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Be aware, stay alert on bike trails

August 20, 2020

Thank you John Amann and thanks also to the editorial board for the article, “Thoughts on Bicycle Rules of the Road,” Aug. 11 edition.  It spurred me to put down the below, including an apology.

Thanks to the Georgetown-Lewes trail, I’m biking 30 miles roundtrip, three to four times weekly, and it is indeed, wonderful.  My apology however, goes to a couple riding tandem at a slow rate of speed as they came toward me, and never mind the runner on the right edge of the trail. I misjudged the distance and speed of the approaching couple and though I gave the “on your left’ warning to the runner, I’m certain I startled the biking couple with my quick maneuver to the left of the runner and back again to the right. Then comes your editorial with its spot-on, message: “A big part of safety is situational awareness. Hearing what is going on around you is a big part of that awareness. Too many people ignore this rule.”  In other words, be aware and alert always, and while I misjudged the riders coming toward me, they might have judged better and slowed just enough to increase their distance from me and likewise, increase my space in which to maneuver around the runner. While there is no perfection in the mix of children and adult cyclists doing their thing alongside walkers and joggers (short of zero accidents), and with all moving in both directions, we must at the very least be aware of the context and environment in which we place ourselves.  In other words, nix the headphones, wear the helmets; be aware and stay alert, and you got it, ‘stay safe, stay strong’!

Jeff Dailey
Milton
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