Last Thanksgiving, a woman with the great name Sunshine Baker was killed by a motorist while riding her bike on Speedway.
This morning I noticed the bike chained up where this accident happened, painted white as a memorial to Baker's memory.
I'm told she was riding the wrong way on Speedway, which I do all the time. I'm not proud of it, it's just true, and we all do it. I was in a car the other day with a friend who said they couldn't stand bikers taking up the road. I've been biking and had friends say they can't stand drivers taking up the road. I've been with those same people when they say the opposite thing.
The truth is we need to share the roads. Roads aren't wide enough, we know. There aren't enough wide enough bike lanes, we know. Since that's currently the case, the only reasonable thing to do is be vigilant and patient with each other, so people don't die. Especially on streets no one should be going fast enough to kill someone on.
If you ride your bike in Venice, you've most likely had your own share of close calls. If you've driven your car in Venice - same story. So look out for each other. Bikes deserve to be ridden, by happy-named, happy-riding people. Not painted white and locked up forever.
Happy Weekend - and be careful out there, for Heaven's sake! And Sunshine's.