04 June 2008

Only One Word Can Explain This: Horror

I decided to push back the weekly roundup to Thursday this week. I wanted to take a minute, as the weather gets nice and we start to ride more, to share a horrific and unfortunate story.

I am convinced that just about every cyclist has had or will have a terrifying experience with a car at least once in his or her life. Unfortunately for 37-year-old Alejandro Alvarez of Monterrey, his worst nightmare became reality when 28-year-old Juan Campos fell asleep, drunk, behind the wheel. Alvarez was killed and ten others were injured in the first fifteen minutes of a 34-Kilometer race in Mexico, right across from Brownville, Texas. Campos is an American Citizen living in Brownsville.

The reason I bring this up is twofold. First, everyone who clips into a set of pedals and hits the road needs to remember that when you’re out on the road you can’t count on anyone to watch your back for you. You have to be aware of everything around you at all times, and you have to plan for the exception not the rule. Second, please take a moment to pause and pray for, or remember in whatever way you feel appropriate, everyone involved in this horrible accident. Countless lives have forever been changed and disrupted.

We need to remember to be thankful every time we get back from a ride, and be aware of our surroundings ever time we go out. Here’s to many, many great, safe rides for all of us, and blessings around.

1 comment:

Gary Burkholder said...

Well said.

May everyone who saw coverage of this accident remember it and take care to prevent accidents from happening in the future. Whether putting on your shoes, stepping over a bike, or sitting down behind the wheel, play by the rules, try not to be the exception, and watch out for the unexpected.

RIP Alejandro Alvarez, may you not be forgotten.