Over the years cycling has kept me healthy. It has given me a way to escape from the pressures and stresses that life can bring.

I’m out there riding my bike to stay healthy, to enjoy the beautiful place where I live, and simply because I love it.  I love the wind on my face, the sun on my back, the scenery flashing by and the feeling of satisfaction I get from living an active lifestyle.

Dear motorist, I’m not a cyclist, but I’m a husband. I have a wife; she loves to ride. Someone almost hit her the other day. My heart stopped when I heard the news.

I know that cyclists can be annoying, when they ride in your lane, force you to slow down and wait before turning. Until I bought a bike I too was easily irritated by cyclists impeding my commute.

[interview:] The thing that a lot of motorists don’t realize is that cyclists are gonna put themselves into whatever position they feel safest.

When you are driving your car and road conditions become dangerous you move around them to keep yourself safe. It is the same with cyclists.

I’ve taken a right-hand turn in my car and nearly missed a cyclist I failed to see around the corner. I’ve been cycling on the shoulder of the road and almost hit by a distracted driver. I live on both sides of this discussion.

I recently had a good friend of mine killed while riding his bike. It was tragic and unnecessary. He was too young to die.

My friend lost his life doing what he loved. Doing what I love.

He had a wife and four kids. I wanna be there for my family. He no longer can be.

It is easy to feel invincible, like you are the exception to the rule, like it would never happen to you or to somebody you know. In an instant his wife’s and 4 young children’s lives were changed forever, and not just theirs, but the life of that motorist will never be the same, either.

[interview:] I think that’s everybody’s worst fear, um, is actually having taken someone’s life, or even injuring somebody. Um, I can’t imagine the guilt I would feel, um… not only for the person that I injured, but for everybody else in that person’s life.

My friend does not have to live with that memory every day, but the driver who hit him will live with that guilt every single day, for the rest of his life.

[interview:] I’ve had a really hard time getting back on my bike since the accident, because I’m afraid that every car I hear coming from behind is gonna hit me, and I just don’t wanna ride that way.

I’m at the mercy of the motorists I’m sharing the road with. You are bigger than me. You are travelling faster than me. If we collide my chance of injury is a hundred times greater than yours.

Every single person’s life is worth a few seconds of your time.

[interview:] I understand where cyclists would be angry with the situation. I understand where motorists get frustrated with slower moving objects on the road.

I’ve seen my fellow cyclists do some really not so smart things on the road, and it hurts me to think this is where our image comes from.

[interview:] I think it can be avoided by both parties. Cyclists need to be conscientious of drivers, and obeying the laws, and not just assume that drivers are gonna look out for them.

As a cyclist I pledge that I will be as visible as possible, to stay as much out of your way as possible.

I’ve made a new commitment to myself: I will stop the distractions when I’m behind the wheel.

Please slow down and drive cautiously. There isn’t anything that’s going to happen while you’re driving that’s more important than the actual act of driving.

I don’t want to leave my kids without a mother, because I didn’t respect you as a motorist, and you didn’t respect me as a cyclist. More importantly I want you to respect my kids, even if they are still learning to respect you. So my plea is for us all to be safe, to be aware, be courteous, and to share the road.

Sincerely, your friend
Sincerely, your brother
Sincerely, a mother
Sincerely, a cyclist’s husband
Sincerely, a cyclist

Pledge to be more aware at:

Dear Motorist  (.com)