Bike crash season is underway

We're not even through April yet, and already two young riders have been gravely injured (one fatally) in motor-vehicle / bicycle accidents.

A little five-year-old boy was riding with his five-year-old sister on Fairview Avenue (!), when he was struck by a giant cement truck.  Preliminary reports lead me to believe the little fellow was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and went into the side of the big truck.  At last report, he was still in the hospital with serious injuries.

And then on Easter Sunday, 13-year-old Olivia Schnacker was crossing Ustick Road while riding with friends, when she was struck by a car.  It was at the intersection of Jullion Street - there is a crosswalk with flashing lights there, and witnesses seem to believe the lights were activated.

According to a STORY on the KTVB website, the setting sun may have been a factor. I'm sorry - the incident took place "just before 6:30 pm," and the sun set at 8:34pm on April 20. I'm not buyin' that lame excuse! And then the lady gets out of her car, and hysterically cried out, "I'm going to go to jail!"  I should probably feel sympathy for her, but I'm having a hard time summoning it.  I feel bad for poor Olivia, whose life was cut tragically short, and for her family and loved ones.

I wrote a guest opinion over on the BOISE GUARDIAN, urging bicyclists and motorcyclists to be careful! And motorists too! Cyclists do stupid stuff all the time, but usually they're only endangering themselves. I want EVERY motorist to consider how he or she would feel, if he were getting out of his car to survey the damage he just inflicted on a child during a moment of inattentiveness... and drive so that NEVER happens!