If you have been reading the Denver Post over the last few weeks, you know that well known Denver area cyclist Shahram Moghadamnia was killed on West 32nd by an out of control US Postal truck. It breaks my heart that this man was killed doing what we all love, cycling. If there is any good that can come from the death of a fellow cyclist, it is the discussion about the extra risk to bicyclists caused by poor driver behavior and bad road design. Whil Shahram’s death was caused by a fluke crash involving an out of control truck, we cannot help but realize the problems on that section of West 32nd. We will be advocating for permanent sharrows to be painted on that section of road ASAP, to be followed by a wider shoulder and strict enforcement of vehicle speed limits. Here is a telling video from the Post:

http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1504364485/bclid1419798684/bctid1539385012

The most telling part of the Post’s coverage is the hostility that many of the drivers demonstrate in the comments section of the article. There is no parity between a cyclist delaying the progress of a motorist, and the motorist taking actions that jeopardize the lives and safety of cyclists. If you are ever the victim of a hostile driver putting your safety at risk, please get the license and description of the vehicle, pull over, and dial 911 as soon as possible. While hostile drivers are the minority, they are a danger to us all.

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