2News.tv: Bicyclists and Motorists Sharing the Road

Antonio Gonzalez told CBS 2 Eyewitness News, “A lot of people don’t realize how vulnerable cyclists are.” He was hit by a car a few years back while riding his bike in Boise, “A car came up beside me and started to slow down and took a right hand turn and ran right over me.”

Fortunately, Gonzalez wasn’t badly hurt and it didn’t stop him from getting back behind the handle bars. But now he’s taking bicycle safety seriously. “I wear a helmet, I wear a reflective vest, I wear gloves, I make myself visible. I take every precaution I can,” but even if you’re like Gonzalez, accidents can still happen and a 20 pound bicycle is no match for a heavy duty SUV.

Gonzalez admitted it is easy to get distracted when you’re behind the wheel, “I’m just as guilty as anyone else when driving using my cell phone and veering off to the side inadvertently.” Gonzalez said, drivers and cyclists need to remember they’re sharing the road, “We do have bike lanes on a few of the streets in Boise and when they’re used correctly, if you make yourself very visible to the drivers, most the time it’s going to be OK.”