crash66

I plan on submitting this to my local paper, thought I would post it here as well.

To: Voice of the People, Chicago Tribune

I recently returned to an old hobby, cycling. In my quest to get up-to-speed, so to speak, on the newest things in bike technology and technique, I frequented a popular cycling chat forum. Some of my posts to the forum were addressed by an eminently knowledgable, if sometimes acerbic, individual going by the moniker “sydney”. This individual was direct and to the point, but always had exactly the answer I, and many others, were looking for.

This individual is also no longer with us. His real name was Jim Price, and you may have heard his story. He was run over and killed recently, while riding, by a teenager who was text messaging on his cell phone while driving.

I could go on several rants about teenage drivers, or using cell phones while driving, or the preciousness of life. The only point I will make, however, is that in this holiday season, take time to reflect on those we love, but don’t forget the strangers out there. Because as society becomes obsessed with little hand-held gadgets like cell phones, which connect you with only one person at a time, at that moment they are also removing any connection you have to the rest of the world, your fellow citizens, and your sense of real community. Sometimes with deadly consequences.

Can you hear me now?

Ken S.
Naperville

UmneyDurak

Nice writting, true words. I hope they publish it.

55/Rad

Nicely written and great point. Good job.

Only thing I might add is a little more weight about Jim in the opening paragraph - specifically about his prolific contributions on several forums and how he touched a great many people.

55/Rad

Patriot

I like it.

BillyD

Very nicely done.

LowCel 

Very nice article. I really like the final line, "can you hear me now?"

Guest

Can you include the html for the petition I wrote in your letter to the editor? I think that would really give folks an outlet once they read the letter- they can help end this injustice too.

Nice letter. I hope it gets published!

Koffee

substructure

Nice work.

baj32161

Here here!!!

roadfix

Very nice...

merlinextraligh

well done

Serpico

he was also know as:

boudreaux-cyclingforums.com
bikerbilly-forums.bicycling.com
bubba-serotta.com/forum

and possibly others, might want to add this--bikeforums wasn't his only hangout

you don't even have to list his haunts, just put something like "known by various names, sydney/bourdeaux/bikerbilly/bubba among others, he participated on various forums--tallying up nearly 50,000 posts, all in the service of fellow cyclists"

somethin' like that

good letter

cycle17

Good writing. Hope it gets published.

webist

Excellent letter. Don't change a thing. Don't add a thing. Send it. To those with constructive ideas to make the letter different, why not write one to your paper also?

RC2

What a huge bummer, boudreaux/sydney/etc was quite a character and will live on in our memories as someone who left quite a mark on his passion. Nice article. Sad news.

crash66

Thanks for the props. I've taken some of your suggestions and made a final version. I'll be sending it in later this week, so hopefully it will run after the weekend papers (when most folks probably skip the ed's).

To: Voice of the People, Chicago Tribune

I recently returned to an old hobby, cycling. In my quest to get up-to-speed, so to speak, on the newest things in bike technology and technique, I frequented a popular cycling chat forum. Some of my posts to the forum were addressed by an eminently knowledgable, if sometimes acerbic, individual going by the moniker “sydney”. Our “sydney” inhabited several cycling forums, under various names, and his posts numbered into the thousands. He minced no words, but always had exactly the answer I, and many others, were looking for.

He also is no longer with us. His real name was Jim Price, and you may have heard his story. He was run over and killed recently, while riding, by a teenager who was text messaging on his cell phone, while driving.

I could go on several rants about teenage drivers, or using cell phones while driving, or the preciousness of life. The only point I will make, however, is that during this holiday season, take time to reflect on those we love, but don’t forget the strangers out there. Because as society becomes obsessed with little hand-held gadgets like cell phones, which connect you with only one person at a time, they are, at that moment, also removing any connection you have to the rest of the world, your fellow citizens, and your sense of real community. Sometimes with deadly consequences.

Please join Jim Price's forum friends in signing a petition borne of the sad and troubling circumstances surrounding this unfortunate event, and help prevent it from happening again. You can find the petition at https://www.petitiononline.com/7474355/

Can you hear me now?

Ken S.
Naperville

celticfrost

crash66 / Ken,

With your permission, can I also submit the same letter to the LA Times?

The more newspapers this gets in, the better.

crash66

Sure, not a problem. Get the word out.

USAZorro

+1

budster

Well said. Thank you.

* jack *

+1

froze

Signed, thanks for your efforts, hopefully it won't be in vain.

scarpi41

very nice. reached abroader audience with that writing, making it a more universal letter. Good closeing sentence also. NICE. well done. Should definitely be published.

HigherGround

Very well done. Finishing with the question "Can you hear me now?" is particularly good.

scarpi41

I could submit it to newsday or NY times. GIving you all the credit of course for this well written, to the point letter.(which i think my posts lack sometimes lol) With only the intention to get the word around. Matt S.