I never planned to be a bicycling safety advocate.
I never planned to be a widow and single mother to two young girls.
I became all these things the moment tragedy struck on April 6, 2010.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010 started out as an ordinary day. My husband, Larry, woke up early and went off to work while I worked at home and spent the afternoon hours watching my kids play outside. Around 3:30 p.m., Larry came home then quickly set out on an afternoon bike ride with his lifelong friend. At 4:30 p.m. I got a call that changed my life forever. Larry had been hit by a car while riding his bike and was killed instantly.
As I paced in my kitchen, not knowing how to tell my girls what happened, not knowing how I was going to get through the night, not knowing how I would even get through life without Larry, it occurred to me that the legislative session was ending in the next few days. In between my shock and sorrow, I called Delegate Jon Cardin. I told Jon I wanted to do anything I could to move forward any bicycling safety bills that were currently in process. Two days later, I was on the Senate floor in Annapolis to show support for the bill to create the 3-Foot Law in Maryland. This bill was introduced in seven previous legislative sessions and never passed. In 2010, this important bill passed and was signed into law. I made a difference. Larry's death made a difference.
In the 2011 legislative session, I testified in support of a bill to close the loophole in Maryland's criminal law that allowed drivers who kill cyclists to go to traffic court instead of criminal court. A misdemeanor charge would be created to allow for the prosecution of drivers who were found to be criminally negligent. Once again, a bill that had been introduced in many prior legislative sessions was passed and signed into law. I made a difference. Larry's death made a difference.
Also during this time, I worked with some of Larry's closest friends to create Larry's Ride, an annual event that raises money for Bike Maryland, a state-wide advocacy group dedicated to increasing bicycling safety, improving conditions and providing a voice for bicyclists in Maryland. Through this event, we not only work to raise money to help fund Bike Maryland's important safety programs, but we seek to increase driver awareness to ultimately decrease the number of cycling fatalities on our roads.
Becoming a bicycling safety advocate and organizing Larry's Ride started out as a way to channel my grief into action. Over the years, it has become a way to continue Larry's legacy, to remind drivers to slow down and be cautious when passing cyclists and to make the roads a safer place to ride. It's heart-breaking every time I hear the news of yet another cycling collision. I will continue to volunteer my time and energy in the hopes that another family does not lose a loved one in a senseless collision.
Larry's Ride 2014 was held Sept. 14 at Camp Milldale in Reisterstown.
