They would seem to be reasonable, much more so if not juxtaposed against the context of this story in the absence of any similar instructive words of warning for the commuting motorist who might find himself/herself pulling out of an alley onto a thoroughfare just as a cyclist passes.

There are no details suggesting that the cyclist was not compliant with any detail of the writer's safety code, so why, when writing about an accident, load the article with non-applicable fluff that only deflects the reader's attention away from the issues that should be the focus of the article.

Whether intentional or not, the writer has shifted the focus away from those factors that contributed to the accident and onto the cycling population in general.

At best, it is an example of poorly focused writing that, unfortunately, reinforces stereotypes under which all cyclists must suffer.

That the motorist was not cited is no indication that she will never be, but, chances are that we will not learn of a citation if one is eventually issued.

Caruso