This is a picture of Kristy Gough. I have stared in to her eyes in this picture several times during the past week, as this picture has surfaced on many blogs and websites in the cycling community. Every time, I am brought to tears and my heart aches. When I look at this picture, I feel like I know her, or maybe like I see a part of myself in her. Maybe it is because we were the same age, or that we shared the passion of athletics, or the love of animals. Maybe it is because I realize that what happened to her could happen to me, or so many people like us.Two weekends ago, she was out joyfully riding her bike on a beautiful road in the California hills. She was training hard, coming off a race win. She was motivated: she just upgraded cycling categories, and would be racing against the pros next time. She had so much potential, and so many things she wanted to accomplish, on and off the bike. Then, suddenly and senselessly, this was all ripped away.
A police officer driving the other way on the road suddenly crossed the center line on this popular cycling road, hitting Kristy and two other promising cyclists head on. Matt Peterson, another passionate cyclist, was killed instantly. Kristy was airlifted to a hospital but did not make it. A third cyclist was critically injured but survived. Everything changed in a moment.
I have read many articles on this freak accident and keep asking myself, "Why?" She was an Ironman triathlete and a kind person. Matt was an enthusiastic, warm individual as well from all accounts. It just seems so wrong. They were out living life to the fullest, and then it was taken from them.
Some of the articles I have read have also made me angry. Comments from random drivers saying things like, "Well, I have seen cyclists doing dangerous things out there." Yes, I, too, have witnessed cyclists monopolizing the road and annoying drivers, rolling through intersections, etc. And I can admit that before I was a cyclist, I thought some of them were crazy out there myself. But I can honestly say the majority of people I have ridden with over the years are cautious and respectful on the road. We cyclists realize that cars are bigger than us, and can kill us. Most of us know someone who has had a run-in with a car.
Even though some cyclists may not make the best decisions on the road (which was not the case in this horrible recent tragedy!), do they deserve to die for it? I feel like when people rip on cyclists on the road, especially after a devastating accident like this, they are making a disclaimer of sorts, saying cyclists ask for it. This infuriates me! Cyclists are human beings, partaking in healthy physical activity, enjoying the outdoors, and testing their physical limits. Even if they make a mistake or are not as courteous as they should be, they do not deserve to be taken out by a car and killed.
I always try to train on roads where there is little traffic to protect myself. I also assume that cars do not see me, so I am a defensive rider at intersections. I try to impede traffic as little as possible by riding near the shoulder. If I am riding with someone, I will ride next to them (which is legal!), unless I hear a car coming, and then I make the effort to go single file. I try to be an ambassador of cycling while on the road. I really think all cyclists should try to be good representatives of the sport out on the road...maybe it will change one person's preconceived notion of road cyclists, and will prevent future incidents. Unfortunately, no precautions could have saved Kristy and Matt from a car suddenly swerving across the yellow line and hitting them in their bike lane.
And even with my cautious nature, I have had beer bottles thrown at me (one actually hit me, shattered, and nearly caused me to crash!), I have been sworn at, flipped off, whistled at, screamed at, and honked at. I have had cars swerve in front of me and in to the bike lane to show me who's boss. I have been edged off the road and in to the dirt. I have felt a truck's mirror graze my helmet.
I just want people to realize that I am someone's family member: a wife, a daughter, a sister, a friend, and hopefully one day a mother. I have dreams and goals. I have so many things I want to do in this life! That was true of Kristy. And it is true of every other cyclist you see out on the road.
I have seen drivers take more precautions to avoid hitting a squirrel than slowing down a bit and giving cyclists a few extra feet of room. I know some people have never been on a road bike, so they don't know what it feels like to have a car come by so close at 60 miles an hour. Things like that make you realize that you are vulnerable, and that life is precious and fragile.
Maybe our whole world needs to slow down (just like the sign states on my dirt road, pictured in my previous post!). Maybe we need to stop talking and texting and movie-watching and multi-tasking while we drive. My heart goes out the the officer who killed these two cyclists: some articles claim he fell asleep at the wheel. He will never be the same. I am sure we can all think of a time when we were distracted or too tired behind the wheel. Thankfully most of us never have such painful consequences. Maybe we should think of the cyclists in this accident, as well as the officer who must be inconsolable, next time we drive, and take time to breathe, slow down, and enjoy the world around us. Maybe we should use that time to respect others out there on the road: walkers, runners, cyclists, wildlife, as well as other drivers.
Kristy's terrible accident has shocked and devastated the whole cycling community, as well as her friends and family. I wish time could rewind at times like this. But perhaps something good can come out of this horrible freak accident: maybe we can all slow down and respect each other a little more. Maybe people can really start putting in to practice what sharing the road truly means.
