“Black 2001 Saturn SC2. That’s the car I drive — and if you’re a bicyclist on the road but not in a bike path and you see my car, I hope you’re wearing a helmet, because I might run you over.”
And so began a recent opinion piece by student columnist Zack Colman in The State News, Michigan State University’s student newspaper.
Not surprisingly, the article has generated a massive amount of online commentary. Many, like myself, simply wonder if the piece was intended as satire. I’m still not quite sure, but I suspect the underlying sentiment is real, whereas the rhetoric is intentionally over the top for the amusement of some and the provocation of others.
Irrespective of the author’s intent, I hope the ensuing discussion will result in education for both motorists and cyclists alike. Wishful thinking, perhaps, but hey… it’s Friday!
