Recent Accident Is Part Of A Disturbing Trend

A recent crash between a senior citizen bicycling group and an angry motorist caused some of the group to fall off their bikes. The incident occurred on N.M. 41 when the driver of the vehicle, who had just passed the group while honking his horn, stopped on the road, then punched his car into reverse.

He allegedly hit one of the cyclists with his vehicle. The bicyclist was thrown off the bike and sent to the hospital with severe injuries.

The resulting clash between the uninjured bicyclists and the angry driver immediately after the accident made headlines, but charges are not as serious as many would like. Denying that he hit one of the persons in the bicycle group, the driver did admit to being afraid of losing his temper, so he left the scene.

Bicyclists are aware that over-the-top anger from motorists rarely ends well, and this recent confrontation is just one occurrence. Road rage seems to fuel hasty decisions that end up injuring and killing cyclists. According to figures collected by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, cyclist injuries and fatalities increased by 26 percent between 2010 and 2016.

You may not be able to stop road rage, but you can choose to ride your bike safely. If you see or hear an angry driver, look for an escape route if the confrontation escalates. React by defending yourself and getting to safety. Notice if there are others around that can serve as witnesses, and be sure to get identification information for the rager’s vehicle.