Motorists are 100% liable for all collisions they cause. Their excuse, “I didn’t expect a bike in the road,” is unacceptable. Roads are for everyone’s use. Motorists must remain in control of their vehicles at all times, even if that means slowing to 25 mph, the defacto limit where not posted. Traffic laws are written to control motored momentum. Incomplete streets that squeeze cyclists and walkers off are not only unacceptable but illegal. This violates FWHA, USDOT and RIDOT standards, YET they just repainted Rt 5, the last formerly bikeable North-South route through Warwick, and, guess what? Two lanes in each direction and NO shoulders. If you want more opinion, ask me about Frenchtown Road. I say it’s about time a class action suit is filed.

Road side memorials for motorists often take on a religious nature. This type of display is easily symbolic, even for those who don’t actively participate in a religion. Perhaps we, cyclists as a group, need to make a concerted effort to actively mark sites of bicycle fatalities with ghost bicycles. The more motorists see these bikes, the more likely they are to learn of their significance. In the mean time, is there anything that can be done to make their significance more apparent? Signs are hard to read while driving, but they would certainly be helpful to those on foot. It’s tough to tell in the picture, do any of the signs on the pole describe what happened?