This ride was very special for me; Magnus was killed when he was hit from behind by a likely distracted driver; somehow, I managed to live when, in 2005, I was hit head-on at 55mph in the bike lane by a distracted and likely DUI driver. This event was also my first time shooting from the motorcycle since I started having seizures, which seemed incredibly appropriate.
The reason for this ride was incredibly maddening, but it is heartening to see how far advocacy for vulnerable road users has come. When I got hit, there was zero support of any kind. Hell, the driver didn't even get cited for hitting me; local advocacy didn't even mention it, nor did the local news; just another cyclist almost getting killed, no big deal, and as Magnus's dad said, it gets sanitized.
I have watched and been a part of fighting for vulnerable road users' rights, representation, and protection since I got hit. Most of the time, what happens to cyclists, peds, and even drivers who get killed in the public right of way is censored, and with censorship comes normalization; some years ago, I suggested that we start showing the actual aftermath of these completely avoidable deaths on our roadways, straight up Red Asphalt style, a year or so later, Phil Gaimon did a video that said something about the same.
Now, it feels like we are finally turning a corner, and this ride, as sad as it is that it took Magnus getting killed, definitely feels like an inflection point. A ton of people who are making a difference were in attendance: Governor Jared Polis, Congressman Joe Neguse, Shailen Bhatt, the Administrator of the Federal Highway Administration, John Burk, the CEO of TREK Bicycles, Peter Piccolo, executive director of Bicycle Colorado, and representatives from It Could Be Me. Their presence is a testament to our progress and the potential for even more significant change in the future.
Magnus's parents asked us to act; everyone should help keep this momentum rolling.
EDIT: I have been getting request for images from the ride, if you want an image please email with a screenshot of the image and please instead of paying me donate to my Cycling Advocacy Nonprofit Ride Broomfield.
