Motorcyclists Make Freeways Dangerous

I almost became a killer today.

I wasn’t angry at the time. In fact, I was in pretty good spirits, listening to some good music on my car radio.

How could I have been prepared for what was to happen? Suddenly a hooded human came flying out of nowhere behind me on a motorcycle, zipping right in front of me, within what seemed to be inches of my front bumper.

When I recovered from this jolt, only an accidental reference to my right-side mirror warned me of the approach of another speeding cyclist racing between the narrow channel between freeway lanes. Just a foot or two movement on my part could have taken either one of them out.

I grant you that most cyclists are pretty well under control, but far too many are undisciplined, and this, unfortunately, seems at times to include some California Highway Patrol cyclists as well as ordinary citizens.

There’s no need to make this a lengthy elaboration. I’d wager that anyone who travels the freeways daily knows these incidents as familiar scenes. While many bikers can also cite the motorists who hassle them, the fact remains that the two-wheelers have made the freeways a dangerous place for themselves and those of us who are not interested in injuring them or anyone else.

While I was thinking of writing this letter while driving home this evening, I caught sight of a motorcycle accident on the opposite side of the freeway, complete with fire engines and ambulances on hand.

It’s past time for some more rigid controls before more tragic accidents happen.

JOSEPH J. HONICK

Encino