A court hearing in Tennessee over the August 19 crash that killed two Milligan University cyclists and injured seven others is putting a spotlight on a fear many cyclists know well: that even one reckless decision by a driver can alter multiple lives in an instant.
One cyclist in East Tennessee now says the incident is making him reconsider whether he should give up road cycling altogether.
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The Tennessee resident took to Reddit's r/Cycling community to share his concerns.
This original poster wrote, "I've never been one to get rattled by cars, and [I] have admittedly had some close calls, but after hearing about this recent horrific incident in east TN–not far from where I live–- and my own personal experiences, I'm seriously considering selling my road bike."
OP added, "between the AWFUL roads here in the southeast (no shoulder), distracted/rude/or straight up aggressive drivers, being chased by dogs…I even rode by [a] house who FIRED A SHOTGUN as I rode by… It's fkn crazy."
Several commenters suggested a middle ground over giving up road cycling completely. The top comment read, "I'm giving up times of day, like afternoons especially on the weekend. Too many drunk drivers, especially near beach coastal settings."
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Another wrote, "I've had more close calls than I like to remember…While it's possible to do it safely and do everything right for decades, the very real possible downside of something tragic happening by no fault of your own is too great.
One user added, "Hate to plug gadgets, but getting a Varia rear view radar has made me much more comfortable riding with traffic. I pair it with a small bar end mirror."
Others suggested moving from road cycling to different forms of the sport, with one commenter writing, "I 'gave up' road cycling when I found mountain biking 38 years ago. Far more fun and no cars."
Yet not everyone in the comments section was on board with changing their habits because of aggressive drivers and the lack of quality bike infrastructure.
One commenter who took this stance explained, "The reason some drivers feel emboldened to be reckless degenerates is because they see so few bicycles on the road, they assume the cyclists are doing something wrong. The fewer bikes they see, the more the roads-are-for-cars-only attitude is able to take hold… So if you stop road riding, the terrorists win."
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