Riding Wisdom: Why It Always Pays To Pay Attention.

Take a good look at this photo, and in particular, the road sign before the railroad tracks.

It reminded me of an incident a few years ago, whist riding with a club of hotheads.  The “Racers” were out front (as usual) dropping everyone in sight (though all of that clubs’ rides were billed as “No Drop”), and it was then that I arrived on the scene of a most curious event related to the photo.

Picking themselves up, assessing their bikes, and bodily damage, were three of the riders who were out front, all trying to out-hammer each other.  Not only did they miss the clearly posted warning sign, but they also missed the fact the railroad tracks were at an extremely dangerous angle to the road.  The tracks (now an overpass) crossed the road at about a ten-degree angle, thus the railroad was wise enough to post a sign clearly stating, “All cyclists dismount and use sidewalk.”

Of course, warnings are only useful if people actually pay attention to them.

Ride safely, my friends.