Elizabeth A. Wilson
Jefferson City
Dear Editor:
On Monday, Nov. 4, I was riding in a car with three friends on Highway 50 west about 6 p.m. It was almost dark. I saw something ahead on the right side. I could not tell what it was. The driver moved over to avoid hitting whatever it was. I found out from the driver it was a man on a bike pulling a cart. We all said aloud, "He is going to get killed," and that is exactly what happened shortly after we saw him. I drove back over that section of the highway several times, yesterday and today, since I read a man was killed and a young woman arrested for killing him.
I thought to call on Monday and report that man was a "hazard" riding a bike on Highway 50 at night. I did not do this because I did not know if it was legal to ride on the highway after dark. He was on the highway, not on the strip besides the highway because there is no strip beside the highway when you get closer to Clark Street. The speed limit is 60 mph, and it would be impossible avoid hitting someone riding a bike after dark until you were almost on top of him. He should not have been on the highway at this time of day.
We need to work together to ensure this tragedy does not happen again by promoting the need for signage on Highway 50 to make riding a bike after dark illegal. I am not sure of the process but we need to contact our city, county and state officials to make "riding a bike on a major highway after dark illegal" in Missouri. I understand riding a bike is good exercise and I support it, however becoming a "hazard" may lead to death and destruction of lives. No exercise is worth "dying" for or being arrested because you could not see the person riding the bike. No one should have to be imprisoned because an individual was riding their bike to exercise or raise attention to some cause. Do it in the daytime. Thanks for your support.
PS. Write your city, county and state officials to change the law.