I want to read about cycling fatalities and other mishaps, in the hope that all of us can learn how to protect ourselves and how to expend our advocacy energies. I get into verbal spats with my friend, Serge (Helmet Head), when I accuse him of being in denial regarding the risks of cycling in traffic. As a 20-year dues-paying member of MADD, I am very keen on effectively assertive advocacy, and I am currently struggling with how we best deal with the very real problem of inattentive and distracted motorists.

I do not object to being reminded periodically of the danger we all face on the road (and even offroad). I have worked around electricity all of my life, and I do many of my own automobile repairs. I do my own home maintenance and home improvement projects, usually with power tools. One key to safety is to remain fully conscious of the dangers inherent in almost any activity.

At the same time, I take joy in reading the results of a recent British twin study, which demonstrated that those of us who exercise aerobically 3 hours or more per week are biologically almost a decade younger than our couch potato counterparts. We have to weigh risk versus reward, and I think bicycling still comes out quite positive on balance.