BETTENDORF, Iowa — In the past month the Quad Cities has seen three bike riders struck and killed. All three accidents were incredibly different, one happening on a country road when A 60-year-old man riding a bike was hit and killed by a driver on the Rock River Bridge along Illinois Route 84 outside of Colona, Illinois on May 4th, 2021.
The second accident happened in Moline on May 4th, 2021 when a 13 year old boy was riding his bike. He got hit by a police officer responding to a disturbance call on 34th street.
The most recent accident happened June 3rd, 2021 when a driver reportedly ran a red light, striking and killing a Geneseo man while riding near Kimberly and Eastern Avenue in Davenport.
It’s a reminder to Quad Cities Bicycle Club member Cynthia Bottrell to refresh on rules of the road for both bikers and drivers. She’s been riding with the club for over 30 years and she’s very familiar with the different trails and roads around the Quad Cities. Bottrell saying, “I’ve been riding for a long time, all kinds of places and ways. Experienced people know which roads are good for riding.”
Bottrell says the most important rule of the road is awareness. “Awareness of your surroundings, awareness of what you’re doing, and then awareness of who is crossing.”
In her opinion, the location doesn’t matter, the rules are all still the same. “A lot of it boils down to both sides not having their full focus on the road.” Her tips for riding safely include wearing bright clothes, like construction yellow, bright pink or blue, always wearing a helmet, preferably a bright one, and most importantly making drivers aware of your presence.
Bottrell saying, “A lot of people make eye contact and they wave, or drivers will wave and say you can go on. Know that you've made that awareness and connection and it's a safer environment for everybody.”
At the end of the day, the most important part of any ride is making it to your destination. “Even though it’s enjoyable to be on the trails and roads riding, you want to get home at the end of the ride.”